YB Movie Review: Hotel Rwanda

Last week I finished reading a book on the Rwandan genocide of 1994 (see earlier posting). It's a great book (highly recommend it). I put Hotel Rwanda on my netflix queue (the movie was based on the book)...As always, the cliche, "the book was better..." holds true in this case.

I told some friends about how I felt about the movie: "It could have been bloodier..." Don't get me wrong, it is a good movie. Add it to your netflix queue if you are interested in this kind of stuff.

I was expecting a bit much; a Schindler's List of Africa. I thought that it could have been as detailed and graphic as say that film or Saving Private Ryan in terms of horror, gruesome-ness, and gore. In that capacity, the movie was a let-down. Love Don Cheadle, but I don't know if I can say that his performance was necessarily worthy of an oscar nomination. It was just all very predictable (though, keep in mind, I did read the book which always heightens one's expectations).

If you want some evidence of the brutality of the genocide check out the following:

• WebSite on Murambi: the Hutus herded Tutsis into a college building under the guise that they would be safe in there. Wrong. Once thousands were packed in, the bloodshed began. Pretty nasty.
• Check out my previous posting on the book by Philip Gourevitch, "We wish to inform you..."
• Check out the History Channel's documentary called "Rwanda: Do Scars Ever Fade?". If you found the movie lacking in detailed gore and violence, this documentary MORE than makes up for it.

YB Movie Review Summary: Go see it if you don't know jack abt the Rwandan Genocide.