Steven Soderbergh’s initial installment of his biographical film about the Argentinian revolutionary Ernest Guevara centers around his arrival in Cuba and depicts his growing importance as a leader in the fight against President Batista's regime. The familiar saying concerning whether someone is considered a terrorist or a freedom fighter feels very relevant here, with the director and writer clearly presenting the justification for Guevara’s actions. The script itself isn’t particularly strong, nor is most of the acting, but the documentary-like approach to storytelling and cinematography does succeed in showing how desperately poor many people were, living from one day to the next. Benicio Del Toro embodies Guevara, and after he connects with Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir) and his brother Raúl (Rodrigo Santoro), he quickly becomes a key figure within the leadership of the communist group aiming to overthrow the government supported by the United States. Castro’s growing partnership with the Soviet Union causes concern among neighboring countries, and much of the film involves them navigating through dense jungle terrain, cautious of everyone they encounter, while their expanding forces and supplies, along with dwindling morale amongst those loyal to the existing government, offer a possibility for victory. It's based on historical events, and the existence of a sequel limits any sense of suspense, but Soderbergh doesn’t avoid portraying the conflict's uncertainty, harshness, and the challenging nature of their island surroundings. The visuals captured on location are effective, though they seem to have come at the expense of the audio – there’s a considerable amount of indistinct speech throughout. This portrayal introduces us to someone with a clear sense of purpose who championed shared resources and free education, making it worth seeing.

Source on TMDB