Che Part 2: Guerrilla (2008)

director: Steven Soderbergh

writers: Peter Buchman, Benjamin A. van der Veen

starring: Benicio Del Toro

genre: Biopic, Drama

After a very interesting and deep Part 1, Part 2 fails in not changing rhythms and being repetitive. Just instead of a revolution working it fails. It saddens me that this happened. But I don’t think it’s so much Soderbergh fault with already difficult subject to implement on film but bad idea to split it into two parts instead of one cohesive story.

Che Part 2 follows Che (Benicio Del Toro) right after his adventure in the Congo which the film doesn’t tell that tale but of his imminent departure for Ecuador and his continuation of spreading revolution and ideals everywhere. In Ecuador it’s a different story for him than in Cuba for different reasons. He doesn’t start out with a such organized guerilla force as in Cuba. Nor a leader as Fidel or help from the communist party like he had in Cuba. In his time there he encounters many difficulties from almost every side that led to his eventual downfall.

What the first film did so well. Was it showed a documentary aspect of filmmaking to the guerrilla/Cuba scenes were you saw in depth what was happening with cutting into flashbacks and flash-forward of the U.N., Fidel and Che. Also there were interpersonal relationships of the characters. In Part 2 you only have the revolution to view which kind of seen in the first Part already, also there is not that much character development to leave to a repetitive and not so satisfying viewing.

I have mention that I hate when big movies get cut into two parts. It only ruins the experience and the result of a much better product. Most times a bigger and 4 hour movie will be better than a 2 parter film. Probably I would have enjoyed the films much differently if they were together. The first film is a uplifting drama of man trying to change things in Cuba and in the U.N. and various looks about his personality and character. And the second film a depressing tale of failure where we see the revolution in the same manner again. How many times do I need Che to be talking to civilians or training soldiers? If flashbacks were implemented I think it would have been a greater experience.

Soderbergh experiment of making biographical film didn’t go to complete failure. You do see and feel to who Che was and what he went through. The sets, the locations are all perfect. Its just that the splitting of films, the need of little bit better editing and need of something more in the second part would have surely made this one most memorable films of last year. But still Che is great piece of art that shows the downfall of one the most important revolutionary and you will enjoy this no matter your ideology because there is not biasim but true history.

Personal Rating:

Review by Paul