Che - AKA Che Guevara (2008)

"A Film about the World's Greatest RevolutionaryRebel. Hero. Lover. Legend.Che Guevara has inspired generation after generation as the young idealist and revolutionary who fought for the poor and oppressed. Eduardo Noriega (Open Your Eyes, The Devil's Backbone) electrifies in the title role of this fascinating story about Che's fearless life, helping to lead a bloody socialist revolt that would shock the world.Rebelde. Héroe. Amante. Leyenda. Che Guevara, el joven idealista y revolucionario que luchó por los pobres y oprimidos, ha inspirado a una tras otra generación. Eduardo Noriega (Abre Los Ojos, El Espinazo del Diablo) es deslumbrante en el papel protagónico de esta fascinante historia acerca de la intrépida vida del Che, líder de una sangrienta rebelión socialista que sacudiría al mundo entero" Product Description

Embarrassingly Poor Film

CHE as written, directed, and produced by Josh Evans is an amateurish attempt to present the life of one of the more interesting revolutionary figures of the 20th century - Ernesto 'Che' Guevarade la Serna, the Argentinean physician who searched for meaning in his view of the world and joined Fidel Castro in overthrowing the dictatorship of Cuba. Despite the presence of the fine actor Eduardo Noriega in the title role and Sonia Braga in a cameo role as Celia, Che's mother, the film is plagued by simplistic dialogue, lack of momentum, choppy editing, and a large cast that would have been a bit more credible had the film been shot in Spanish - the language of all of the actors. Josh Evans provides no insights as to the person of Che or his motivations, but instead relies on the viewer's knowledge of the period to provide the missing lapses in story line. And while many may feel that Che was the more important force in the idealism of the revolution than the leader Fidel Castro, it is doubtful that Castro was as tepid and uninspiring a figure as actor Enrico Lo Verso and the pathetic script make him appear.

With the 'other CHE' of Steven Soderbergh with Benicio Del Toro and a stellar cast due for release soon, it is not surprising that this amateurish film was released direct to DVD. The story and the actors deserve better treatment. Grady Harp, August 08 August 27, 2008

A Mandatory Two-fer

I am giving this movie four stars because it is a three star movie by itself, FIVE stars if you watch it AFTER watching the better "Motorcycle Diaries". "Diaries" fleshes out Che the person, while "Che" takes up almost exactly at the point in Che's life where "Diaries" left off. "Che" is essentially a lifeless factual biography unless you have been given the persona of its subject, as Motorcycle Diaries does so well (it is a 5 star movie by itself!) Watching the factual portrayal of Che's latter life is like reading a dry history textbook without any pictures or illustrations, only worse. When given the personality of the historical figured portrayed coupled with what motivated him, the biopic comes alive.

Watch them together, or don't watch this movie at all.
July 23, 2008

excellent

The dvd Che that I bought at Amazon was in excellent condition and I'm very happy to have the chance to see this movie relased only in this format. July 6, 2008

Hasta La Victoria Siempre

This DVD is way to short to deal with Che's Biography, so it resorts to a few episodes of his fighting days in the Sierra Maestre and his untimely
end in Bolivia. It describes it's interaction with his Comrades:
Disziplinary actions, ideological discussions, dealing with captured enemy soldiers, with the civil population, his plight as a doctor and philosophical dialogs with Fidel. There are a lot of battlescenes in this DVD, but not in a Rambo style, more like displaying the tragedy and sadness of human struggle. There is a beautyful scene with a peasant women, played by Sonia Braga, talking to Che. It is being rumored, that Sonia Braga wanted a chance to talk to Che, like She would have done in real life. A wonderful and passionate speach, I might say.
I would have given this movie 5 stars, if it would have been at least 8 hours long, like a miniseries, without using the flash-back style.
Something I still desire to see. So it's 4/5 stars. June 13, 2008

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