Che: Part 2

2008. Dir: Steven Soderbergh. Starring Benicio Del Toro, Franka Potenta, Joaquim de Almeida, Demián Bichir and Lou Diamond Phillips . ●●●●●

The second part of Steven Soderbergh's Che Geuvera biopic takes up his story several years later at the point of his resignation from the Cuban Government, indeed we open by watching Fidel Castro (Birchir) reading the letter of resigntion in full to the people of Cuba. For a staid and uninteresting letter the impact is huge, which goes one step to guaging the idolatory that surrouded Che at the time.

The film then follows Guevera as he leads a group of Cuban and Bolivian revolutionaries around the jungles of Bolivia in an attempt to recapture his former glories.

The film is almost unremittingly bleak - for anyone who knows the fate of Che we can see him getting closer and closer to his destiny as the band of brothers are hittled down in defeat after defeat.

As with the first part we understand few of Guevera's motivations or explanations regarding his actions, although it seems the weight of Cuba (both the campaign and the peace that followed) lies heavily on him. He is no longer opposed to recruiting young men with little or no education and on the flip side he is more tolerant of derserting. Benicio continues to live in the role rather than act it, and the supporting cast are solid throughout. I'd especially like to commend the peasant who flips from supporting Che's band to selling them out is believeable and tragic. If anyone can tell me who that was I'll be very grateful.

Some people have complained about the bizarre Matt Damon cameo, although I'm letting it pass as his German was very impressive, and it didn't really take away from the ordinariness of the scene.

The technical set-up is almost identical to the original, hand held cameras, mid range shots etc. Even the scenes at the Presidential Palace and US embassy have an urgency to the filming.

I would perhaps have liked more of outsider view, the reasons why he succeeded in Cuba but failed in Bolivia are only hinted at, and it can't just be because of American Military training. But maybe Soderbergh was deliberately vague on this point, after all Guevera did not know the difference when he started his Bolivian campaign so why should we.