ironically the most talked about american film in the 2008 new york film festival be 98 % in spanish . the extra long film controversy begin at the cannes festival . there be love hate notice and and considerable doubt about commercial prospect . a consolation the star and benicio del toro and get the best actor award there . i be talk about steven soderbergh che and of course . that the name it go by in this version and show in new york a at cannes in two 2 hour plus segment without open title or end credit . che be certainly appropriate since ernesto che guevara be in almost every scene . del toro be impressive and hang in reliably through thick and thin and from day of glorious victory in part one to month of humiliate defeat in part two and appeal and simpatico in all his varied manifestation and even disguise a a bald gray man to sneak into bolivia . it a terrific performance while one wish it have a good setting . if you be patient enough to sit through the over four hour and with an intermission between the two section and there be reward . there an authentic feel throughout fortunately soderbergh make the decision to film in spanish ( though some of the actor and oddly enough in the english segment especially and be wooden ) . you get a good outline of what guerrilla warfare and che style and be like represent the teaching and the recruitment of campesinos and the morality and the discipline and the hardship and and the fighting as well a che gradual morphing from company doctor to full fledged military leader . use of a new 9 pound 35 mm quality red digital high performance cine camera that just become available in time for film enable dp peter andrew and his crew to produce image that be a bit cold and but at time still sing and and be always sharp and smooth . the film be in two part soderbergh be call them two film and and the plan be to release them commercially a such . first be the argentine and depict che leadership in jungle and town fighting that lead up to the fall of havana in the late 50 and and the second be guerrilla and and concern che fail effort nearly a decade later in bolivia to spearhead a revolution and a fruitful mission that lead to guevara capture and execution in 1967. the second part be to have be the original film and be write first and and i think and shoot first . producer laura bickford say that part two be more of a thriller and while part one be more of an action film with big battle scene . yes and but both part have a lot in common too much since both spend a large part of their time follow the guerrilla through rough country . guerrilla an unmitigated downer since the bolivian revolt be doom from the start . the group of cuban who try to lead it do not get a friendly reception from the bolivian campesinos and who suspect foreigner and and thought of the cuban communist a godless rapist . there be a third part and a kind of celebratory black and white interval make up of che speech at the united nation in 1964 and interview with him at that time and but that be inter cut in the first segment . the first part also have fidel and be considerably more upbeat and lead a it do to the victory in santa clara in 1959 that lead to the fall of the dictatorship of fulgencio batista in cuba . during guerilla i keep think how this could indeed work a a quality european style miniseries and which might begin with a shortened version of walter salles motorcycle diary and go on to take u to guevara fateful meeting with fidel in mexico and enlistment in the 26th of july movement . there could be much more about his extensive travel and diplomatic mission . this be far from a complete picture of the man and his childhood interest in chess and his lifelong interest in poetry and the book he write while even his international fame be only touch on . and what about his harsh and cruel side . really what soderbergh be most interested in isn not che and but revolution and and guerrilla warfare . the lasting impression that the 4 plus hour leave be of slog through wood and jungle with wounded and sick men and woman and idealistic dedication to a the cause of end the tyranny of the rich . someone mention be remind of terrence malick the tin red line and and yes and the meandering and episodic battle approach be similar while but the thin red line have strong character ( hardly anybody emerge forcefully besides che ) and and it a really good film . this be an impressive and but unfinished and ill fat and effort . this 8 year gestate and heavily research labor of love ( how many more ocean must come to pay for it . ) be a vanity project and too long for a regular theatrical release and too short for a miniseries . radical editing or major expansion would have make it into something more successful and and a it be it a long slog and especially in the second half . it clear that this slogging could have be trim down and though it not so clear what form the resulting film would have take but with a little bit of luck it might have be quite a good one .