Search - Hotel Rwanda on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Adult Language Movie Release: 2004 DVD Release: 04/12/2005 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 2 mins Studio: MGM Total Copies: 69 Genres: Drama, Docudrama, Political Drama

Hotel Rwanda tackles one of the most horrifically ugly events in recent history, when the Hutu extremists of Rwanda initiated a terrifying campaign of genocide, massacring hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsis (who had been given power by the departed Belgian colonists), while the rest of the world looked on and did nothing. Don Cheadle stars as Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager at the fancy Les Milles Collines hotel in Kigali. Paul is a Hutu, and a very successful businessman who smoothly greases the wheels, making powerful connections in all strata of Rwandan life. His wife, Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo of Aeon Flux), is a Tutsi. She urges Paul to use his influence to help local Tutsis, who are being harassed and beaten with increasing frequency, but Paul will only use the political capital he's built up to help his own family, if and when they need it. Soon enough, the violence escalates, and the Hutus begin their genocide of the Tutsis. European guests and staff at the hotel are flown out of the country, and Paul is left in charge. He finds that his conscience won't allow him to watch as the innocent are slaughtered, and before long, the hotel has become a well-appointed refugee camp. Paul is seen as a traitor by some, putting his life in danger, and the predicament of his "guests" grows more precarious every day, but despite good intentions on the part of a journalist (Joaquin Phoenix) and a UN peacekeeping colonel (Nick Nolte), the rest of the world is not eager to intervene and stop the massacre. Hotel Rwanda was directed by Irish filmmaker Terry George (Some Mother's Son), who co-wrote the script with Keir Pearson. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Don Cheadle - Paul Rusesabagina
Sophie Okonedo - Tatiana Rusesabagina
Joaquin Phoenix - Jack
Nick Nolte - Colonel Oliver
Jean Reno

Terry George's drama Hotel Rwanda turned horrific real-life events into inspiring drama, and helped bring public attention to a news story that was ignored by much of the world. The extras on the DVD release of the film balance a behind-the-scenes look at the production with the desire to include more historical context. Director Terry George, composer Wyclef Jean, lead actor Don Cheadle, and Paul Rusesabagina (the real-life person Cheadle portrayed) all provide commentary at different points throughout the movie. The "Return to Rwanda" featurette follows Rusesabagina as he visits the sites depicted in the film for the first time since he fled the country. The film is presented in a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround. English, French, and Spanish subtitles are accessible. This is a disc that will appeal to the film's fans, as well as to those with an interest in the historical events at the heart of the movie. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide