Review of Hotel Rwanda (2004) by Tamsin P — 24 Mar 2011
In 1994 a civil war broke out in Rwanda between the ruling Hutu tribe and the minority Tutsis, a war that resulted in the slaughter of a million people, as the world turned a blind eye. Heavy subject matter for a film.
Director and co-writer Terry George (Some Mother's Son) tells the true story of Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), a Hutu hotel manager of the Milles Collines hotel. Paul managed to save 1,268 Tutsis from genocide.
Cheadle electrifies as Rusesabagina, playing an ordinary man doing immensely extraordinary deeds. First Paul fights to protect his Tutsi wife (Sophie Okonedo, in a stirring performance) and children, but soon his efforts extend to protecting hundreds more.
Sure, Hotel Rwanda is a little too simplistic, a sort of Schindler's List in Africa, but there's no denying its power to move.
This review of Hotel Rwanda (2004) was written by Tamsin P on 24 Mar 2011.
Hotel Rwanda has generally received very positive reviews.
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