It’s been 41 years since Ernesto “Che” Guevara was shot by a firing squad in Bolivia, yet his presence in pop culture remains as strong as ever. Many generations have come to life since, knowing Che as merely an image on posters and T-shirts, bought by those who want to look “radically cool.” For those of us who fit into that category, Steven Soderbergh’s latest directorial effort “Che” will play on the screen like historia viva.

Soderbergh, along with executive producers Laura Bickford and Benicio del Toro, who delivers a standout performance as el Che, did extensive research not just into Guevara’s life but also the historical events surrounding his rise to power and eventual execution. And, boy, does it show. First of all, the recreation of that period (from 1955 to 1967) was quite accurate in virtually every detail, from the look of the characters to that of the battlegrounds, the cities and the open spaces through which the story takes place.

I didn’t know much about Guevara prior to the movie, but based on what I have read after watching these films, “Che” comes pretty close and covers quite a bit of ground.

“Che, part one” follows Ernesto “Che” Guevara (del Toro) through his trek as a rising revolucionario. His early days as a fledging doctor who enlists in the revolution along with brothers Fidel and Raul Castro (played by Demián Bichir and Rodrigo Santoro respectively), are intercalated with black and white flash forwards of Guevara as El Comandante, giving his famous 1964 visit to the United Nations. The pace in part one is somewhat slow; the movie really takes its time establishing the time frame and the characters, demanding more patience from the audience but gaining momentum towards the end as Guevara rises to power.

Part two begins with Guevara leaving his wife Aleida (Catalina Sandino Moreno, from “María Full of Grace”) and their children behind in Cuba to lead another revolution, this time in Bolivia. With very little support from that country’s Communist Party, Guevara’s troop finds itself in dire straits, barely one step ahead of the Bolivian army. This film’s pace here goes a lot faster than in part one and as Guevara and his faithful try to advance, the story does a better job involving the audience.

The cinematography is impressive. Soderbergh filmed most of the two films using natural light and a new digital camera called RED, which shoots with the quality of 35mm film. The battles and skirmishes are presented in epic scope. The script was written by Peter Buchman, who penned the “Alexander” script for Oliver Stone’s biopic.

“Che” features a notable cast, including Franka Potente as one of Guevara’s revolutionaries and cameos from Lou Diamond Philips and Matt Damon. Bichir is gives a remarkable performance as Fidel Castro, capturing his speech and mannerisms without falling into a caricature. But the movie definitely belongs with del Toro, who certainly earned that Best Lead Actor Award at Cannes in May. He neither sanctifies nor demonizes Guevara, merely showing a man who left a privileged life to fight for an ideal he believed in. The part also garnered del Toro a nomination for Best Lead Actor at the Goya Awards in Spain next month. Fingers crossed, he’ll get that too. He deserves it.

History buffs and those curious to know who the figure in the posters and the T-shirts really was should watch this movie on the big screen. A TV screen can’t do these films justice. Although each part can stand on its own, it would be best to watch one after the other to get Guevara in a broader context. “Che” can be quite challenging for movie audiences that are mostly used to fast-paced action thrillers and comedies. But given some time and patience, the movie delivers, putting one of history’s most polarizing figures in a more objective light.

“Che, part one” runs129 minutes and opens at Caribbean Cinemas on Jan. 15. “Che, part two” runs 128 minutes and opens at Caribbean Cinemas on Feb. 5.