I had to watch this in History class-I think in 9th grade, and I was bored nearly the whole time. I did not get the plot. Roger Ebert loved it, and it's an 8.1 on here, but I just did not care for it. When the movie ended, our teacher asked us what we thought of it. I said that I did not really care for it. Everyone was shocked. I am the film buff-how could I be the only one in class who did not like it? Well, I am the only person I know who loves Batman and Robin....did I just destroy my credibility? Whatever. I was bored. I don't remember any of it.("Well, it was 4 years ago!") Well, I remember The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc- a way better movie, and I saw that the same year...so....

It's films like this, whether one hundred percent historically accurate or not, that convince me that any suggestion of 'world peace' is merely a pipe dream. Here you have two warring tribes within the same country that can't get along with each other, resulting in death and bloodshed involving over a million people. And for what? When you come right down to it, what was the essential difference between Tutsi and Hutu? None that I could tell, and quite honestly, none that most of the evil Interhamwe could tell as well unless one admitted to being one or the other. It just makes me so angry.And as for the United Nations, what exactly is their purpose if they can't take a principled stand in the face of genocide and slaughter? Any minute I was expecting Nick Nolte's character, General Oliver, to take matters into his own hands as he witnessed the persecution and beatings, but no. He was handcuffed by a set of principles laid down by distant bureaucrats with the threat of losing his command if he didn't follow orders.It's hard not to wind up being cynical after seeing a treatment like this. I have a t-shirt that states 'Losing Faith in Humanity, One Person at a Time', and this film is the embodiment of that sentiment. The real life Paul Rusesabagina, portrayed by Don Cheadle, is a living saint in my book, having the courage and selflessness to look beyond his own family and personal circumstances, to put his life at risk to help both Tutsis and Hutus escape an impossible situation. His most powerful scene, in my estimation, was when Paul realized that the world community was not moving forward to help the Rwandans, challenging his hotel guests and the targeted Tutsis to reach out to anyone they personally knew who could possibly help their situation. It was such a travesty that he had to implore them all to 'shame the world into sending help'.

Based on the true story of a Rwandan hotel manager who sheltered over a thousand refugees during the 1994 genocide, 'Hotel Rwanda' offers a glimpse at a sad chapter of modern history seldom told. Often mentioned is the blind eye turned by the outside world to what is happening in Rwanda with a key piece of dialogue coming from lead actor Don Cheadle saying that they need to shame the world into helping out. The film is supported by strong performances from not only Cheadle but also Sophie Okonedo as his strong-willed wife who truly rises above stereotype: she is never once fragile, passive or helpless. Upon initial release, the film attained comparisons to 'Schindler's List' with a similar story of a brave man sheltering others in war, however, such comparisons actually reveal some of 'Hotel Rwanda''s shortfalls. Most notably, Cheadle's Paul is honorable and generous from the get-go compared to Oskar Schindler's who gradually progresses from greedy to selfless. Spielberg's inclusion of seemingly random subplots (like the gun that does not go off) also paint a fuller picture of the Holocaust, whereas 'Hotel Rwanda' offers a far more contained portrait of the genocide. And yet, if not the out-and-out masterpiece that some claim it to be, 'Hotel Rwanda' remains quite an accomplished motion picture with tension frequently felt in the air.

I was constantly waiting for it to get better. The acting isn't to bad but the dialogue makes it so unrealistic at times. I don't think the audience cares to much about the characters because it hasn't built up and i'm confused how this has been rated so high. I suggest not seeing it when there are much better story's of what goes on in country's most people don't think about on a day to day basis such as Blood Diamond. I'm sorry to say this but I would be very interested in what someone from Rwanda has to say for themselves about the way it is portrayed. Once again I don't hate it, it just could've been so much better...!! One of the not amazing movies on the IMDb Top 250..