Che - Part I

This biopic is about that dude who everybody had on their tshirt in 2004.

And I just earned a new sort of respect for the man. Ernesto "Che" Guevara was known as a revolutionary, a doctor, a soldier, and a murderer. To some he was a hero and to others he was a monster. Steven Soderbergh and Benicio Del Toro bring this ambiguity to life with a Che shrouded in mystery, of few words making powerful statements. In one scene Del Toro convinces us to take Che's side in the revolution, and in the next, you wonder if his intentions weren't for Cuba's best.

It's a remarkable and meandering study of a real life figure of the revolution, which one might argue justifies the incredible length of the movie. Part 1 itself runs about 135 minutes, much of it taking the form of an interview with Lisa Howard, where we don't even hear Che's voice, instead an interpreter speaks for him in english. The action is interspersed. As much as the revolution was bloody, violent and explosive, this is not an action movie.

I will actually guarantee that a majority of you would find this movie boring, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try. What you stand to learn from this film (and the sequel, due out in a couple of months) will greatly outweigh a similarly timed trist with say... a transforming robot sequel.

For instance, did you know Che had asthma? Or Benicio Del Toro's moustache has a part in the middle right between the nose (like mine)? Speaking of moustaches, this movie will be my personal nomination for my upcoming "Moustache Awards." If you know a movie sporting some rad moustaches, drop me a line via our email moviepolicereviews@gmail.com, or twitter me (officertango).

Right, yes. Watch Che, watch the sequel when it comes out, and never, ever, ever listen to a word Sean Penn has to say, he is overly obsessed with coming up with a famous quote.

Also, at the bottom of my page of notes, someone has scribbled inappropriate things about a girl I know, but it wasn't me.

Che is charged with:

Being really fucking long.

Che is commedated with:

18 out of a possible 21 gun salute.