By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Terry George
Starring: Don Cheadle | Jean Reno | Joaquin Phoenix | Nick Nolte | Sophie Okonedo
Country: italy, south_africa, united_kingdom
Year: 2004
Running time: 121
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395169/combined
Bruce says: “It is important to let the world know exactly what went on in Rwanda ,a nation of two main groups, the Tutsis and the Hutus. The two groups speak the same language and have intermarried extensively over the years. Although there are fewer Tutsis than Hutus, the Tutsis are perceived to have facilitated the colonial interests of the Belgians and the French. In the last decade of the 20th Century, the Hutus called for revenge. While the rest of the world did nothing the Hutus managed to eradicate over one million Tutsis. HOTEL RWANDA, based on a true story, documents the atrocities of the genocide and also gives the viewer an insight into international politics and what goes on behind the scenes as opposed to what the media reports. The film manages to thoroughly entertain the audience in the process. That is a rare accomplishment.
“Don Cheadle was acknowledged with an Oscar nomination for his role of Paul Rusesabagina, an assistant manager at the posh Milles Collines Hotel owned by Sabena Airlines. Rusesabagina is Hutu married to a Tutsi. He is left in charge of the hotel when the Europeans begin to flee the country. Culturally Rusesabagina is more akin to the Europeans than the people of his native country. He is totally at ease in a suit and tie and he knows his fine wines and cigars better than anyone. Being host to hundreds
if not thousands of guests per year has taught him to be a good listener and has fine-tuned his negotiating skills. Rusesabagina’s unique personal history enables him to save over twelve hundred people from certain death by harboring them at the Milles Collines and negotiating with the general of the rebel forces, the senior executive at Sabena and an officer (nick Nolte) of the U.N. troops stationed in Rwanda as peacemakers. He is cunning and is blessed with the ability to reduce any argument to the simplest of terms in order to make a point.
“At first Paul, his family, friends and co-workers scoff at the idea of a Hutu uprising that would endanger anyone they know. As talk radio informs of us of the severity of the situation we realize that the Hutu threat of ‘eradicating the Tutsi cockroaches’ is very real. We suspect what is coming but do not know how and when. Paul slowly catches on, too, as reports of slaughtering, ransacking and house burning is broadcast to everyone. The story unfolds as the situation deteriorates and the threat to hotel increases. Tutsi orphans are dropped off at the hotel by a Red Cross worker and others take refuge there as well. Several personal
vignettes involving Paul and his wife Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo) increase the suspense level.
“What keeps this film from being great is twofold. First, the film is overproduced giving a Hollywood look to a story that does not require a big studio veneer. While covering a somewhat different issue, STANDER did a better job of communicating with the audience in the riot scenes than HOTEL RWANDA manages in its scenes of carnage. Secondly, HOTEL RWANDA is essentially a ‘feel good’ story since all the characters we care about (save two who are missing and assumed dead) live happily ever after. We see the aftermath of the atrocities and sense the danger but it all remains a ‘once-removed’ event. We are kept at arms length.
“Joaquin Phoenix is a daring cameraman. Jean Reno, cult star of LEON (that’s THE PROFESSIONAL to the Americans in the house), is remarkably sophisticated as the President of Sabena. In spite of the sortcomings, I would recommend this film to anyone. 4 cats”