The Battle of Algiers: Influencing Andor & One Battle After Another

Both Andor and One Battle After Another drew significant inspiration from the classic 1966 war film The Battle of Algiers, which remains powerful and relevant today. The Battle of Algiers depicts the Algerian War, focusing on the conflict between rebel fighters and the French government, particularly during the Battle of Algiers.

Considered one of the best war films ever created, The Battle of Algiers is a landmark achievement of the Italian neorealist film style. Its impact on filmmaking continues today, notably inspiring directors like Paul Thomas Anderson and Tony Gilroy, who have borrowed its realistic, documentary-style shooting and intense depiction of war.

Andor & One Battle After Another Were Heavily Influenced By The Battle Of Algiers

Though quite distinct in their execution, both Andor and One Battle After Another explore comparable themes. Both use the exciting style of big-budget action movies to tell relevant stories about resisting oppression and the sacrifices made during revolution, and both were significantly inspired by the film The Battle of Algiers.

As a critic, I’ve been struck by the surprising similarities between two seemingly different projects: the sci-fi series Andor and the action-packed One Battle After Another. While one takes place in the Star Wars universe and the other is grounded in a more realistic setting, both stories really dig into what it costs to fight against oppressive regimes. Andor focuses on the difficult choices people make when rebelling against a brutal dictatorship like the Galactic Empire, and One Battle After Another is all about the constant, desperate fight to evade a controlling police state. They’re both thought-provoking, and honestly, pretty timely.

Cassian Andor and Bob Ferguson share similarities with Ali La Pointe, the central figure in The Battle of Algiers. Like La Pointe, both Cassian and Bob are involved in the gritty, often unnoticed work of rebellion. They aren’t leaders, but rather those on the ground doing the difficult and unglamorous tasks needed to overthrow an oppressive government.

The Battle Of Algiers Depicts Warfare With An Almost Documentary-Like Sense Of Realism

Both Andor and One Battle After Another were strongly impacted by The Battle of Algiers, primarily through its gritty realism. Director Gillo Pontecorvo prioritized historical accuracy above all else, and he cast many non-actors who had actually lived through the events depicted, bringing authentic experiences to their performances.

Gillo Pontecorvo filmed The Battle of Algiers in black and white, using real locations and a newsreel-like style reminiscent of Roberto Rossellini. This gives the film a documentary feel, and recent shows like Andor and One Battle After Another have adopted similar techniques to achieve a comparable level of realism. Scenes like the Ghorman Massacre in Andor and the riot in One Battle After Another feel as authentic as those in The Battle of Algiers.

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2026-02-10 21:11