Hotel Rwanda
I knew this film would blow me away, long before I saw it. Just from the trailers and the reviews I had read at the time of its release, I knew I had to see it. The only question for me was how effective would this film actually be in reflecting what happened.
Story
Imagine ... Read review
Solidly built around a subtle yet commanding performance by Don Cheadle,Hotel ... more
Rwandaemerged as one of the most highly-praised dramas of 2004. In a role that demands his quietly riveting presence in nearly every scene, Cheadle plays real-life hero Paul ...
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Ten years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the ... more
country of Rwanda and in an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months...
Solidly built around a subtle yet commanding performance by Don Cheadle,Hotel ... more
Rwandaemerged as one of the most highly-praised dramas of 2004. In a role that demands his quietly riveting presence in nearly every scene, Cheadle plays real-life hero Paul ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: Wow. See review Disadvantages: Nothing major
...you and anyone like you. Hotel Rwanda recalls how just this happened in 1994, when militants set about to kill all Tutsi people, as though they were pests that needed to be eradicated.
Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) runs a posh four star hotel, called Sabena Hôtel des Mille Collines, in Rwanda. He is a businessman and family man, concerned only with making money and keeping good contacts to protect his family. As far as he ... ...of keeping the peace and will be around to ensure everyone's safety. When he hears the threats on the radio and sees one of his own neighbours being arrested, accused of being a traitor, he is naturally concerned, but remains confident that peace will be restored. He sees no reason to intervene or go out of his way to protect people outside his family. But when he finds himself burdened by numerous Tutsi refugees on the run from the militia his own ... more
Hotel Rwanda
I knew this film would blow me away, long before I saw it. Just from the trailers and the reviews I had read at the time of its release, I knew I had to see it. The only question for me was how effective would this film actually be in reflecting what happened.
Story
Imagine switching on the radio to hear nothing but hateful speeches about yourself, your family or even your neighbours, being described as "cockroaches". Imagine hearing calls for people to come together to fight for a cause that is simply to destroy you and anyone like you. Hotel Rwanda recalls how just this happened in 1994, when militants set about to kill all Tutsi people, as though they were pests that needed to be eradicated.
Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) runs a posh four star hotel, called Sabena Hôtel des Mille Collines, in Rwanda. He is a businessman and family man, concerned only with making money and keeping good contacts to protect his family. As far as he can see, the UN officials are doing a great job of keeping the peace and will be around to ensure everyone's safety. When he hears the threats on the radio and sees one of his own neighbours being arrested, accused of being a traitor, he is naturally concerned, but remains confident that peace will be restored. He sees no reason to intervene or go out of his way to protect people outside his family. But when he finds himself burdened by numerous Tutsi refugees on the run from the militia his own views are called into question. How far will he go to protect these people, and can he really protect them?
Quite simply, all my expectations were met. I found myself on the brink of tears throughout the film and several times couldn't help but shout out at the telly, as if the actors might hear and do something! I think the film makes for good competition with Blood Diamond, which is the last film that really made me feel this way. This film had far less of violent scenes or people in action, yet still gave a similar level of impact, build more on suspense and fear than carnage.
The story does touch on the controversy of why the international response to this humanitarian crisis was so flimsy. There are comments about how people will see on their tellies what is happening and feel sad, then go on eating their dinners, and the effect of skin colour, nationality and prejudices associated with colour on their views.
Characters/Acting
I don't really recognise Don Cheadle from any previous films, but he certainly seems a familiar face. His acting does not seek to create a hero in any way. I got the impression, instead, that Rusesabagina was a very ordinary person with even a selfish streak and a favour for money. Cheadle does not allow his character to over-philosophise and glides through scenes at the start that address his political views. This somehow makes it mores significant when he finds himself caught up in a battle to save the lives of others outside his own family.
Sophie Okonedo. who plays his wife Tatiana, also seemed in her own way very human, although the relationship between her and Cheadle was quite on the traditional side, perhaps this is how it really was. It is impossible for me to judge how people would realistically behave when faced with this nightmare, in fact it's crazy to think there is a standard way to respond. Her reactions are completely different, more emotional and seemingly less logical. But it is clear that she would really do anything to protect her family and the others around them if she could, and this is reflected well in her frustration as things get worse and they fear that there is little they can do.
Aside from Paul's plight, what really made this film effective was the portrayal of the Hutu Generals, and the performance by Fana Mokoena as General Bizimungu really brought out the unpredictability and sheer lack of empathy that made the whole film so disturbing. I think it is fair that in this sort of film he came across almost without a human side, but we have to understand that he has now been brainwashed beyond seeing the Tutsis as human and is past remorse. He is now a part of the oppressors and killers. There are, however, other characters, who although they are set on hating the Tutsis, seem to do so in a more personal way, which may be because they were badly affected in the previous regime and fail to appreciate how bad things are for the Tutsis now.
