The Battle of Algiers (1966)

The Battle of Algiers (1966) is a stark, semi-documentary drama that plunges you into the violent urban struggle for Algerian independence from France in the 1950s–early 1960s. Filmed with a newsreel immediacy, the movie traces the escalation from targeted shootings in the Casbah to bomb attacks in European cafés and public offices, and the brutal French military response led by Colonel Mathieu. At the center are Ali La Pointe, a streetwise recruit turned FLN leader, and the hard‑nosed paratrooper commander who resorts to mass arrests and torture to “cut off” the insurgency. Watching it, you’ll feel as if you’re witnessing history: grainy, black‑and‑white streets, tense night raids, sudden bombings, crowded alleys, and interrogations that are unflinching and unsettling. The film presents both sides — the Algerian revolutionaries’ willingness to use bombs, including female operatives in attacks, and the French security forces’ use of torture and collective punishment — forcing the viewer to confront the moral ambiguities and human cost of guerrilla warfare and colonial repression. Raw, politically charged, and emotionally intense, The Battle of Algiers is immersive and provocative: it informs, shocks, and lingers long after the credits, making it essential viewing for anyone interested in history, politics, or cinema that refuses easy answers.

Actors: Brahim Hadjadj, Jean Martin, Yacef Saadi

Director: Gillo Pontecorvo

Runtime: 121 min

Genres: Drama, War

8.0 /10 96 /100 8.1 /10 8.6 /10