With an engaging first half this Made for Cable Mini-Series is of two very separate Minds. Informative and Entertaining as the Genesis of the controversial and Dynamic Leader of the "People", this is a welcome and unbiased beginning.However, after Castro rises to the top of the Cuban Political Dysfunctional mess, this becomes weak, facile and it seems to have no momentum or intelligence. The post 1959 Revolution and its aftermath is confusing and loses its ability to Entertain as a Showpiece and inform as a Biography or even a semi-inclusive analysis of the machinations of the Mind/Leadership of this enduring 20th Century Anti-Establishment icon.There is so much left unanswered or glossed over and not much of any Political Science or Philosophy. It rests on Platitudes and Sound Bites, Images and Imagination of events, unwilling to dig deep or at least present events with enough substance to be stimulating.The Production wavers from very good pasted over with some lame and less than Dramatic effects and clichéd visual cheap shots. Not a bad introduction to the Man within His Time and Place, but considering its length, leaves the Viewer with an ambiguous feeling of the Man and His Mission, the overall effect on the Cuban People and in the end is weakened by a very weak ending.

Much better movies have been made about Fidel, but what I find interesting is the terrible job that Sacksteder did in reviewing this film. In the first place, trying to appear as someone knowledgeable of the Cuban revolution, he doesn't even know the name of the dictator that Fidel deposed. His name is Batista, Jack. Takes talent to murder such an easy name. In the second place, did the reviewer attempt to review the film or simply make disparaging comments about a man that is to this day considered an idol and certainly a liberator of his people in most of Latin America? The move as said has had better treatment of this subject. It is banal in its approach and does not disguise the politics of those responsible for this production.

I don't know who posted the comment before, but they obviously have no idea what the hell they're talking about. I am Cuban-American born and raised in the United States. I have been to Cuba and seen the utter poverty that the people live in. And even though Batista's government wasn't the best the people did not live in poverty like they do now. My grandfather died in the Bay of Pigs after being asked by Castro to join his regime. Just because he was a revolutionary doesn't mean his revolution was right. He killed many innocent people along the way to his political success and lied to all the people. How can someone be so ignorant to say long live Fidel when they obviously have no idea what they are talking about. The same goes for Che Guevara. I don't want to paint him as evil because in all reality he didn't know Castro was going to do what he did, but he did kill many innocent people in the name of "The Revolution." He was not the freedom fighter many "IGNORANT" people portray him to be, but a radical fanatic.

The movie narrates with historical accuracy the birth of the Cuban revolution. The movie also scrutinizes without taking sides, the aims that Fidel Castro strived for his people as well as the diverse events that influenced the radicalism of the revolution after this was won. So at the beginning we see Castro's idealism blossoming at the Sierra Maestra and later on being implemented in the form of urban reform, agrarian reform and new clinics and schools for the poor. Later, we contemplate with dismay the excesses of the revolution with Che Guevara and Raul Castro practically in control. And finally, we see a Fidel Castro obsessed with the revolution to the extreme of losing touch with his people's aspirations. A well done, well acted movie that deserves high marks.