Missed opportunity. Great background and potential story, weak movie

Rating: 6/10 (2 February 2005)

Hotel Rwanda has the merit of bringing to the western attention the amplitude and drama of the civil war in Rwanda between two local factions Hutu and Tutsi, a war that lead to almost 1 million victims, most of them non-militants, women and children. Don Cheadle portrays the real Paul Rusesabagina, the Hutu manager of the Belgium-owned hotel Mille Collines who, while trying to protect his own family (his wife being a Tutsi) from the irrational killing, ends up offering asylum and protection to about 1,000 Tutsi and Hutu refugees. Paul is an interesting character, a man who was cultivating his friendship with the powerful hotel guests, knowing that the time will come when he will require their favors. His virtual rope-walking is impressive and Cheadle's performance is up to par.
However, the movie fails to deliver an informed unbiased view on the war in Rwanda, but rather chooses a heavy-handed approach which can be summarized as: Rwanda was artificially divided into Hutu/Tutsi's by the ruling European and now the Hutu want to exterminate the previously-ruling Tutsi's. The same European and UN do not care in the least about the genocide that is unfolding, and turn their backs after recovering their own citizens from the country. Furthermore, they probably supply weapons to the various factions. The Hutu's are exterminating villains, while the Tutsi rebels are the saviours. In truth, just to give one example, as the Tutsi rebels managed to overthrow the Hutu's and the Interahamwe militia, they drive approximately 2 million Hutu's into exile for fear of repercussions.
Furthermore (some spoilers ahead) the movie itself falls into the typical handkerchief-drama stereotypes. There is an entire setup meant to lead us believe that Paul's family committed suicide as he instructed them at some point, in case they risk being captured. Did anyone fall for that? Or even if you did, wasn't it obvious from the moment Paul instructs his wife, that we will get to this point in the movie where he at least will believe they followed through? While the massacre is gruesomely portrayed, none of the characters that are introduced in the movie actually gets hurt. All the dead people are just nameless masses. The only named loss is that of Paul's brother in law, yet his two daughters are found against all odds allowing the movie to end with a high spirit-lifting tone as the main characters are happy embracing each other and singing...
A missed opportunity.