They don't make 'em like this anymore... "Spoilers"

Rating: Null/10 (25 October 2004)

"Warning - Possible Spoilers" - First off, the fact that I had never heard of this movie until a couple of months ago when I was told about it is amazing. I say this because of a passion for war movies.
Off I went then, from website to website in search of as much information on Battle as could've been mustered. Alas, it took only the short synopsis provided by one particular website to convince me that this is something I must have. A rare type of movie, an insightful piece of film-making by one of the last passionate directors of our time and pure cinematic power are truths that best describe Battle.
The movie essentially involves the struggle of the Algerian people from the early fifties thru 1962 for independence. This struggle became organised through the formation of the "FLN" or National Liberation Front (the abbreviation might be French). The other part of the story details the involvement of one of NLF's martyrs, Ali La Pointe, an Algerian mason hoodlum turned war hero.
The situation in Algeria was tense and often horrific even after the assistance they lent the French army in WWII to drive out the Germans from France and other French territories. The Algerians were obviously hoodwinked into believing that independence lay in store for them as reward for their wartime sacrifices. They couldn't have been more wrong. The French continued with their occupation and administration of Algeria only to further alienate the Algerian people. The best jobs, homes and clubs, for instance, were for the French. In addition the Casbah, a remnant part of Turkish times, growing more populated with time and fast becoming an inner city contributed to deteriorating standards of life. Mad with disgust, the Algerian people responded through the resourcefulness and determination of Saadi Yacef, also the producer and main supporting actor of Battle, to form the NLF to recruit freedom fighters.
Ali, whilst in prison for a petty crime, is taken by the NLF's struggle and after acing a test in courage and resolve put upon him by Saadi, joins the organization. Thus begins the mayhem. The NLF executing French police at random, the French responding by bombing the Casbah, the NLF using Algerian beauties to plant bombs in French public places, simply represents the first half of the film.
Enter the French 10th Airborne Division under one Lt. Colonel Matthieu, paratroopers who had ousted the Germans from most of France and seen many other battles. The paratroopers carry out torture on interrogation victims, impose curfews, screen Algerian people on the streets, raid the Casbah at will and are responsible for some Algerians ending up missing. All this isn't without any humour though, as Matthieu, asked by his CO to name the operation, looks out the window through field glasses suddenly seeing an ad for champagne and deciding to name it "Operation Champagne". The humour is short lived though, as Mattieu takes the city by storm rooting out one terrorist after the other, whilst suffering casualties of course, until he finally nabs Saadi. This then leaves for the climax of Ali being cornered in a hideout with a few other loyalists at which point none refuse to surrender. The film then continues to depict the ongoing fight which lasts some 4-5 years before Algeria is officially declared independent in 1962.
The film's contrasts between light and the dimness of the Casbah heighten the sense of dread. Scenes of rioting crowds couldn't have been more realistic bearing in mind Pontecorvo's insistence that no documentary footage was used. Explosions actually go off in public places causing what appears to be genuine mayhem. Never have I had a lesser respect for CGI animation when stark realism was the order of the day. The acts of terrorism, insurgency and counter-insurgency are so mercilessly depicted that these scenes hold relevance till today. Suffice it to say that this film is one of the most brutal tellings of the quintessential struggle of an oppressed people for liberty.
Enjoy!