Hotel Rwanda honors a man who made a difference

Rating: Null/10 (26 January 2005)

A decade ago, the country of Rwanda underwent a costly civil war which claimed countless lives while a whole world stood by. In the true story of Hotel Rwanda, one ordinary man took it upon himself to save as many people as he could even risking his own life and the lives of his family.
This hotel is a luxurious venue for travelers (mostly white) to spend a pleasant trip while attended to by the staff and its manager, Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle). Ominous signs in the news and rumors point to growing hostilities between two ethnic groups, the minority and former ruling group of Tutsis and the majority group of Hutus. A militaristic movement among the Hutus begins to form even as an impending peace treaty is brokered. When one leader is assassinated, all hell breaks loose. This is civil war at its worst as the Hutus begins to attack and kill the Tutsis en masse. It is the beginning of a genocide that will claim close to a million lives as the United Nations does relatively little to intervene.
As the white guests are escorted to safety by United Nations troops, things grow desperate for those left behind. Paul starts to shelter a few people including his own family and then more refugees until over 1200 fearful souls seek safety in the hotel. In some instances, it is out of necessity that he take in people who have nowhere to go. Pretty soon he realizes that he must do all he can to save his people and himself. This means calling on favors and relationships with any and all who can help, and frequently it means the difference between life and death. There are numerous occasions where the military is ready to take the refugees away or execute them and Paul on the spot. There is stark evidence of the increasing atrocities as homes are burned and bodies litter the roads. Bribes and supplies begin to run short, and as the outnumbered UN forces return to escort only a limited number to safety, the rebels begin to descend on them and the hotel.
As a shameful, cautionary tale of what happened when the world ignored its most needy, Hotel Rwanda serves its purpose, but the main thrust of the story is the love Paul has for his wife and children and the determination to save them. The important thing is how he responds to the horrific events and how he must think his way out of seemingly impossible situations. It is truly remarkable how resourceful the real Paul Rusesabagina was in staving off doom.
As portrayed by Don Cheadle, we understand his thought processes and feel his pain. He never loses his humanity and compassion for his fellow man. It is a splendid job of acting. Ironically, Cheadle (who was not considered box office leading material by the studios) has leaped into the forefront of leading men for good after having spent most of his career in strong supporting parts (Bulworth, Oceans 11, Out of Sight). Sophie Okonedo is quite good as the wife who must fight for her family and support her beleaguered husband. Nick Nolte plays a recurring part as a UN officer whose units of soldiers are virtually powerless to help. Joaquin Phoenix has a small role as a news cameraman witnessing the beginning slaughter and Jean Reno has a good cameo as a hotel executive in France who proves to be a valuable ally.
Although, there was initial difficulty in securing financing for this project, director Terry George (who also wrote the screenplay with Keir Pearson) does not seem to have skimped on his visuals. The massive crowd scenes and evidence of mass execution are thorough and impressive. It is as if we are living a real life documentary about war. He does a nice job of contrasting the chaos in the countryside with the peaceful, relative calm inside the hotel. He also manages to balance the tension and terror with a few effective moments of honest humor especially with Paul's family-quite a feat.
While there are obvious similarities in theme to Schindler's List, Hotel Rwanda's protagonist is not only the benefactor, but he becomes a potential victim, thus raising the stakes. Even with a PG-13 rating compared to Schindler's R rating, this is no less compelling history and the events no less despicable. George does not have the directorial flourishes of Spielberg, but his film succeeds on an emotional level.
Although the subject matter may cause potential audiences to pause, those who want an intelligent, honest depiction of one man's remarkable acts of heroism amid an unthinkable tragedy will not be disappointed. It is a courageous film that teaches the audience about individual responsibility and choice. It is about one man making a difference for over a thousand of his countrymen amid the horror and chaos even as the world turned its back.
**** out of **** (every bit as good as the five Oscar nominated Best Pictures of 2004)