with a great appetite for writing film reviews, i thought it would be a good idea to start from 'Che: part one', a very much expected production, especially by me. a pathologically Che-obsessed.
i won't be telling you things you can read in usual reviews, but just my sincere feelings about the film, supported, of course, by the best arguments i can provide.
overall, the first part of Soderbergh's movie is but a perfect occasion for slight disappointment. and that is mainly because of the director's obvious intention to avoid the traditional "documentary" approach of a historical personality. there were some important things he had to show about Ernesto Guevara: his intelligence, his passion and his leader abilities. all of them - with the highest doze of objectivity (thus, no place for those typically glorious portraits, created by appropriate shooting and music). and none of these aspects has been logically shown by the production.
the film presents a too old Che, very much obeying an eccentric Fidel, sometimes coughing (though, not very convincing for an asthma patient), and, generally, a kind of lazy nice looking man, walking through the woods with a gun. a character which is totally lacking activism, initiative, fire, craziness, humour. because, you see, Che was indeed a damn murderer and a marxist, and even a 'ladies' man', so why wouldn't you show that to the audience? and i think i know the answer - it still might be too difficult to appropriately combine the reality with the general image the director wanted to deliver, that of a heroic revolutionary.
of course, i don't want to say he has failed. the picture is saved by the black&white episodes with Che addressing the United Nations and being interviewed by an american journalist. Naturally, Del Toro's spectacular appearance makes half of the movie, being so awfully alike to Ernesto at the age he took part in the revolution.
i'll be expecting for the second part of the production, which is to be soon launched, for it may somehow change my actual impressions.