Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh delivers this ambitious and sprawling biopic of one of the 20th Century's most influential political figures. In the second 127-minute segment, GUERILLA, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara (Benicio Del Toro) has abandoned Cuba in order to start an even more daunting Latin-American revolution. He starts in .. Read more
| Starring | Lou Diamond Phillips, Benicio Del Toro, Benjamin Bratt, Monique Curnen |
|---|---|
| Director | Steven Soderbergh |
| Genres | Drama |
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Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh delivers this ambitious and sprawling biopic of one of the 20th Century's most influential political figures. In the second 127-minute segment, GUERILLA, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara (Benicio Del Toro) has abandoned Cuba in order to start an even more daunting Latin-American revolution. He starts in Bolivia where, using a pseudonym, Che begins training his cobbled-together forces. This time around, however, Che's asthma is taking a greater toll, and the odds are stacked much higher against him. Yet even when the cause appears to be lost, Che remains defiant. Having accomplished the impossible in Cuba, he is determined to do the same thing here. But unfortunately time catches up to him, putting an end to his mission once and for all.
For the second segment of his two-part epic, Soderbergh changes his style, reflecting the tougher battle that Che confronted in Bolivia. Gone is the glorious widescreen photography; replacing it is a more claustrophobic 1:85 ratio. Also gone is the tripod, which produces a much more frenetic, unstable effect for the viewer. As Che wheezes his way through the woods, learning of the loss of more and more soldiers, Soderbergh prepares us, through his cinematography and Alberto Iglesias's foreboding score, for his inevitable fall from glory. Once again, Del Toro is phenomenal in bringing the notorious Che to life on screen. Watched in succession, Soderbergh and Del Toro's CHE is a grueling experience, yet it is rewarding in a way that few films are.
| Starring | Lou Diamond Phillips, Benicio Del Toro, Benjamin Bratt, Monique Curnen, Franka Potente, Julia Ormond, Edgar Ramirez |
|---|---|
| Director | Steven Soderbergh |
| Studio | OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 7 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: Spanish, English |
| Released | DVD: 29 Jun 2009 Production year: 2008 |
| Format | DVD |
Last month we suggested that you should try to watch as one four-hour behemoth Steven Soderberghs two-part essay on... read more on Time Out
Just came back from a pre-screening of both parts and have to say that I had great five hours in the cinema. This (second) part tells the story of Ches efforts in Bolivia after his success in Cuba. Most of us know him from his activities in Cuba, hence this part is really worth watching. I am really glad that I had a chance to watch both parts at once. It was like watching two different scenarios of same concept. If you can then you should spare four and a half hours and watch both parts together after they release the second in February.
Really good effort from Soderbergh. Benicios performance was outstanding.
Be prepared to read subtitles most of the time unless you know Spanish.
I found 'Part 1' begin to drag a bit, so found 'Part 2' a bit more of a chore. It's more of the same, but building up to and covering Che's death. Overall, a sprawling epic with, as you would expect, an excellent performance from Del Torro, ably supported by the rest of the all Spanish speaking cast. Wholly educational and whilst the length may be excessive, it serves to give as real a picture of what it was like to be involved in these events as possible. Probably as good a job as will ever be done from the source material available.
The story so far… Argentine-born Marxist Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio Del Toro) emerged from the victorious Cuban revolution as President Fidel Castro’s most charismatic and dedicated officer. Picking up eight years after the fall of Batista (and Part One), Part Two controversially elides many of the more problematic elements in Guevara’s story, notably his readiness to purge Cuba of enemies of the revolution. His attempts to ferment Communism in the Congo are merely... Read more
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