The Motorcycle Diaries (Widescreen Edition) (2004) review on movielords.com

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Today is May 16, 2008

The Motorcycle Diaries (Widescreen Edition) (2004)

"So much injustice"

Let me start by stating in clear terms that those that are looking for the story of El Che as a revolutionary will be disappointed, since the film does not stretch into this area of his life. This is what happened to my wife, who was expecting a lot more than the movie delivered, but luckily I was aware of what the topic was, and found it extremely interesting. The reason being that it depicts extremely well how Ernesto Guevara grasped the reality of the Latin American and its people, and how these facts affected and changed him into what he later became.

At the beginning, we find two friends, Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Alberto Granado, who have an urge to really get to know South America, to get away from civilization and to get closer to the land. That is why they decide to go on a road trip that will take them throughout the continent, exploring areas that they only know about through books. They leave Buenos Aires with the goal of reaching Venezuela in four months; their equipment is an old motorcycle, "The Mighty One", and the method to reach their goal is improvisation.

The two friends show striking similarities in their way of looking at the world, but also considerable differences in their behavior. Alberto is more gregarious and can convince other people of almost anything through the use of his wit and talents as a kind of "con artist". Ernesto, a student of medicine, who is close to getting his degree, is more introverted and takes things a lot more seriously. And even though the movie does not go deeply into his ideology, it still shows how vigorously he reacts to injustice and need.

In my opinion, the director Walter Salles tried to provide the viewers with a morsel of the experiences of El Che in this trip, but without going too deeply into an ideology that would make some people uncomfortable. I understand that in this way, Salles is trying to attract a wider audience; those that are interested in going deeper, will have to do it using additional sources. What the movie does do, is provide the viewers with spectacular images of an amazing continent. The breathtaking scene in Machu Pichu is one of the highest points in this area, and the reflections about how the Spanish exterminated the amazing Inca civilization filled me with sorrow and regret.

Gael Garcia Bernal proves that he has all the qualities that make a successful actor, presenting a polished performance. He even delivers a very believable Argentinean accent, and the only department in which he comes short is the physical differences with El Che, but of course, there is not much he can do regarding this. Rodrigo De la Serna holds his end of the bargain pretty well, especially through his spontaneity, adding a humorous tone that helps move things along.

The extras include a couple of deleted scenes that I would not have excluded, and an interview with the real Alberto Granado, who has been living in Cuba for a long time. There is also a brief interview with Santaolla, who did an outstanding work with the music in this film, by incorporating the sounds of South America. The music includes an inspiring song that has been nominated for an Oscar: "Al Otro Lado del Rio" by Jorge Drexler.

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