In this sprawling two-part biopic, director Steven Soderbergh shows us the experiences of Ernesto "Che" Guevara during the Cuban revolution in 1956, and Che’s subsequent failed attempt at revolution in Bolivia in 1967.

Approaching Gettysburghian lengths, the two parts relay in sometimes oppressive detail (drawing from Guevara’s own journals) the conditions these rebels were up against and the obstacles they faced.

The filmmaker knew that he was covering a controversial topic; Che is still simultaneously reviled as a mass murderer by some, and lauded as a hero by others. The film’s critical reception was just as polarized.

So what was Soderbergh trying to tell us about this larger-than-life figure? Did the writers have an opinion, or is this a mostly neutral depiction of the events?

Next Episode: Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments!