Shot in a gripping, quasi-documentary style, The Battle of Algiers uses a cast of untrained actors coupled with a stern voiceover. Initially, the film focuses on the conversion of young hoodlum Ali La Pointe (Brahim Haggiag) to F.L.N. (the Algerian Liberation Front). However, as a sequence of outrages and violent counter-terrorist measures ensue, it becomes clear that, as in Eisenstein's October, it is the Revolution itself that is the true star of the film.

Pontecorvo balances cinematic tension with grimly acute political insight. He also manages an evenhandedness in depicting the adversaries. He doesn't flinch from demonstrating the civilian consequences of the F.L.N.'s bombings, while Colonel Mathieu, the French office brought in to quell the nationalists, is played by Jean Martin as a determined, shrewd, and, in his own way, honorable man. However, the closing scenes of the movie--a welter of smoke, teeming street demonstrations, and the pealing white noise of ululations--leaves the viewer both intellectually and emotionally convinced of the rightfulness of the liberation struggle. This is surely among a handful of the finest movies ever made. --David Stubbs

Mathieu doesn't mess about. He takes control of the situation and tells his officers "to succumb to humane considerations only leads to hopeless chaos." Strategy dramatically changes as Mathieu methodically rounds up and tortures Algerians. It's a shotgun approach--evidently if you round up enough people and torture them, information will eventually pry loose. And it is by this method that Mathieu begins to break down the cell structure of the terrorist group. Using torture undermines the morality of the French position, but Mathieu tells the troubled French press that the matter is simple--the F.N.L wants the French out, but if France chooses to keep Algeria "you must accept the consequences."

"The Battle of Algiers" is a masterpiece of filmmaking. It's black and white, directed by Italian director, Gillo Pontecorvo with English subtitles. The film has a somewhat grainy look to it that underscores the feeling you're watching a documentary. Interestingly enough the only professional actor in the entire film is Jean Martin who plays Lt Colonel Mathieu (based on General Massu). It's a travesty that this film has faded into obscurity, but evidently enough people know about it for a screening of the film to take place for Special Operations at the Pentagon on August 27, 2003. "The Battle of Algiers" was banned in France and is considered the quintessential film study of a nationalistic insurgency against capitalist suppression. If you are interested in watching an unforgettable political film, it doesn't get better than "The Battle of Algiers." After watching "The Birth of a Nation" Lenin commented that cinema is "History written with lightening." And after finishing "The Battle of Algiers" I'd have to agree--displacedhuman


Historically Loaded and Politically Powerful Cinema...   October 26, 2004
 64 out of 72 found this review helpful

Battle of Algiers displays the occupied Algeria attempt to fight for freedom as they have been under French rule since the 1830's. A little background history would enlighten the audience as the invasion of North Africa, Land of the Berbers, by the French in the 1830's was instigated by 300 years of "pirating" ships in the Mediterranean and raids of southern Europe, which enslaved many Europeans that were brought to Africa. However, the French occupation brought great injustices to the Algerian people as they are treated as second class citizens. In addition, the French controlled the markets, resources, and jobs, which only further the lives of the French citizens.

The injustices forced upon the Algerians to live in poverty, unemployment, societal harassment, and unequal rights. Consequently, the Algerians begin to rise against the injustice, but the unequal military force drives the Algerian freedom fighters to exercise terrorism and other hideous acts of violence. This violence is fed by further aggression from the French police as it escalates the violence from both sides.

The story begins with a man being humanely treated after a rough bout of torture as persecuting soldiers blame the man for the excessive torture, as all he had to do was to tell them what they wanted to know. The tortured man has just revealed the whereabouts of a known terrorist and he is in emotional agony as he is aware of what he has just done. They dress the agonized man in a French camouflage uniform, and depart to capture the freedom fighter.

The freedom fighter, Ali La Pointe (Brahim Haggiag), hides in a secret room behind a wall with three others. When the French soldiers arrive they immediately seek the hidden room and they threaten to detonate a bomb that will destroy the building with them inside unless surrender. In this moment Ali flashbacks to how he ended up in this situation, which also conveys the importance of this moment in Algerian history.

