Netflix war movie “Nothing New in the West”: the title explains – because after the heavily changed finale it makes no sense anymore

Warning: Follow SPOILERS for “nothing new in the west‘ (both the book and the film adaptations)!

“Nothing New in the West” is the title of Erich Maria Remarque’s anti-war novel, published in 1929, referring to the final chapter of his story. The main character, Paul Bäumer, died in October 1918, the last of his circle of friends, just as the armistice and the end of the war were approaching. It’s a day that was so calm and quiet on the front that the army report is limited to just one statement, at the end of the book: There is nothing new to report in the West.

With this Remarque once again underlines the futility of the war and the death of the young men, whose individual fate is not worth reporting. In the Netflix remake with Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl and newcomer Felix Kammerer in the role of young Paul, director Edward Berger took a different approach. With considerably more drama, he really insists on the clear statement here.

“Nothing New in the West” Ends With Much More Escalation

Because Berger won’t let Paul die in October 1918. The movie goes on. Since we are simultaneously watching the peace negotiations (an extension of the original and previous adaptations), all viewers who do not know the true history will know: the war ends on November 11, 1918 at 11 am. And because Paul and the other young soldiers are shortly before sent to battle again by General Friedrichs (Devid Striesow), the finale turns into an intense battle against time.

As the soldiers around Paul die, we know how long he has to survive. We can and should really join in the excitement of whether he survives. In terms of dramaturgy, of course, it’s incredibly effective and exciting. And in the spirit of the original, it once again underscores the futility of this death. Because here the young men lose their lives in a war already settled on paper. The terms of the ceasefire have been negotiated. No act, no ground gain in these combat operations changes anything, they only lead to more deaths. It just doesn’t fit the title of the movie. Because after this battle with countless deaths on both sides, there will surely be many new things reported from the West…

Of course, the fact that the title no longer makes sense does not detract from the quality of “Nothing New in the West”. If you’ve read this article despite the spoiler warning and are not yet familiar with Edward Berger’s war film, then we can only recommend that you watch it on Netflix. In our opinion, the director succeeds in “a highly staged, rousing and dramatic remake”. MOVIESTARTS Review.