If I was to describe this film as a bunch of men marching across Cuba, with a bit of a fight at the end, you may wonder if I have missed the point.
Well, this is the film. We are supposed to understand what the revolution will become, but nothing in the film hints at this. The director is guilty of allowing the viewer, who is doubtless well versed in the history, to fill in much of what is unsaid. This began to fail a bit when the factional infighting was not explained. We can't quite see what the army are doing. Are they confused, poorly led or indifferent? Che marches with a growing band of men, reading, smoking and spouting revolutionary wisdom in a fairly offhand manner. Fidel smokes more, and has the more prominent beard.
I wonder whether some of the Che character was forced on the film by The Motorcycle Diaries - which was a very spirited film. I notice that Che's asthma seemed to stop after the first 20 mins or so.
Similarly to the recent Baader Meinhof Komplex, we are given a fairly colourless picture of the historical events, but a solid framework to work with. Little to love, little to think about. But I wanted more, which we will get in part 2.
Well, this is the film. We are supposed to understand what the revolution will become, but nothing in the film hints at this. The director is guilty of allowing the viewer, who is doubtless well versed in the history, to fill in much of what is unsaid. This began to fail a bit when the factional infighting was not explained. We can't quite see what the army are doing. Are they confused, poorly led or indifferent? Che marches with a growing band of men, reading, smoking and spouting revolutionary wisdom in a fairly offhand manner. Fidel smokes more, and has the more prominent beard.
I wonder whether some of the Che character was forced on the film by The Motorcycle Diaries - which was a very spirited film. I notice that Che's asthma seemed to stop after the first 20 mins or so.
Similarly to the recent Baader Meinhof Komplex, we are given a fairly colourless picture of the historical events, but a solid framework to work with. Little to love, little to think about. But I wanted more, which we will get in part 2.