Review of Che: Part One (2008) by Ben W — 29 May 2010

I think its easy to say that this is the better of the 2 parts of soderberghs film, perhaps simply because more goes on in it coupled with the more formless structure of the film. del toro does a wonderful job bringing to screen the international icon of revolution and making him as human as I can imagine him being. the film follows him from his first meeting with fidel castro up through the victorious take over of all of cuba with some sporadic asides that take place during his visit to the states to address the un, go to a high class party (in which he thanks a senator for the bay of pigs because he says it united the country against something), and do a tv interview. it is, however an imperfect movie (soderbergh is the master of making imperfect films), getting muddled at some moments, but overall providing us with an excellent take on the life and times of its seminal figure.

Its also wonderfully shot, almost entirely handheld (if not entirely) with the digital red camera, an implement of filmmaking that could prove to help revolutionize independent filmmaking.