The Battle of Algiers

I found the realism and documentary style of this film somewhat refreshing compared to the glossy fantasy of Hollywood which can so easily become superficial or distracting. This film is of course a retelling of a real-life event and therefore this style not only works for the material but in fact adds to the overall impact of the film. This realism, being its main attraction for me, was also its main problem if I was to critically measure it against any other film. It wasn’t entertaining. Now of course war and revolution is never supposed to be entertaining but the job of a filmmaker is to take you on an emotional journey where you can be entertained even in the midst of such surroundings. I felt it was a bit too much of a record and not personalised enough to make a good drama. Nevertheless though maybe more of a history lesson than a film it was still well-made and relatively engaging.