Review by John Delia
Taking a step back into the history of South America a docudrama on the life of Simon Bolivar, one of the continent’s most love emancipators comes to the screen. The historical film The Liberator has very good production value, able direction and memorable acting. Packed with pomp, circumstance, awesome vistas and action packed scenes, the movie delivers a spectacle of rebellion and adversity.
The film opens with the following statement: Simon Bolivar fought over 100 battles against the Spanish Empire in South America. He rode over 70,000 miles on horseback. His military campaigns covered twice the territory of Alexander the Great. His army never conquered — it liberated. While this statement is more historical and scholarly, the film presents it as an action drama complete with romance, politics and war.
The film opens with Simon (Edgar RamÃrez) fleeing from attackers and crossing a stream to safety. It then flashes back to his youth where we see young Simon running to his nurse, a black slave woman named Hipólita following the death of his mother. Flash forward to a grown man, Simon has been visiting Madrid where he plays tennis with Prince Ferdinand (Andres Gertrudix) of Spain and meets the lovely Maria Teresa del Toro (MarÃa Valverde). He marries her and brings the Spanish aristocrat to his ranchero in Venezuela. One afternoon an uncomfortable visit with Spain’s military General Monteverde (Imanol Arias) takes place. This intrusion by the government’s military and a visit by his teacher and mentor Don Simon RodrÃguez (Francisco Denis) help Bolivar make a decision that will redefine his life forever.
The film spools out over nearly 2 hrs of South American politics, his dealings with British financier Martin Torkington (Danny Huston), the formation of an army and then the war that lasted several years. The movie gets emotional and passionate and Director Alberto Arvelo keeps it that way to the very end. He lets his cameras do the good work of showing the country’s beauty and temperament as the vast army of men and women travel thousands of miles to meet their adversaries. He takes you into the inner Bolivar showing his desire to rid South America of despotic Spanish rule and his love of the country in which he was raised.
The acting is terrific and nearly flawless showing the determination of those who would want to change their country for the better. As Bolivar an eager Edgar RamÃrez pushes his abilities to the highest level bringing a very determined character to life. He shows his character as a strong-minded, cautious visionary who has felt the extreme power of the tyrannical Spanish government and will do everything possible to eliminate it from the continent.
Playing Simon’s lovely wife Maria Teresa, the actress MarÃa Valverde brings out a different side of the determined Bolivar. Her performance is stunning, a respite from the political and militaristic side of the film. Valverde as Maria Teresa, charms her way into his life, bringing sunshine to his ranchero and liberation of Bolivar’s inner child. Her character is his family tie until Maria Teresa’s untimely death stokes the embers that created the fire to conquer a major portion of South America.
The Liberator has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains violence, language, sex, drug use, and nudity. The film is presented in Spanish with English Subtitles. Although it is presented as a true story, there has been some aggrandizement and fictional additions to the plot.
FINAL ANALYSIS:Â A picturesque presentation of a man who changed South America. (B-)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Edgar RamÃrez, MarÃa Valverde, Danny Huston, Imanol Arias, Erich Wildpret, Juana Acosta, Orlando Valenzuela and Andres Gertrudix
Directed by: Alberto Arvelo
Genre: Biography, Drama, History. Foreign
MPAA Rating: Unrated, contains violence, language, sex, drug use, nudity
Running Time: 1 hr 59 min
Release Date: October 3, 2014
Distributed by: Cohen Media Group
Release Formats: 2D