Watered-down violence made it less effective

Rating: 6/10 (11 October 2006)

It's rare to complain about such things, but Hotel Rwanda wasn't violent enough to get the full point across. Someone like Spielberg with his knack for ultra-realistic violence could have done a better job. When you feel like you're watching something real it hits you on a deeper level. There's a lot more to it than gratuitous bloodshed. The unnerving chaos of Africa was displayed much better in "Blackhawk Down."
This was a case where filtered gore robbed the movie of the outrage one should feel. There were only a few serious cringe-inducing scenes and I expected the whole movie to stay at that level. There was definite unease throughout, but it wasn't quite edgy enough.
I think some rave reviews describe what the move could have been and the importance of its theme, not what it actually was. I disagree with those who say the reason for the conflict wasn't explained well enough. It was just a type of gang vengeance and us vs. them, like so many other wars.