The Battle of Algiers (2016)

Better Late Then Never

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

This is a film based on true events - the war between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front from 1954 to 1962, which led to Algeria gaining its independence from France. An important decolonization war, it was a complex conflict characterized by guerrilla warfare, maquis fighting, and the use of torture by both sides. The Battle of Algiers remains to this day an important film associated with Italian neo-realism cinema. A failure to win "hearts and minds" it was considered as important material by some in the consideration of the outcome of a War on Terror in Iraq and perhaps even highly prescient. It is a highly dramatic film shot in a documentary reel style with non-actors. While banned for five years in France it now is considered one of the great films of the 20th Century. Its achievement is not only its power of storyline and narrative but the effect of appearing as truth stylistically. No stock news footage is used which is astonishing for the realism it succeeded in depicting. Its value has increased from a historical point of view because those involved with the actual skirmishes and conflict will no doubt have seen the film differently in 1966.

A well structured, written and performed piece of cinematic legend. The lack of familiar faces in the cast permits great immersion and sense of realism. Shot choices and composition are fantastic and tonally perfect for the film. Editing is tight and gives depth to the script. Shows the good vs evil dynamic of rebellion and the cost of "doing whatever it takes" for freedom, and the fine line between governance and fascism. Look: 9/10 Performance: 8/10 Writing and Structure: 10/10 Editing: 10/10

As Algerian, I watched this movie 2 times a year for 20 years, this movie is a part of my story. It helped me to put imagines and sounds to stories I heard from my teachers, cousins, as my grand-parents and my parents still can't talk about that horrible war.By now, as I'm growing old, I understand that this movie is not the 'Truth', it was 'war', and in a war even good people can do horrible things. And I know what I'm talking about as I was there, in Algeria, during the 'Dark Decennial', while we were fighting against our own people whom turned terrorists in the name of Islam.So for those who will watch this film, please just remember not to judge any of the parties : Algerian /or/ French. It was a war and no war is nice, people die, and those who survive will suffer. Films/art are a form of exorcism for that pain we keep silently inside.I like this movie, because I saw tears in the beautiful green eyes of my grand mother every time she watched it and it always gave her a good opportunity to cry for my grand father that she lost during the war. I saw my father crying for his father that he never knew, and saw him also being closer to his mom because. For me, this movie will always be a 'Good movie to watch in Family'

Any ethnic group, natives, or Indigenous peoples should watch this film. It will inspire you why people should fight their freedom. And it also warn people try to see through the governor's trick. The gap between governor and people is real big. Most governor only think how to rule their people. But never in people's view, to think how to service people, especially in the age of globalization. Hence people should to know what is really good for us and what is not. Don't be silence. You should speak louder and louder. You should fight for your belief. Otherwise, people never can get the real freedom. The bad governor, Financial Group, and politician will take everything from you.