Hakeem Kae-Kazim seems to play a sort of double role, as George Rutaganda. When he appears, he is impressive as the supplier of Paul's hotel, but also key member of the militia. But his most powerful part is as a radio voice, which we hear from the beginning of the film. His tone of voice starts out sounding like any ordinary talk-radio voice, yet the words are what really hit me.
_When people ask me, good listeners, why do I hate all the Tutsi, I say, "Read our history." The Tutsi were collaborators for the Belgian colonists, they stole our Hutu land, they whipped us. Now they have come back, these Tutsi rebels. They are cockroaches. They are murderers._
And so he continues. As soon as you start to realise what he is actually saying, his voice becomes more hateful and alarmingly charismatic. You get the impression that this has been an ongoing campaign of hate, because already he is raging, even without raising his voice much. The effect really is incredible, and worryingly you can see how easily people could fall for it. This character plays a really essential role in showing how these things begin.
===Film Qualities===
There are some deeply disturbing scenes, where graphics are purposely kept vague, but you see just enough for what you need to know. Somehow this makes it all the more sinister, I guess perhaps because imagination is more powerful and extensive than just flatly seeing what happens. I think part of the reason for this effect is that it helps us imagine what it must be like for the people inside the hotel.
The soundtrack is deeply dramatic during the most tense parts of the films, but there's also a fair bit of lively African music. I really liked the opening music, which was quite memorable and was a song about Africa.
===Classification===
I start to feel guilty about my own views on classifications when I see films like these, because a lot of the violence in the film is being inflicted against child characters, yet we'd still generally not want kids here to see it, because it may frighten or be a bad influence on them. In this particular film, it actually rather more something about the disturbing nature of its portrayal, because little real violence is shown. For most young viewers, who might want to see this sort of film (I'm guessing mid-teens) this is nothing they could not cope with, and if anything could be a bit of an eye-opener. My only concern is the association of guns and weaponry with power, but then our main character is trying to show just how much can be achieved without so much as a slingshot for defence. Although I am somewhat concerned about how Tutsi rebels come across, I think over all the right message is given in this film, and kids that want to see it therefore would appreciate it for what it is. The rating, which is a 12, therefore seems quite fair to me.
Conclusion
To be honest I wish that everyone would see this film, even if just twice. I was so gripped by it that when it reached the end I immediately went back to the start and started to watch it again. Ok this was partly so I could better understand the bits I hadn't paid full attention to first time (I never get everything first time, by the way) and I only managed the first 20 minutes before being told to put cricket on, but I think I would have watched it through again if I could. I think this is a DVD definitely worth buying.
I found a bit of further information, both about the film and Rwanda on the official website, which is worth checking out:http://www.unitedartists.com/hotelrwanda/main.html
Advantages: An amazing moving true story Disadvantages: Not sure 12 yr olds should be watching it
...Plot==
The film follows hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina played by Don Cheadle, he is a Hutu and is married to Tatiana, who he loves with all his heart, however she is a Tutsi and the Tutsis or cockroaches as they are called throughout Rwanda. When the Tutsi rebels kill someone high up, the Hutu's begin to kill all Tutsi's in Rwanda, it being one of the largest genocide's in history. Paul to save the life of thousands of Tusi's, houses them within ... ...==My Opinion==
Hotel Rwanda is a rare kind of film, no one can moan about the length of the film, no one can moan about the story within the film, it is truly one of the best and hardest movies to watch. I recently sat down to watch it on television and I had to watch it in two goes not just because of the fact of the harsh nature o the film but the fact that I was watching it late at night. It is very hard to describe how powerful this movie actually ...
DixieChick10 09.02.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hotel Rwanda (DVD)
Advantages: A true story of heroic proportions. Disadvantages: That it happened at all.
...Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) is the hotel manager of the Milles Collines a Belgian owned hotel in Rwanda. When civil war breaks out between the Hutu And the Tutsis (the two main tribes). The Hutu want to wipe the Tutsis from the face of the earth because when the Belgians colonised Rwanda they gave the best jobs to Tutsis and let them rule the country. Now that the Belgians are gone the Hutu who regard Rwanda as their land want revenge, which is stirred ... ...Okonedo) a Tutsis, uses the hotel to shelter both Hutu (not caught up in the fervour) And Tutsis Refugees, He manages this by both bribes and influence. As the hotel fills with men, women and children Paul try's everything he can to keep them safe using money and whiskey to keep the local Hutu general on side in order to keep the rebels away and frantic phone calls abroad pleading for some kind of intervention.
The UN who are led by the sympathetic ...
