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Peter T. Chattaway (Christianity Today Movies) says Salles "tends to emphasize the humanity of the characters through smaller, more intimate moments, while keeping overtly political statements to a minimum. As a result, The Motorcycle Diaries is a beautiful and even entertaining travelogue of a film … grounded in breathtaking scenery and engaging performances, and if it is more interested in what it means to be human than in pushing any particular ideological agenda, then that is not necessarily a bad thing."

J. Robert Parks (Looking Closer) says, "For those of us who aren't already committed to a particular view of Che Guevara … The Motorcycle Diaries is engrossing and thought-provoking. Even if you don't buy into the film's political angle, you'll still appreciate the strong acting from Bernal and De la Serna. And the focus on just a small part of Che's life avoids the usual trap of bio-pics (the predictable narrative arc) and instead opens up an entire world."

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says, "Though the film is beautifully crafted and at times quite moving, some viewers may find it difficult, given the hindsight of history, to reconcile the film's quixotic—almost saintly—portrayal of Guevara with the guerilla warrior of later years who advocated violence as a political tool and, less than a decade after the events depicted, helped establish a communist state in Cuba as Castro's right-hand man."

Brett McCracken (Relevant) argues that the film "is less about preaching single-minded dogma than it is about weighing complex truths. Watching the film I tried to separate myself from the unpleasant picture I had of Che Guevera as a radical leader in Cuba's communist revolution. But, this movie is about who he was; not who he became. It's a story about life, the formation of ideals, and the origins of revolution; not the revolution itself. That is why Diaries didn't offend, but inspired me."

In a year heavy with biopics, mainstream critics are ranking Guevara's story among the year's best.

Josh Hurst (Reveal) says, "At the very beginning and the very end of the film, Che tells us that his story is not about heroic feats. I disagree. Regardless of who and what he ultimately became, the Che Guevara that we see in The Motorcycle Diaries is a model of mercy and servanthood. And I, for one, cannot think of a more heroic pair of traits."

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