Ryan ChartrandMovie Review: Che – 2009 (Limited Release) (****)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bichir, Rodrigo Santoro, Franka Potente
As long as I can remember, Ernesto “Che” Guevara has been characterized as being either the hero and backbone of a daring rebellion whose face is printed on countless T-shirts, or a cutthroat soldier hungry for power. Director Steven Soderbergh (“Traffic,” the “Oceans Eleven” franchise, “Erin Brockovich”) presents his epic memoir “Che” in a surprising and refreshing manner that doesn’t seem to attempt to paint a black and white picture of the revolutionary. The film is presented through the title character’s personal point of view, depicting Guevara’s everyday life and challenges as he fights to overthrow the administration of then Cuban President Fulgencio Batista.
The film is presented in two parts: “The Argentine” and “Guerilla.” The plot never evolves into anything too fancy or elaborate, and succeeds because, unlike many other biographical movies, it resists focusing more on the environment of the film’s subject than his or her own persona instead. We are first introduced to Guevara during an interview while attending a UN conference in New York midway through his campaign, throughout which he reminisces about and answers questions regarding both the accomplishments and hardships he has experienced so far.
The audience learns about some facts regarding Che’s past, albeit without much background. We gather that he is a trained physician, a trait that has earned him first-hand experience with poverty and in turn served as an initial source of discontent with his country’s government. He is described as a “natural leader” who develops loving bonds with as many of his followers as he possibly can. He both collaborates and argues with his friend and leader of the revolution, future Cuban President Fidel Castro. Their relationship in the movie comes off as incomplete, showing that while they share the same goal, their mission results in limited interaction and face time with one another. This sense of isolation is an ongoing theme in the film, presenting the fact that despite a large number of devoted admirers, Che often feels alone.
Guevara’s personal point of view technique used so often in this film does a great job in depicting his connections with the common people of his country. On more then one occasion, we see him defending peasants from the occasional torment at the hands of his own men. In his mind, the people are the key to a successful revolution. The amount of firepower or manpower supporting an army means nothing if their cause is not supported and aided by the spirits of those who have been faced with the adversity dealt out by selfish and distorted authorities. Another enlightening aspect of the story is that despite the fact that Che obviously holds strong principles, he refrains from preaching or forcing his beliefs on others.
The structure of the film involves Guevara’s approach to succeeding in Cuba and failing in Bolivia. Soderbergh’s lengthy masterpiece (the four hour running time is one of the few complaints many critics have had) comprises of his initial success, his desire have some downtime with his own family in Argentina and his eventual capture and execution in Bolivia at the hands of the CIA.
Benicio Del Toro is already one the industry’s most respected and admired actors (Oscar win for “Traffic” and Oscar nomination for “21 Grams”), and his role as a producer on this film truly reveals how much time and energy he put into a story that he believed deserved to not just be told, but be told accurately. Benicio gives a bold and impressive performance, giving Che a sense of vulnerability and selflessness. Another actor who shines in this film is Demian Bichir, who portrays Fidel Castro. Look at any clip of Fidel Castro in his younger years, and listen to how he speaks and observe how he moves. now watch Bichir’s performance. He does an incredible job and while he is unfortunately in the film for only a limited amount of time, his uncanny resemblance to the infamous leader only adds to this movie’s sense of authenticity.
One thing I greatly admired about Soderbergh’s work in this movie is that he did not feel that over the top and glamorous war scenes were necessary in order to carry the film. These shots are both realistic and to the point, not dwelling on gruesome deaths and huge explosions. As I mentioned before, the film does not consist of typical Hollywood tricks and complicated camera shots. Instead, the director decided that simply focusing on the determination and pain behind Che’s eyes would succeed in drawing in an audience, and in my case he was right. In this film, the overpowering feeling is that of fatigue, especially in Che’s last moments and bouts with both malaria and a childhood condition of asthma. These conditions serve to remind the audience that despite his legendary reputation, Che Guevara was still a man, an incredible man who sacrificed his body, mind and personal needs in order to achieve a goal that he felt would improve Cuba.