Before Che Guevara became a symbol on posters and T-shirts, he was a revolutionary who helped change Cuba forever. Alongside Fidel Castro, he helped overthrow the Batista regime in 1959, promising dignity and equality for ordinary Cubans. Decades later, whether admired or criticised, Che’s shadow still hangs over Cuba and much of Latin America. His image remains tied to rebellion, sacrifice, and the dangerous idea that ordinary people can challenge powerful systems. Che Guevara: The Last Companions understands that legacy, but instead of repeating the myth, it looks at the human beings left behind by it.

For many people, Che Guevara was more than just a leader; he became a symbol of resistance and the belief that a small group of people could challenge powerful governments and change history. Even decades after his death, his image still represents rebellion and political struggle around the world. But instead of retelling the familiar story of Che himself, this documentary focuses on the men who stood beside him during his final days in Bolivia and somehow survived after his execution. As they describe escaping through Bolivia while thousands of soldiers searched for them, you begin to understand the fear and exhaustion they lived through every day.

The documentary gives space not only to Che’s comrades, but also to soldiers, CIA operative Félix Rodríguez, and Régis Debray. Everyone remembers events differently, showing how revolutions leave scars on every side.

The mix of archival footage, interviews, and animation works surprisingly well.

There’s sadness running through the film as it follows men who once truly believed they could change the world, with some of them still holding onto that idea, while others seem changed and worn down by everything they went through. The revolution gave them a sense of direction and meaning, but it also cost them a lot in return, including their innocence, many of their close friendships, and, for some, even the ability to stay in their own countries.

Rather than trying to either praise or criticise Che Guevara, Che Guevara: The Last Companions is more interested in what it actually feels like to live inside historical events as they happen and then carry those memories for the rest of your life, focusing on loyalty between people, how memory changes over time, and what is left behind when larger-than-life figures become legends.

Rating:

Written by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of Cannes Film Festival

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to film, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. As we continue to grow, we aim to deepen our coverage of Asian music while remaining committed to exploring and celebrating creativity across the global arts landscape.}