Release Date:
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Like any movie starring Ashton Kutcher, Hotel Rwanda can be hard to stomach, but in this case the on-screen tragedy is something you need to see. Don Cheadle turns in a powerful performance as hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, whose true story made possible the rescue of 1,200 people during the horrific 1994 Rwandan genocide that took one million lives. The DVDs extras exhume even more detailed accounts. "A Message for Peace" not only documents the genocide, but includes interviews with writers and directors about how the film was assembled from harrowing survivor accounts. "Return to Rwanda" travels back to the site of the suffering with Rusesabagina for the first time since he escaped, including happy staff reunions and tours through sites that never made it into stateside reports. A variety of commentary tracks provide even more information, including everyone from Cheadle to Rusesabagina to Wyclef Jean. But unlike 'Clef's music, you won't be able to shrug off Hotel Rwanda, so be prepared before you pop in this depressing, yet gripping, exercise in overlooked history.