This is a well made biographical movie, which works well in parts, but as a whole fails to deliver. The film looks good, without being stunning. The acting is flawless, without being inspiring. The story told here is fairly inoffensive. What surprised me was how tepid this was, considering the nature of the character it focuses on.
One major problem I had with this movie is it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be - it starts as a light-hearted buddy road movie, with considerably less edge than, say, Easy Rider. It drifts on in this way, with Guevara at times too-honest-to-be-true (hint hint - he's going to be a revolutionary leader one day). Half way or so he discovers he cares about the injustice of third world poverty. He goes round with some lepers looking concerned, swims a river, everybody's happy, then end.
But where was the conflict? Where was the internal struggle as Guevara's new beliefs lead him against his old way of life? Is this a bio-pic about one of the 20th century's most notable revolutionary leaders, or about two likable students bumming around South America on a motorbike. Both and neither.
What was missing was a complicated character with dark and light sides, good and bad, internal struggles - eg: Lawrence of Arabia. What you get here is a watered-down Jesus-figure.
Like Guevara, I have suffered from asthma since I was 2. The movies never get it right - and this one was no exception. Asthma is not like that - I know they have to dramatise it but all these loud choking sounds actors make are silly. When you have asthma you wheeze, you struggle to draw in a breath - so you either have to breath very very slowly, or with quick short breaths. I'm sure one day I'll see a movie where they get it right.
One major problem I had with this movie is it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be - it starts as a light-hearted buddy road movie, with considerably less edge than, say, Easy Rider. It drifts on in this way, with Guevara at times too-honest-to-be-true (hint hint - he's going to be a revolutionary leader one day). Half way or so he discovers he cares about the injustice of third world poverty. He goes round with some lepers looking concerned, swims a river, everybody's happy, then end.
But where was the conflict? Where was the internal struggle as Guevara's new beliefs lead him against his old way of life? Is this a bio-pic about one of the 20th century's most notable revolutionary leaders, or about two likable students bumming around South America on a motorbike. Both and neither.
What was missing was a complicated character with dark and light sides, good and bad, internal struggles - eg: Lawrence of Arabia. What you get here is a watered-down Jesus-figure.
Like Guevara, I have suffered from asthma since I was 2. The movies never get it right - and this one was no exception. Asthma is not like that - I know they have to dramatise it but all these loud choking sounds actors make are silly. When you have asthma you wheeze, you struggle to draw in a breath - so you either have to breath very very slowly, or with quick short breaths. I'm sure one day I'll see a movie where they get it right.