The 1994 Rwandan Genocide may not be as well-known as the Holocaust, but the aftermath left one million Rwandans dead and millions more displaced. In a similar style to the epic “Schindler’s List,” the 2005 historical-drama “Hotel Rwanda” tells the story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager whose bravery in defiance of the bloody hostility saved the lives of 1,200 refugees.
Don Cheadle stars as Paul Rusesabagina, and does a wonderful job in the performance (being nominated for Best Actor). Cheadle is a gentleman in all senses of the word, and his cool and calm demeanor in the wake of the utter chaos around him help us to understand just a little of what was going on. Paul Rusesabagina is a family man who wants to do what’s right, but will always put his own wife (Sophie Okonedo) and children first.
Filmmaker Terry George offers a simplified exposition of the Rwandan Civil War without getting bogged down in the politics. We get a glimpse of the horrors that occurred in the spring and summer of 1994 from a non-US perspective. Villages and streets are in chaos, and families and innocent people are left besieged. The carnage displayed is real, and the effect on the viewer is quite effective. “All of them are leaving.” Rusesabagina says after the UN peace-keeping forces are withdrawn. “We have been abandoned.”
While the UN forces are said to be peace keeping, not peace making, there’s no greater sense of isolation than when they all retreat from the capital city of Kigali, leaving the civilians at the mercy of the deranged militants, riding around in jeeps with an assortment of weapons to play with.
The war itself is completely senseless, with a generations old tribal conflict being at the core. One early scene depicts two friends, one of each members of the warring tribes, sharing drinks. It’s a great demonstration of the senseless divide between people, and that the majority of the citizens of Rwanda don’t care about which tribe they belong to, despite the fact that they are the ones affected by the war.
“Hotel Rwanda” shows the bloodshed without getting too graphic (many of the victims of the genocide, women and children included, were butchered by machete) but still displays the atrocities as it should. A particularly powerful and tough to watch scene involves Rusesabagina driving on a road littered with corpses. Don Cheadle does a masterful job in portraying the shock and dismay of the discovery. It’s this turning point that sees him go out of his way to help the needy, risking his own life in the process.
While Don Cheadle is the focal star of the movie, some big names add depth to the cast. Nick Nolte plays Colonel Oliver, a friend of Rusesabagina and leader of the overwhelmed peacekeeping forces.
Joaquin Phoenix plays a rogue journalist covering the humanitarian crisis, and one of my all-time favorites Hakeem Kae-Kazim plays (what else) a malicious African militant – a role he’s typecast into with good reason, there’s no one better at it.
“Hotel Rwanda” is a must watch for its historical perspective. It’s a gripping drama that offers the needed action and script to tell a great story, while educating the viewers in the process.
by – Matt DeCristo
