Che Part One

Steven Soderbergh's account of the life of the political insurgent Ernesto 'Che' Guevara bears scant resemblance to most biopics - nor indeed to much of Soderbergh's work to date.

There is little of the gleam of most biographical movies; no dwelling on romantic passions, nor even a hefty attempt to grapple with the rebel leader's psychological motivations. Rather the attention focuses firmly on the rigours of guerilla warfare. This might seem a little off-putting, but in Soderbergh's hands it becomes something quite extraordinary.

Part Two of Che will focus on the Bolivian uprising, but for the time being we are given Part One, which tells of how Che (Benicio del Toro) met Fidel Castro (Demian Bechir), and takes us from the mad hot scramble of the jungle to Che's 1964 trip to Manhattan as Cuba's Minister of Industry.

Told largely in Spanish, Soderbergh's movie seems in possession of a certain truthfulness often lacking in this genre - its sources, after all, have been Guevara's own extensive writings and an interview with journalist Lisa Howard (here played by Julia Ormond), in which he set out the motivations and philosophy of the Cuban Revolution.

Certainly this will seem a dour, relentless movie to some. But hopefully for others it will be a rewarding insight into a charismatic and ambitious cult figure. ·