very good but oddly filmed

Rating: 8/10 (9 July 2006)

This is a documentary-like film about the Algerian revolution against the French in the 1950s and 60s--though 95% of the movie is set between 1956 and 1957. At first, it appears to be a documentary-like film about a revolutionary named Ali Le Pointe. It follows him episodically from his teenage years, to his joining the FLA (the Algerian Independence group) and follows many of his terrorist exploits as well as those of his compatriots. However, despite this being the focus, the film then diverges towards other characters and even after Ali's death, the film continues--giving spotty accounts all the way up until their independence in 1962. While the film is greatly admired and it does seem to show both sides of the equation, it looks as if the film was made by two or more directors and then pieced together, as the focus and style of the film changed repeatedly. While this doesn't undermine its overall impact, this keeps it from being a truly great film.
Also, and this is definitely a politically charged opinion, I had a bit of a hard time watching this film. While the French (and British and others) were dead wrong to establish colonial empires, the organizations that in many instances replaced these empires scares the life out of any thinking person. Also, no matter how noble the cause, so many innocent people were murdered it makes you wonder if it was all worth it or was it just a chance for nihilists to kill for the sake of killing?