Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray

Che Part 2: Guerrilla

 (2008)

Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
On November 26, 1956, Fidel Castro sails to Cuba with eighty rebels. One of those rebels is Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio del Toro), an Argentine doctor who shares a common goal with Fidel Castro - to overthrow the corrupt dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Che proves indispensable as a fighter, and quickly grasps the art of guerrilla warfare. As he throws himself into the struggle, Che is embraced by his comrades and the Cuban people. After the Cuban Revolution, Che is at the height of his fame and power. Then he disappears, re-emerging incognito in Bolivia, where he organizes a small group of Cuban comrades and Bolivian recruits to start the great Latin American Revolution. The story of the Bolivian campaign is a tale of tenacity, sacrifice, idealism, and of guerrilla warfare that ultimately fails, bringing Che to his death. Through this story, we come to understand how Che remains a symbol of idealism and heroism that lives in the hearts of people around the world.

For more about Che Part 2: Guerrilla and the Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray release, see the Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray Review

Starring: Benicio del Toro, Demián Bichir, Rodrigo Santoro
Director: Steven Soderbergh

Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, July 22, 2009

In France, Steven Soderbergh's epic "Che: Guerilla" (2008) is distributed by the Wild Bunch/Warner. The transfer for this release is practically identical to that used by Optimum in the United Kingdom. The only bonus feature on the French release is the original theatrical trailer for the film. With optional French subtitles. 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 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Steven Soderbergh's Che: Guerrilla arrives on Blu-ray in France courtesy of the Wild Bunch/Warner.

Similar to the French release of Che: The Argentine, the French release of Che: Guerrilla looks identical to the UK release. Contrast is terrific, clarity excellent and detail, especially during the panoramic vistas showing the Bolivian jungles, incredible. As mentioned in the review for the UK release, the color-scheme is phenomenal. Frankly folks, if you have a high-end digital projector, you would love how this film looks blown out on a screen larger than 100'. Additionally, neither edge-enhancement nor macrloblocking are a serious issue of concern.

I am curious to see how the identical French and UK releases will look next to the rumored Criterion release. As far as I am concerned, Che already looks incredibly strong, so if you have a Region-B player there is absolutely no reason why you should not own it. But, let's see what type of a release Region-A gets, and, more importantly, when. (Note: I tested this Blu-ray disc on three different Region-A players. Unfortunately, it did not play on any of them. For the record, there is no forced PAL or 1080i/50 content on this disc).

Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

The only extra on this Blu-ray disc is the original theatrical trailer for the film.

Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and French DTS-HD HR 5.1 track. I opted for the Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the French DTS-HD HR 5.1 track for the purpose of this review.

Once again, the back cover of this Blu-ray disc incorrectly indicates that the Wild Bunch/Warner have supplied only a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. This being said, the Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on this disc sounds identical to the one found on the UK disc. I tested a few different scenes and, as expected, I did not detect any audio discrepancies. Alberto Iglesias' music score is mixed very well with the dialog, the bass is rich and potent, and the rear channels intelligently used.

Simply put, the Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is spectacular. The bass is strong and punchy, the rear channels very active and the high frequencies not overdone. Alberto Iglesias' outstanding music score is very effective. The dialog is crisp clear and exceptionally easy to follow. There are no audio distortions that I detected.

Once again, as it was the case with The French DTS-HD HR 5.1 track on Che: The Argentine, the French DTS-HD HR 5.1 track on Che: Guerrilla is adequate but not something that I would recommend to you - the intensity and fluidity of the Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track are not replicated on the French DTS-HD HR 5.1 track. Optional French subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Che Part 2: Guerrilla Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

I was asked to review the French releases of Che: The Argentine and Che: Guerrilla because some of our French-speaking members were hoping that they might be Region-Free. Most unfortunately, the two discs, courtesy of the Wild Bunch/Warner-France, do not work on Region-A players. This being said, their transfers are basically identical to those used by Optimum Releasing for the British releases. Other than the original theatrical trailers, there is absolutely nothing else to be found on the discs. Regardless, these are exceptional films and we HIGHLY RECOMMEND them.

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