A Chilling Study in Human Depravity

Rating: 9/10 (19 July 2005)

Finally, a movie about human evil that doesn't involve the Holocaust, slavery, Southerners, or Germans!
There were two types of depravity in the film - the Hutu militias and the apathetic world that stood by and did nothing knowing full well what was happening.
The movie features some memorable acting performances. Don Cheadle was marvelous and thoroughly believable as a dignified man of strength that had to juggle the demands of protecting his family, his hotel, his people, and his identity. Sophie Okendo, who plays his wife, was equally superb as was Nick Nolte in a limited role as UN peacekeeper that really takes his job seriously.
Second, the movie was thoroughly riveting from beginning to end and managed to maintain the suspense throughout - we never really knew how this was going to end for the Rusesabagina family and yet we really cared and hoped for the best against all odds.
There was a moment in the film in which I cried but whether it was because of the horror the Tutsis experienced or because of the depravity latent in the heart of all mankind, I do not know.
There are two moments which will stick with you. First, the memory of the bombastic radio speaker challenging the Hutu militias to "cut the tall trees down" is a haunting angry voice of intense evil.
Second, the memory of the unwitting "friend" that spoke so callously about completely annihilating all Tutsis. When Paul indignantly retorts something like "surely you can't think you can kill all of them," he replies "Why not? We are half way there already!" Chilling, just chilling.
Great film and it is just too darn bad that a pile of politically-correct mediocrity like Million Dollar Baby can win over outstanding movies like Hotel Rwanda and Ray.