Gillo Pontecorvo and Franco Solinas wrote a politically loaded story about the Algerian liberation in the 1960s that depicted the French resistance to let go of their colony in northern Africa. The film was released in a time when the world was divided in east, Warsaw Pact, and west, North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Communism was the foundation of the east while the west was built around capitalism. These two economical ideologies were in fact in constant confrontation in the Third World as the Western World resisted to let go of their colonies. The civil outcry for freedom in Algeria spread a wildfire of freedom seeking people throughout the Third World.

Pontecorvo and Solinas, which laid out the framework for the film, base the story on long and hard research in Algeria. The film is told with a strong democratic view, which is reinforced through Pontecorvo's direction, which used an Italian neorealistic approach. The cinematic experience that is brought to the audience is powerful, as it will shake the ground upon which the audience is resting their feet. Battle of Algiers also teaches the audience to appreciate freedom fighters such as the patient Gandhi with his nonviolent approach to reach freedom.

CRITERION - Once again the unique art house company releases a DVD worthy their meticulous attention as they provide a film with outstanding information in regards to the film with several discs and booklet. This is definitely worth a purchase for any film enthusiast that wants to learn a little bit besides enjoying the cinematic journey.


EXTRAORDINARY   March 29, 2000
 56 out of 59 found this review helpful

This film was released in the late sixties at the same time the U.S. was getting involved with Vietnam and the similarities are obvious. This is an emotional film which should be seen by all people(except young children). It's use of black and white film, documentary style look, non-professional actors, music, and realism make this a legendary film experience. It starts off with Ali "La Pointe" joining the freedom fighters against French colonial rule. Both sides start bombing each other and then France sends in its army to squash the rebellion. The films violence is harsh but necessary. The torture scenes were removed from some european prints but is intact in this video. This is the type of film that should be shown in highschool and college classes, it is a part of history. The things that will linger with you after watching this excellent film is what the Algerians went through to get their independence, too many innocent people died in this struggle and the viewer can't but help feeling the tragedy of this type of struggle, the final thirty minutes of this film is heartrending. Watch it!


a bad edition of a great film   April 10, 2003
 32 out of 39 found this review helpful

This film dramatically portrays the Battle of Algiers during the Franco-Algierian war of the late 1950s and early 1960s. It very closely parallels real events and real attitudes (the Algerian decision to kill French civilians, the efforts to launch a general strike, the French military's disdain for the politicians in Paris).

Unfortunately, this film print is terrible. The images are grainy and often unclear. Even worse, the subtitles are in white typeface. Reading white subtitles against a white or black-and-white background is nearly impossible. If the viewer does not know French and Arabic, he will be lost for much of the film. Someone desparately needs to re-edit and re-issue this classic.

ADDED LATER: This movie is now available on DVD with improved subtitles and audio quality. I would highly recommend that version.


So many of these reviewers are missing the point   October 5, 2004
 31 out of 45 found this review helpful

This film is not about the evil of the FLN. It is about suffering under a colonial government, for both the French colonialists and Algerians. The Algerians were not wrong to want the French out of their country, and this occupation is the beginning of the story.

The FLN at first only targets police as representatives of the government and imperial submission, leaving the civilians alone. Then a French police commander bombs an Arab residential neighborhood. After that the FLN begins to bomb civilian and military targets.

Pontecorvo shows who the terrorists are murdering. The montage of French faces in the diner keeps their humanity present in the film. He also shows us the murdered and tortured Algerians; children covered in blood, people electrocuted and beat for information. What does each side accomplish in their war? Some French colonial soldiers and civilians are killed, the Algerian terrorists are wiped out. And with this small war decided, what changes? Nothing, the anger of the Algerians continues. The FLN is not the cause of the Algerian rebellions and protests, the French presence is. A movement can be dismantled, but if its cause remains it will return.

This film condemns the terrorists and the French police, but the French are to blame for the conflict because it is the Algerians whose country has been seized.

Today Algeria has problems, but political freedom and social liberty can only survive if a country goes through the long process of establishing these things itself. No outside nation can impose its own idea of civilization through force.