Review: Hotel Rwanda (DVD)
 

Cast:    
Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina
Sophie Okonedo as Tatiana Rusesabagina
Nick Nolte as Colonel Oliver
Joaquin Phoenix as Jack Daglish

Directed by:

Terry George


Story:

In 1994 in Rwanda started a bloodthirsty civil war, which ended in the genocide of unimaginable extent. Within 100 days more than one million people were killed, while the Western world was looking away. This slaughter emerged from the countries' colonial history: Belgium, one of the colonial powers, alternately supported one of the both groups of Rwanda’s population; first the Tutsi’s upper class, but when the country reached its independence, the Hutu received authority and took revenge on the Tutsis by suppression.

The consequence was rebellion by the Tutsi. The race differentiations between Hutus and Tutsi, grown under colonial rule, reached the peak. The story starts when peace negotiations are proceeding under the eyes of the UN.
Paul Rusesabagina lives a privileged but normal life in Rwanda, Africa. He manages the four-star Sabena-owned Hotel des Milles Collines in Kigali the capitol city of Rwanda. He has a lovely wife and even lovelier children. And he is a Hutu. This little word in his passport, actually unimportant in everyday life, should become Paul’s key to survival and the reason why he went through hell.
Additionally, Paul is a well-respected man: as hotel manager he has connections to diplomats and some Hutu high-grade militaries.

© 2005 MGM

Despite the conflicts between the Hutus and the Tutsi people in Rwanda manage to live on a relatively normal life. But then, within one day everything changes: the president is killed and the genocide of the Tutsi begins.
Paul’s wife Tatiana is a Tutsi, and so are his friends and neighbours.
In the beginning, Paul manages to calm himself and his family down, thinking the UN and the foreign press will soon put an end to the despotism. His expectations will be belied. Tatiana’s brother dies, his daughters are missed, the town of Kigali is devastated and foreign help is not in sight. Through his job as hotel manager, he has built connections to UN-colonel Oliver, played by Nick Nolte, and by bribery and luck Paul achieves the impossible: he saves 1268 refugees from certain death by hiding them in the hotel. Paul Rusesabagina risks his own life to save hundreds of others because he could not turn his face away.

 
 Analysis:

This critically acclaimed movie is based on a true story. Paul Rusesabagina himself was the consultant of director Terry George. George is known to be critical towards the Western world’s influence on Africa and Asia, which he is aware of being spread through movies. More credits got to the impressive cast.

Highly respected actor Don Cheadle, well-known from TV series like Emergency Room or blockbusters like Ocean’s Eleven or Ocean’s Twelve, always stayed more in the background of perception. But with this film, Cheadle built his own monument. He is convincing and heroic in a positive, human way. He gets people to identify with his desperation and hopelessness. And he is the normal man, who is forced to do what nobody else would do or would be too afraid to do. These are the moments when the movie becomes authentic.
Sophie Okonedo, who went to the British Royal Academy, plays Paul’s wife Tatiana. She embodies dignity, strength and courage.
Nolte personifies the strong UN-colonel Oliver in this movie. He is the bearer of good and bad news, the one who knows future events first: the UN, the foreign press and all white civilians will leave the country and let the conflict be solved by itself. He feels sorry for Paul and his people but he can’t do anything about this political decision.
Joaquin Phoenix plays a minor but convincing part as the truth-talking cameraman Jack Daglish, whose intention is to inform the world about the slaughter going on in Rwanda. He represents a Western civilian, suddenly involved in an unknown tragedy. He is the on who shows us how we would feel if we were there and not in our safe homes.

It is a thought provoking and sad movie. Especially, when you consider a similar situation is happening right now in Darfur.
Director Terry George wisely leaves out pathetic overstatements because it is not necessary to exaggerate.
Hotel Rwanda shows people like you and me, suddenly thrown into a world of horror and hostility. The watcher feels it and is not able to perceive the courage those people had to rise. It is an incredible story but the actors as well as the direction made it tangible and authentic. Everybody who is interested in international politics or African history should watch it. Everybody who is interested in our human rights should watch it. Everybody who is interested in humanity itself should watch it.

© 2005 MGM
 

 
Special Items:

• Audio commentary by director Terry George and the real life subject of the film, Paul Rusesabagina with selected commentary by Wyclef Jean
• A Message for Peace: Making-Of Hotel Rwanda Return to Rwanda”: Documentary. Paul and Tatiana Rusesabagina, visiting their home country Rwanda the first time after the genocide. Paul shows us original places and talks to survivors of the genocide.
• Interviews with Cast and Crew
• Selected scenes with audio commentary
• Trailers
• TV- spots
   
   
   
  Review by Caecilia Smekal