Review of Che: Part One (2008) by Stuart K — 23 Apr 2012

A passion project for nearly 10 years by it's star Benicio Del Toro, who got Steven Soderbergh interested after making Traffic (2000), which they both won Oscars for. The life of Che Guevara was always going to be difficult to put on screen, it's so epic, that Soderbergh and Del Toro made 2 films, this is the first one, epic in scope and done with Soderbergh's usual visual flair.

It begins in Mexico City in 1955, where Che Guevara (Del Toro) meets Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir), who plans to lead a movement into Cuba to overthrow the dictatorship of . In March 1957, Guevara travels to Santiago, Cuba as part of the July 26th Movement, to topple the oppressive US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista, who has been abusing his power.

It takes nearly 2 years to build up an army and enough support to travel through Cuba, which leads to the Battle of Santa Clara and then, on New Years Day 1959, they over throw Cuba. This is all interspersed with Lisa Howard (Julia Ormond) interviewing Guevara in 1964, before he addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York, against American Imperialism.

It's a film which shows how slow a revolution can be, but it's done with an epic sense, especially the push on Santa Clara. Del Toro manages to inject a cool tenacity about Guevara's persona, and it's a good character piece, where Guevara is able to inspire those involved in the revolution to fight together.