6chris6 19.03.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hotel Rwanda (DVD)
Advantages: Superb acting, deeply moving story Disadvantages: It really happened and we all let it
...Rusesabagina likes his job as hotel manager and is a good husband and father to wife Tatiana and their three children. When a politically active friend of his warns him that the Hutus are ready to rise up against their neighbours, the Tutsis, he dismisses it as war talk. Little does he know that everyone's worst nightmare is about to happen and thousands of Tutsis are to be slain. Paul is forced to shelter his family and neighbours in the hotel where ... ...is when he leaves the hotel to find supplies and finds himself in the midst of a sea of bodies - all dead - men, women and children - and I utterly believed that I was watching a man in denial of what was in front of his face. Superb.
Paul's wife, Tatiana, is played by Sophie Okonedo, and again is superb as a woman terrified for her family. Some of her best moments are when she is trying to find news of her brother and sister-in-law and their children ...
sunmeilan 10.12.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hotel Rwanda (DVD)
Advantages: Excellent performances by Cheadle and Okonedo, compelling (if disturbing) subject matter Disadvantages: Not quite the classic it could have been
...The story revolves around hotel House Manager Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), a Hutu married to Tatiana, a Tutsi (Sophie Okonedo) who finds himself helping over a thousand refugees. He is not portrayed as a saintly figure by any means - in fact, his pragmatic and astute businessman persona reminded me very much of Schindler (indeed, the situation bears more than a few similarities to events preceding the World Wars, with an assassination sparking ... ...a Hutu working at the hotel who doesn't share Rusesabagina's tolerance of the "cockroaches", as the Tutsis are termed by the Hutu radio; a Red Cross worker; the President of Sabina, the Belgian company that owned the hotel, and an army General who helped Rusesabagina but not for any altruistic reasons. In fact, Rusesabagina surrounds himself with important people and pampers to their every whim in order to store up favours for his family if he ever ...
CaptainDisaster 22.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hotel Rwanda (DVD)
Hotel Rwanda is a disturbing film to watch, much like the yesterday's news that it reports. I remember when my father was watching the new reports of Kosovo and the Racak Massacre in 1999, and how the horrifying events and the actions of these "evil men", as he called them sent him further into depression, just by watching the news. I think that watching Hotel Rwanda has had a similar effect on me. It is a film that has put me at the forefront of ... ...by Don Cheadle), a Rwandan Hotel owner who becomes a humanitarian hero in the midst of Rwanda's civil war in 1994. As the political turmoil of guerrilla warfare and an assassination of the president ignites the old racial divides between the Hutus and the Tutsis of Rwanda, the Hutu-ran state armies and interwhami militia begin an ethnic cleansing of all their Tutsi neighbours. Paul (who is a Hutu, but shares marriage to Tatiana, a Tutsi woman with ...
SnakePlissken 23.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hotel Rwanda (DVD)
Tells the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, the man who refused to ignore the atrocities suffered by the people of Rwanda. As the violence escalated and innocent people were slaughtered, Paul opened up his hotel to offer shelter to the thousands in need.
Feature Length Directors Commentary, Don Cheadle Selected Scenes Commentary, A Message For Peace Making Hotel Rwanda
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital Stereo Surround
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English<br>Dolby Digital Stereo Surround English
DVD Description
Don Cheadle gives a riveting performance as Paul Rusesabagina, the manager of a European-owned hotel in Rwanda, who created a secret refugee camp for the Tutsi people during the brutal genocide committed against them by the Hutu people in 1994. His efforts helped to save 1200 lives out of close to a million who were killed. HOTEL RWANDA shows this man's courage, while also capturing the political events that occurred between April and September '94. First, United Nations soldiers are restricted from fighting back against Hutu guerillas, even after the Rwandan president is assassinated and the country is thrown into chaos. But as the fighting worsens, all non-Rwandans including UN peacekeepers, Europeans, and Americans are evacuated. This leaves the Tutsi people defenceless against aggressive Hutus who are armed with machine guns and machetes. While working the system with strategic phone calls to powerful international contacts of the hotel, Rusesabagina also uses smart lies and power plays to hold off the Hutus. The morale among the refugees is low, but because they are protected from the inconceivable brutality happening outside the hotel's gates, they maintain a sense of hope. Powerful acting from all cast members, including throngs of children, makes this film touching and believable. Sophie Okonedo offers moving support as Rusesabagina's wife Tatiana, Nick Nolte shows knowing machismo as an American UN officer, and Joaquin Phoenix turns in a heartfelt display as a TV journalist. But it is the delicate treatment that director Terry George gives the insane, helpless situation depicted in HOTEL RWANDA which makes the film so penetrating. While the violence and gore of the genocide play a disturbing part in the film, the focus lies on the heroism of its protagonist and the strength with which he navigates under seemingly impossible odds.
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