Salvador Allende (2004): C

Director(s): Patricio Guzmán. Screenplay: Patricio Guzmán. Distributor: First Run/Icarus Films. Runtime: 100 min. Rating: NR.

An official selection at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Salvador Allende is the real story about the famous socialist president who rose to power in the 1970's. The film's main structure is on Salvador Allende, but through out the 94 minutes, the film can get easily exasperating. Salvador Allende identifies its main points very clearly and accurately, but the way it portrays them is rather daft. The film also seems like a directors debut; many scenes are useless, and badly structured. But what saves the film is all on facts. The in-depth analysis of the real story about Salvador Allende makes the only compelling part. Some parts of the film make it a "must-see'", but I'd recommend it only because of its facts.

(This review was written way back in October of 2006, as coverage of a mini Human Rights Festival at my local art-house theater.)