Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) is widely revered as the Latin American George Washington, a military leader whose campaigns drove the Spanish from South America and proved instrumental in establishing independence in the northern part of the continent. Adopted by Hugo Chávez (the leftist president of Venezuela) as the patron saint of his anti-U.S. ideology, Bolívar is regarded negatively by some Americans. Alberto Arvelo's biographical film serves up a quasi-hagiographical treatment full of stirring speeches and impressive battle sequences, one that fails to do complete justice to the complexity of Bolívar's career, but nevertheless serves as a welcome introduction to the man. The Liberator begins in 1828 with an attempt on Bolívar's life before flashing back to his early education in Europe and return to Venezuela, where the oppressive rule of Spanish authorities leads him to join the resistance movement. The bulk of the narrative covers the years of struggle—including Bolívar's domestic troubles—in detail up through the decisive battle of Boyacá in 1819, although Bolívar's final decade is treated in summary fashion, and some of the political issues—such as Bolívar's sometimes dictatorial inclinations—are glossed over (the introduction of a fictional British money man—played by Danny Huston—into the proceedings also feels rather heavy-handed). Still, Ramírez cuts a striking figure as Bolívar in this sweeping cinematic biopic. Recommended, overall. (F. Swietek)
The Liberator
Cohen, 119 min., R, DVD: $24.98, Blu-ray: $34.98, Mar. 10 Volume 30, Issue 3
The Liberator
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: