Review: Hotel Rwanda (12A)

THIS is a fine, emotional sledgehammer of a movie.

Its background is the human atrocities committed during Rwanda's civil war and and the appalling international response to the tragedy.

It is sad that it takes this fine script and finer actors before many will begin to understand what happened in Africa a decade ago.

Rwanda was a disaster. Hutus set about Tutsis as wounds left by colonialism burst open into chaos and hate. A million people died in 100 days.

Watching it all unravel before his disbelieving eyes, with an Oscar-nominated mix of naivety, guile and compassion is hotel middle manager Paul Rusesabagina (Cheadle).

A Hutu, he works hard, greasing palms and playing the system, as he tries to secure a comfortable life for his young family and Tutsi wife (Okonedo, also Oscar-nominated).

But as neighbours turn on each other he starts to shelter his family and other refugees at the luxury Hotel des Mille Collines. The white manager flees and the staff almost rebel, but Rusesabagina's hidden strength - a conviction and calm that surprises himself - keeps the machete hordes at bay.

He calls in favours from the Hutu army, the UN promises to help and then fails, and all the while the sick fear of a silent drumbeat fills every scene, and rebel radio hisses for death to the Tutsi "cockroaches".

Cheadle fills the role with an incredible edge, facing down horrors and cliffhanger moments as his family's lives hang by a thread. Nolte is a guilt-wracked UN officer, Phoenix a gutsy but ashamed news cameraman, and Okonedo adds humour and dignity.

It's a tense and bleak vision of Africa. Director Terry George has superbly recreated the true tale of the hotel manager, now living in Belgium, who saved 1,268 refugees.

The flat camerawork at times feels like a very good TV film, but the effect is harrowing and arresting.

The film sensibly stays clear of graphically showing the true gore and horror, but unforgettable is a scene where Rusesabagina is out in a van at night and the vehicle is rocked by bumps.

He thinks they have left the road until he gets out and sees he has driven over bodies. The tears and applause should go to this man, this 'African Schindler'.

Mono rating: nine out of ten.