CHE: Part 1

80%

A well acted and directed, matter of fact biography of a political rebel. Terrorism is largely explained here as a direct and inevitable response to the US imperialism that creates the very terrorism it claims to be fighting in the first place. This is Bin Laden with a more human face and argues that those who do not wish for revolutions should endeavor to stop fomenting them. As the UK royal family have avoided a French style republican revolution simply by both changing - and by appearing to change – with the times.

Aware of the permanent nature of all revolutions if they are to be any way successful, this movie understands the difference between mere involvement and full on commitment. Like Nelson Mandela, this sober biopic is as committed to its subject as would be any true bringer of change in the real world of politics. "Che" Guevara was a unique terrorist who transcended his ideology to become a popular Western icon as recognizable as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. His appeal coming from this very fact of his being a political activist who risked his life for his beliefs; proving both his commitment and his credentials for martyrdom. Despite his great popularity, it is hard to imagine Osama Bin Laden having anything like the same cultural impact.

Benicio Del Toro is his usual brilliant self who, through his own charisma, gets across the sexual charisma that Guevara must have possessed to have been such an influential (& the ultimate) freedom fighter.

Where this film fails a little is in being a somewhat flat presentation of an interesting historical character: It is far too interested in historical authenticity at the expense of audience empathy. But, perhaps, given the biopic's traditional rejection of actual historical facts – especially the Hollywood ones - this is a price well worth paying.


Article copyright © 2009 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved. Frank TALKER is also the author of Sweaty Socks: A Treatise on the Inevitability of Toe Jam in Hot Weather (East Cheam Press: Groper Books, 1997) and is University of Bullshit Professor Emeritus of Madeupology.