Genocide tales

Rating: 6/10 (23 November 2014)

Making a film of the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994 is not an easy thing to do as you need to find a hook to grab the viewers and keep them interested. I have already seen Shooting Dogs which was released at a similar time and also dealt with the events of the Rwandan conflict.
Hotel Rwanda sees Don Cheadle playing a luxury hotel manager Paul, a Hutu who spends his time charming people of influence. His wife is Tutsi and the he is respected by the corporate owners of the hotel based in Belgium.
As the conflict escalates and using bribes in terms of money and booze to some sympathetic Hutu bigwigs to tune a blind eye he brings over some Tutsi neighbours and his family to the hotel.
Once the UN decide that the country is too dangerous and decide to leave and leave the Tutsis to their deaths, Paul opens up the hotel to the Tutsis and then figure out how to get everyone to safety as the Hutu militia are sensing blood.
The film is based on true events and has a docu-drama feel to it by director Terry George. The film has strong performances from Cheadle, Nick Nolte and Sophie Okonedo.
Maybe because I saw Shtting Dogs first there was an element of seen it all before. The film could had done with more spikiness as to why UN forces left people to such a fate when they were supposed to be protecting them.