Brilliant portrayal of the struggle between revolutionaries and colonialists
The Battle of Algiers was an iconic film of the 1960s. It featured the Algerian war of independence from the French in the 1950s, and captured the revolutionary times of that decade. Forty years later it found an unlikely revival via the US military who was interested in it due to its involvement in the Iraq war. All together this led The Battle of Algiers to go down in history for both its content and its style of realism. It depicts the struggle of Third World revolutionaries as well as imperialist powers to hold onto their colonies. Leftists point to it as inspiration for how oppressed people can liberate themselves. First world powers like the U.S. show it to their militaries for lessons on how to fight a counterinsurgency. Just in terms of art it is an exciting war film.<br /><br />One of the strong points of the film is that it lays out the National Liberation Front’s (FLN) plan for independence. First, it issued orders to try to win over the public such as banning the sale of drugs and alcohol and prostitution. It does other community work like host weddings. Then the group turns to small acts of violence and defiance such as killing policemen and stealing their guns, which grew in intensity. The goal was to establish the FLN as an alternative source of authority in the country, to defy the French, and to create a revolutionary environment. That’s helped by the French using increasingly repressive tactics to contain the violence such as cordoning off sections of Algiers, setting up checkpoints, etc. along with French colonials turning on Arabs, which included terrorist attacks of their own. These were common techniques used by revolutionary groups across the world. The movie does a great job breaking down the techniques and strategy used.<br /><br />Of course it also includes the French army’s attempt to put down the rebellion. The army’s main tactic is to break down the organization the FLN created starting at the bottom and working its way up until the leadership is eliminated. That effort would be based upon investigations, intelligence, and police work. It also meant extra judicial means that flaunted French law like torture. The struggle then became one between the army’s attempt to roll up the FLN’s cadres and its ability to sustain its losses and expand its base.<br /><br />The two sides are laid out explicitly. One of the FLN leaders says it’s one thing to start a revolution, harder to sustain it and win, and then the real work starts afterward. For the French, it was about keeping Algeria as a colony. If France wanted that it would have to bear the consequences of a no holds bar counterinsurgency war.<br /><br />All together this makes for a fantastic film. It captures an important period of time in a realistic manner that still makes it a great watch today.<br />C
The movie title "The Battle of Algiers (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.6 from 769 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Boxed Sets and Drama. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"Genre": "Drama", "Format": "Multiple Formats, Box set, Black & White, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen", "Contributor": "Brahim Haggiag, Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef, Gillo Pontecorvo", "Language": "French, Arabic", "Runtime": "2 hours and 1 minute", "Is Discontinued By Manufacturer": "No", "MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Product Dimensions": "0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.88 Ounces", "Item model number": "CRRN2303DVD", "Director": "Gillo Pontecorvo", "Media Format": "Multiple Formats, Box set, Black & White, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen", "Run time": "2 hours and 1 minute", "Release date": "September 3, 2013", "Actors": "Brahim Haggiag, Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef", "Dubbed": "Arabic", "Subtitles": "English", "Studio": "Criterion Collection", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "3"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : One of the most influential political films in history, The Battle of Algiers, by Gillo Pontecorvo, vividly re-creates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s. As violence escalates on both sides, children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés, and French soldiers resort to torture to break the will of the insurgents. Shot on the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film is a case study in modern warfare, with its terrorist attacks and the brutal techniques used to combat them. Pontecorvo’s tour de force has astonishing relevance today..