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dvd.review.the.motorcycle.diaries |
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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 23 March 2005 00:00 |
“You gotta fight for every breath and tell death to go to hell.”
Movie
Going into the movie, I pretty much had absolutely no idea who Che Guevara was. I’ve seen his mug on all sorts of red shirts, but that’s about it. I have since read up quite a bit on who he was and what he did. I learned his name never was Che… it’s Ernesto.
If you’re looking for some info about the Cuban revolution, you’re going to be disappointed. This movie is based on a true story. With one semester left to go in medical school, Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (Gael Garcia Bernal) decided to go on a 6,000 mile journey throughout all of South America with his friend Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna). On their journey, their eyes are really opened to what South America is really like. Before going on the trip, he didn’t realized how suppressed the native people of South America were. It’s interesting because you get to see almost a transition where Che decides it is his destiny to help people.
This movie isn’t so much about seeing where Che Guevara came from, though. It’s starts off as a journey between two friends seeking adventure before doing their medical residency in a leper colony in Peru. While the movie starts off with Che and Alberto looking for chicks and looking for fun, but as the movie ends, it’s clear that the movie was about friendship and about how two lives on a similar path can take two completely directions.
What is the most impressive about this movie is watching Gael Garcia Bernal make yet another fine movie. If he was American, you’d be sick to death of him because he’s probably be the most talked about young actor around. It has to do with the fact that every movie he makes is just solid. The Motorcycle Diaries was fine, The Crime of Father Amaro was excellent, Amorres Perros was one of my favorite movies of a few years ago, and Y Tu Mama Tambien might be one of my favorite movies to come out Mexico. I haven’t yet seen Bad Education although I’m a huge Almodovar fan, so I’m sure I’ll like it
Video & Sound
When dealing with foreign films, you never know what you are going to get. Some of them aren't adequately budgeting or else they get a so-so transfer. While the video of The Motorcycle Diaries isn't perfect, it's good enough to warrant the seal of approval. There is a little noise and actually quite a bit of grain. Much like in 21 Grams, though, it doesn't detract from the overall look of the film. Instead, I think the muted colors and the soft feel give the Motorcycle Diaries a slightly aged but not quite dated look that fits the film really well. The sound is pretty good, but it's not an action flick so you can't expect constant surround sound madness. One thing that might annoy others is the fact that the film is completely in Spanish. Being the huge fan of foreign film that I am, this absolutely doesn't bother me in the least. In fact, I don't even notice it after about two minutes.
Extras
While there really is no "big" extra so to speak, there is quite a bit of small stuff. The first thing is the deleted scenes. While a few of them would've added to the movie, I can understand why they were deleted - more than likely to help along the pacing of the movie.
Next up is "The Making of the Motorcycle Diaries" which runs 22-minutes and is your typical behind the scenes look. Intestesting, but nothing memorable.
There is a short 3 minute piece featuring the real photos from Alberto Granado. He talks a little bit about his trip and about his friend Ernesto. Short, but very cool!
Next is a 3-minute interview with Gael Garcia Bernal from Telemundo. The interview is a bit of a fluff piece, but how in-depth can you get in only three minutes?
Yet another 3-minute interview features composer Gustavo Santaolalla. While I thought the music in the flim was remarkable, this feature left me wanting a little bit more.
Closing Thoughts…
If you are a fan of foreign film or history, this one is probably worth checking out. While I’m sure some of you have a negative outlook on Che Guevara (and rightfully so), this movie shows the “good” period of his life. If you like to take chances with movies, this is a good one. It’s a bit slow paced, but in the end it’s worth it.
Overall
Movie – 8
Video & Sound – 7
Extras – 6
Overall - 7
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Last Updated on Friday, 22 April 2005 11:54 |
