The Birth of an Algerian Nation.

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2001)

The Battle of Algiers is a very unique war film. It is a documentary-style depiction of an uprising in Algiers against the French, and has the rare distinction of being told partly from the point of view of the radicals who, in this case, were terrorists. The film is very informative because, unlike most war films, it is told alternately from multiple points of view. This switching back and forth between several different perspectives provides a unique experience in watching the suffering that went on in Algeria during that nation's struggle for independence.
(spoilers) This is a startlingly realistic and often painful depiction of Algeria's struggle; it does not make the subject matter easy to swallow, which is one of it's better points, in my opinion. I think that in films, especially war films, realism is the most important aspect of the entire picture. You could have amazing acting and spectacular directing and cinematography, but if anything is obviously falsified or exaggerated, that one thing can ruin the movie on its own. The Battle of Algiers does not go out of its way to provide a happy ending, although independence is eventually achieved by the Algerian nation. The goal of the Algerian people is reached, but the extensive cost of human lives is clearly and explicitly presented.