Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2107 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-07-25
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 117 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Solidly built around a subtle yet commanding performance by Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda emerged as one of the most highly-praised dramas of 2004. In a role that demands his quietly riveting presence in nearly every scene, Cheadle plays real-life hero Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager in the Rwandan capital of Kigali who in 1994 saved 1,200 Rwandan "guests" from certain death during the genocidal clash between tribal Hutus, who slaughtered a million victims, and the horrified Tutsis, who found safe haven or died. Giving his best performance since his breakthrough role in Devil in a Blue Dress, Cheadle plays Rusesabagina as he really was during the ensuing chaos: "an expert in situational ethics" (as described by critic Roger Ebert), doing what he morally had to do, at great risk and potential sacrifice, with an understanding that wartime negotiations are largely a game of subterfuge, cooperation, and clever bribery. Aided by a United Nations official (Nick Nolte), he worked a saintly miracle, and director Terry George (Some Mother's Son) brings formidable social conscience to bear on a true story you won't soon forget. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Synopsis
Don Cheadle gives a riveting performance as Paul Rusesabagina, the manager of a European-owned hotel in Rwanda, who created a secret refugee camp for the Tutsi people during the brutal genocide committed against them by the Hutu people in 1994. His efforts helped to save 1200 lives out of close to a million who were killed. HOTEL RWANDA shows this man's courage, while also capturing the political events that occurred between April and September '94. First, United Nations soldiers are restricted from fighting back against Hutu guerillas, even after the Rwandan president is assassinated and the country is thrown into chaos. But as the fighting worsens, all non-Rwandans including UN peacekeepers, Europeans, and Americans are evacuated. This leaves the Tutsi people defenceless against aggressive Hutus who are armed with machine guns and machetes. While working the system with strategic phone calls to powerful international contacts of the hotel, Rusesabagina also uses smart lies and power plays to hold off the Hutus. The morale among the refugees is low, but because they are protected from the inconceivable brutality happening outside the hotel's gates, they maintain a sense of hope. Powerful acting from all cast members, including throngs of children, makes this film touching and believable. Sophie Okonedo offers moving support as Rusesabagina's wife Tatiana, Nick Nolte shows knowing machismo as an American UN officer, and Joaquin Phoenix turns in a heartfelt display as a TV journalist. But it is the delicate treatment that director Terry George gives the insane, helpless situation depicted in HOTEL RWANDA which makes the film so penetrating. While the violence and gore of the genocide play a disturbing part in the film, the focus lies on the heroism of its protagonist and the strength with which he navigates under seemingly impossible odds.

Customer Reviews

Don't bother with this, read the book instead
I first heard about this amazing story told by Paul Rusesabagina himself in his great book An Ordinary Man - in which this movie is based - and then immediately went to buy the DVD. I wish I didn't. The acting is bad - except perhaps for the main role, the supporting actors are complete amateurs, Nick Nolte is dreadful; the production is poor - there are scenes where you can actually see chroma key being used when the main character is in a car in movement, like in the 60's movies; the screenplay unconvincing. There's no emotion whatsoever, you won't be able to tell this was one of the worst genocides ever by watching this movie. I think all this awards and nominations Hotel Rwanda has got were actually given for Paul's story - which is, again, incredible - and not for the movie itself.

Gripping and informative
I didn't know much about the Rwandan genocide. I wanted to find out more having seen the movie. This film gave all the grisly detail, and told a good story in an almost documentary style. Don Cheadle is charismatic and winning.

Fantastic, fascinating film!
Hotel Rwanda really does make the heart wrenching tragedies, that happened in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, hit home.

The genocide, killing 1million Tutsi during the struggle against the Hutu militia, was almost forgotten about by European people, but I feel that this outstanding movie has made many people realise how terrible these incidents were. The tale telling drama get the point across amazingly.

Hotel Rwanda, set in the small African town called Rwanda, starred some amazing actors/actresses, but I feel that Don Cheadle (playing Paul Rusesubagina) was maybe a little too famous, so the message didn't come across as seriously as it should have. I would have used African actors/actresses which had not been exposed to showbiz before, also using the African language with subtitles.

Terry George did an amazing job and should be proud of the film he successfully made, with help from Keir Pearson.

The film shows a hotel managers life during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, but this hotel housed over 1000 Tutsi refugees and one man, Paul Rusesubagina (who is a Hutu) is fighting for all of their precious life's.

The film falls into the genres of:
Drama, History, Thriller and War.
I think that these genres suit the film well because the film is in fact, all of these. History and drama would be the main genres of the film because it is mostly dramatic and historical.

For this particular film about the genocide, the target audience is, I would say, 13+. It isn't gruesome, bloody, it doesn't use bad language and it is overall kept at quite a low age rating, which is good for children who want to see it, and I feel that this is the best way the film could be. Hotel Rwanda could even disturb people in their middle 40's, not because of all the killings and threats, but because of the psychological side e.g. thinking about families having to live in one small hotel, alongside 1000 others, scared as anything and knowing that they could die the same day.

The acting skills in Hotel Rwanda are, in my opinion, actually very good. True emotion shows through the actors performances and I would expect that it would be quite emotional to act out such scenes, e.g. driving over dead bodies. Even the children act well, showing that they are scared and naïve.

I think that this film would shock people and upset people after watching it, especially European people because before watching, they wouldn't realise how bad things really are and Hotel Rwanda would give the outside world a small taster of how things are/were. On the other hand, it might make people feel angry because such a thing is happening in the world and the reasons for the genocide are pathetic, also that they wouldn't be able to personally help the situation.

Overall, I think that Hotel Rwanda could have improved a tiny bit but nothing can be perfect and I understand that making a film isn't exactly easy. I would defiantly recommend the film. I can't compare this film to other similar films I have seen, simply because I haven't seen similar films but I would expect that this one does stand out. If I could, I would honestly award the actors, actresses, director, producer etc. for all the work, and it has paid off by producing an amazing film.