Guess what... I never took History in school. It was not through lack of want, believe me. So it was only during this World Cup I discovered( From the commentators, no less ) that GASP Algeria used to belong to France. And now, I find myself watching a film about that very struggle, for them be an independent nation. Coincidence, no?Encompassing about 40 years, Outside The Law centres around One Algerian family as they are forced to give up their lands and move into skid row. There are three brothers, and as they grow up we see them take on very different fates: One becomes a soldier, the other a revolutionary while inside prison, and the last sibling joins the criminal underworld. Eventually, all their paths will collide in the dramatic (and long running) saga of Algeria's eventually successful quest to govern itself. Will Scotland follow suit? Don't hold your breathe.A wise man once told me: "There is no good film that is too long, and no bad film that is too short". Never a truer word spoken in this case. as it clocks in at just over two hours... yet I was enraptured till the (very bitter) end. The twist-laden plot takes us from one well directed set piece to another, as bullets fly like confetti and bodies are strewn around without mercy. But despite all this chaos, it still has the time for quieter reflective passages which are just as effective. In fact, maybe even more so. It all combines to create a jewel of a movie. Fantastic.Oh and if there are historic inaccuracies in this script (Which I'm sure there will be) I'm not going to mark it down for that. I'm a critic, not a teacher. Mind you, considering how clueless most of the educators I've met seem to be, maybe that's just as well... 8/10

First of all this is my first review! So why did i choose this movie? Because in my opinion this movie is really underrated and has a low score which is a shame! The other reviewers say that this is a sequel to "Days of Glory" , i have not seen "Days of Glory" but "Hors-la-loi" is a great piece of cinema. Many people such as myself rely on IMDb score and user reviews prior to seeing a movie , and many may be putt off by a score of 6.5 , but believe me and give this one a chance. It's a gritty and noir movie which tells its story without holding back anything! The acting is very good the directing likewise and the cinematography is great. Overall it has some flaws but there are no perfect movies. So if you like movies in general and don't care about the little things than WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!!

On 5 July 2012 Algeria will commemorate 50 years of independence. 'Hors-la-loi' thematically exploits Algeria's struggle for its liberation from France. The sum and substance of the film is a family saga of how three brothers take part in, and react to organizing the Algeria resistance in metropolitan France: Abelkader is the brains, Messaoud, the brawn, and Said, a pimp and fight promoter in Pigalle, who, in the end redeems his bona fide as a patriot. From the reenactment of colonial repression in Setif in 1945 until independence in 1962, 'Hors-la-loi' is told by the numbers. The acting is uninspired; at times, it is lethargic, and the story seemingly never looses its cartoon-like character. Although director Rachid Bouchareb's heart is in the right place, the film has the feel of re-enforced concrete. Bouchareb would have been bettered serve in documentary film format, to spool out the his theme.

I was expecting a bit more from this movie. The conflict in mainland France between the French government and Algerians fighting for independence between the 1940's and the 1960's seems ready made material for a gripping movie.The film wears its heart on its sleeve. The first scene shows an Algerian farmer being given a few days to vacate his land to allow a French colonist take it over. The farmers three sons are the main protagonists for the rest of the film. One joins the French army, one is arrested in 1945 and imprisoned in France and the third moves to France with their mother in the hope of finding a better life.We follow the brothers progress as two of them become involved in the independence movement and the third makes his money as a pimp and and nightclub owner.For some reason, even though the injustices perpetrated by the French government are undoubtedly heinous the movie never convinced me to empathise with the brothers situation. I thought the film dragged a lot as we follow the progress of their differing but intersecting careers through the 1950's and early 1960's.The movie's climax is a rather traditional shoot out with the police followed by a chase through the Paris metro.While the movie is technically well made and the acting in general is excellent for me it is a chance missed to make a great movie about this traumatic period in the relationship between France and Algeria.