Its hard to make a film that depicts a recent era of genocide where many people, ethnic groups and organisations do not come out of it so well.
Director Michael Caton-Jones takes up the challenge and shot this film in an area of Rwanda where some of the violence occurred, using a crew who were personally affected by the slaughter.
John Hurt plays a Catholic priest and Hugh Dancy an English teacher, who are caught up in the events of the genocide. They now see people they knew choosing sides, even committing violence.
Once the conflict between Hutus and Tutsis went out of control in the early 1990s the UN troops just stood by and watched and eventually left many without protection to be slaughtered.
The film tries to get us to care for the characters knowing full well some of them will be slaughtered, even children and babies. It also has to make some political criticisms about governments and UN troops as well as being an adventure with Hurt trying to save some people from the mindless violence.
The film does not wholly succeed, there is no hook here that grabs you like it did in a film such as The Killing Fields. Still its an important subject matter, a lot of the violence is implied as the film does not want to glory in the genocide but it is still strong, grim viewing.
Director Michael Caton-Jones takes up the challenge and shot this film in an area of Rwanda where some of the violence occurred, using a crew who were personally affected by the slaughter.
John Hurt plays a Catholic priest and Hugh Dancy an English teacher, who are caught up in the events of the genocide. They now see people they knew choosing sides, even committing violence.
Once the conflict between Hutus and Tutsis went out of control in the early 1990s the UN troops just stood by and watched and eventually left many without protection to be slaughtered.
The film tries to get us to care for the characters knowing full well some of them will be slaughtered, even children and babies. It also has to make some political criticisms about governments and UN troops as well as being an adventure with Hurt trying to save some people from the mindless violence.
The film does not wholly succeed, there is no hook here that grabs you like it did in a film such as The Killing Fields. Still its an important subject matter, a lot of the violence is implied as the film does not want to glory in the genocide but it is still strong, grim viewing.