January 13, 2009

A positive/negative/positive review of ''Che''

From one of my new favorite blogs, Big Hollywood, comes this review of the Soderbergh movie Che. Read it carefully.

Steven Soderbergh’s 257-minute, cinematic hagiography to Ernesto “Che” Guevera is a lie. A lie of omission and commission. A lie so afraid of its own shadow you’ll learn more about Castro’s Monster from his now iconic t-shirt image than from the film (on the shirts you can at least can see the wicked in his eyes). But this lie is also a striking cinematic achievement that mesmerizes for most of its challenging run time as it takes you into the heart of two very different kinds of guerrilla revolutions.

(P.S., as a long-time cinephile, I have to say that every Soderbergh movie I've ever seen has bored the shit out of me. I cannot understand why he is lionized the way he is. Not so with that other favorite target of mine, Oliver Stone, who is a superb filmmaker, even when he's proselytizing and helping to further the enemy's goals. I saw World Trade Center again the other night and cursed him for squandering such a talent on the myriad bullshit films he's made. Remember, Eisenstein and Riefenstahl were great directors, too.)

Posted by George Moneo at January 13, 2009 10:57 PM

Comments

I enjoyed one of Soderbergh's movies and that was "Traffic". Most of my friends didn;t like it, but I thought it was interesting.

I have less respect for Soderbergh after omitting what Che did in La Cabaña.

Posted by: j2tharome [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 14, 2009 09:43 AM

Yes, George, serious, genuine talent can and has been put to terrible uses. It's entirely possible to have great talent in something and still be a horrible human being or an idiot or both. And some people are great in one sphere but absolutely hopeless in others, like decency and true insight. That's why idolizing anyone for having a particular talent is always risky, because one needs to look at (and know about) the whole person.

There are always plenty of opportunistic mediocrities who latch on to any bandwagon that can help them, because that's what opportunists do. However, when someone who's really gifted goes over to the dark side, so to speak, it's much more tragic and more damaging.

Posted by: asombra [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 14, 2009 10:00 AM


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