**** out of ****

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 2002)

Brutally honest look at the Algierian uprising against the French remains powerful to this day, and even more pertinent in light of concerns about terrorism. It takes an objective view of a bloody and tragic situation, looking at the fact that each side was right and wrong, creating a cycle of violence not unlike that in Israel today. Lots of raw power, due to the documentary-style filming. History buffs will get a lot out of this, as will fans of politics-heavy films. No matter what your tastes are, this movie remains an important movie - one which everybody would benefit from watching.