Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Che: Part Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 14, 2009

Yet to be released in North America, Steven Soderbergh's epic "Che" (2008) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Optimum Home Entertainment. Amongst the supplemental features on the disc is a fantastic interview with the author of "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life", an interview with Benicio del Toro, and another interview with composer Alberto Iglesias. Region-B "locked".

In Bolivia

Che: Guerrilla opens up with a summation of the events leading to the mysterious disappearance of the Argentine revolutionary (Benicio del Toro) from Cuba. Then, we see Castro (Demián Bichir) reading a personal letter from Guevara in front of members of the Cuban Communist Party. It is October 3, 1965.

A year later. Guevara arrives in Bolivia disguised as a member of the OAS, the Organization of American States. He immediately heads to the mountains, where with the help of other rebels he sets up a large training camp. People from different parts of the country join him.

A representative of the Bolivian Communist Party, Mario Monje (Lou Diamond Phillips), meets Guevara and explains to him that his comrades would not support him. The BCP leaders are not convinced that Guevara, a foreigner, and his men can unite ordinary Bolivians and lead them against President Barrientos (Joaquim de Almeida).

Meanwhile, the news about Guevara’s arrival in Bolivia reaches Cuba. Castro is also informed that the Soviets have instructed Monje not to negotiate a deal between Guevara and the BCP. Concerned, the Cuban leader vows to support his Guevara as much as he could.

Back in Bolivia, President Barrientos and his government gather to discuss how to deal with Guevara’s rebels. In front of the media, they insist that Guevara is not in the country. Across Latin America, news stations begin to cover the Bolivian crisis. Shortly after, President Barrientos asks the US government for assistance.

The CIA sends military specialists to Bolivia. They are expected to train the Bolivians into three categories – intelligence, weapons communication and demolition. They are also expected to educate them politically.

Guevara and his men are forced to hide high in the Bolivian mountains. On October 7th, 1967, they are surrounded nearby the Yuro ravine. After a fierce battle, most of the rebels are killed while Guevara is captured alive. He is immediately transported to the village of La Higuera. Two days later, Guevara is executed.

Similar to Che: The Argentine, in Che: Guerrilla the narrative has an episodic structure. Key events - from Guevara’s mysterious disappearance in Cuba, to his arrival in Bolivia, to his capture – are recreated with utmost precision. This being said, it is important to note that neither Guevara’s actions nor those of his opponents are in any way glorified.

The many battle scenes in Che: Guerrilla are effectively filmed. You will notice, however, that they are far from being flashy. Often times, they look like something you would see in a documentary feature. There are no pompous revolutionary speeches in Che: Guerrilla either. The few times when Guevara addresses the questions of ordinary Bolivians who ask about his beliefs, he does so using simple words.

The overall tone of the film is set by Benicio del Toro’s phenomenal performance. The enormous character transformation he undergoes between Che: The Argentine and Che: Guerrilla is indeed one of the most remarkable performances I have seen by a contemporary American actor. Simply put, for the duration of the two films, del Toro is Guevara.

Some critics have dismissed director Soderbergh’s project as a “bloated biopic” and “a pro-Castro, anti-CIA film made by a mainstream director” (Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle). I could not disagree more. To me, Che is a serious and exceptionally well researched film about an influential political figure and his controversial legacy.

Che: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 (slightly modified from its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1), encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Steven Soderbergh's Che: Guerrilla arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Optimum Home Entertainment.

As expected, the second installment in director Soderbergh's epic looks just as impressive as the first one. Contrast is terrific, clarity excellent and detail, especially during the panoramic vistas showing the Bolivian jungles, incredible. The color-scheme is also very impressive. Greens, blues, yellows, browns, blacks and whites are lush and well saturated (this is where it really shows that a Red One Camera has been used). Furthermore, neither edge-enhancement nor macroblocking are a serious issue of concern. For the record, when blown through a digital projector Che: Guerrilla also looks incredibly stable. To sum it all up, Optimum Home Entertainment's treatment of this film is indeed very strong, and I would be shocked if the rumored Criterion release offers any substantial improvements. This being said, the only reason I am not giving Che: Guerrilla our highest score is because I am somewhat displeased with the distributor's decision to include forced PAL-encoded subtitles before the main feature. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" disc. Therefore, unless you have a native Region-B or Region-Free player, you won't be able to access its content. Additionally, those of you with native Region-B players in North America will not be able to access the main feature due to the inclusion of the earlier mentioned forced PAL trailers, which will prevent you from accessing the main feature).

Che: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: Spanish (with portions of English) DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.

Once again, this is a terrific track with truly impressive dynamic levels. The bass is rich and potent, the rear channels very active and the high frequencies not overdone. The shootouts will certainly test your audio system. They are not overly aggressive, but the quality of sound is superb. The final clash between Che's rebels and the government forces for example is notably well mixed – it literally feels as if the action takes place right in front of us. As expected, the dialog is crisp, clear and very easy to follow. Furthermore, Alberto Iglesias' outstanding music score sounds excellent. There are no pops, cracks, or hissings that I detected. For the record, Optimum Home Entertainment have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

Che: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Interview with Alberto Iglesias - the composer answers a number of questions about his contribution to director Soderbergh's film, how he felt about working on a project about Che Guevara, his take on the events shown in the film, etc. With optional English subtitles. (mpeg- 2, 13 min).

Interview with Benicio del Toro - the actors talks about how he got involved with Che, why he agreed to play this most controversial historic figure, what the message of the film is, and what he hopes people would get out of it. (mpeg-2, 7 min).

Interview with Jon Lee Andersonh - a fantastic interview with the author of "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life" in which he talks about the cult of Che, the perception different generations had of him, why he was and still is so inspiration to many, etc. (mpeg-2, 32 min).

Theatrical trailer -

Che: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is a shame that Benicio del Toro was recognized for his exceptional performance in Che at the Cannes Film Festival but not at home, in the United States. If you could play Region-B discs, I urge you to consider adding Che to your libraries. I also urge you to find the time to see the marvelous interview with Jon Lee Anderson, it is as fascinating as the actual film. If you reside in the United States and cannot yet play Region-B discs, wait for the Criterion release later this Fall. Very Highly Recommended.