User reviews

I saw Shake Hands with the Devil not long ago, on Radio-Canada, and it was a very strong counter to Hotel Rwanda, which I had seen just days earlier. It amazes how countries that stand up and decry the Holocaust, that call Iraq and Afghanistan centers of evil that must be invaded and liberated, seem to sit quietly and allow genocide to occur repeatedly throughout Africa. Whatever the reason may be - no resources or interests, an attempt to pacify mutual allies, or simple apathy because it's 'not a Western problem', it fills me with anguish to see the results. And to see CNN and the media giving Iraq and the Asian tsunami 24/7 coverage while making Rwanda and Darfur a footnote on the back pages is nothing short of horrendous.

One scene in particular really stuck with me - it's the scene during the Rwandan inquest, where a Belgian senator starts to harangue Dallaire over the deaths of a couple of Belgian peacekeepers, who he claimed could have been saved. It absolutely astounded me to see this self-righteous and self-centered man thinking about the loss of two men while nearly a million were butchered. And to blame Dallaire, who was handicapped by the UN who refused to give him support or a mandate...it boggles the mind. I didn't see the Belgian government pleading for the UN to intervene...

In Darfur it's the same situation - the UN doesn't want to intervene, so they swamp their investigation and reports in red tape, mainly because China has oil contracts with the Sudanese government and Russia has sold arms to them. It looks like the only lesson that the previous genocides of the last century has taught us, is that if there's going to be genocide, get on the side that is committing it and make sure that your interests are secured...

Bravo to Dallaire for having the courage and cojones to return to Rwanda and to give us his outstanding and this astonishing and important documentary. 9/10.

It's not often that I get to review documentaries (and I'm not sure that Michael Moore counts) but I was fortunate enough to see the excellent film 'Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire' this afternoon. Daillaire was picked from the Canadian Army to lead the UN Peacekeeping mission in Rwanda as the genocide of Tutsis (by another tribe the Hutu) was about to begin. The film goes into the history of how the hatreds began, and how there was a real failure from the world to intervene in time. At every turn Daillaire was thwarted by his so-called superiors to do anything. For the most part his men were left to watch as the country destroyed itself. As this was all happening in the spring of 1994, the world was obsessed with one OJ Simpson and his bloody glove. Watching the film I was sickened by the first world's apathy toward Africa. Bono once said that this generation will be remembered for standing by with water while Africa burned. This film only reinforced the statement. Afterwards the director, Peter Raymont, had a Q&A with the audience (there was also Dallaire's assistant from that period in Rwanda - his name escapes me), and he said that in Canada it will be playing on the CBC in the new year. I saw it as part of the Vancouver International Film Fest, and it's played at Toronto already, and will be at Berlin and Sundance next year. Please check this film out! It deserves to be seen by one and all.

I have seen a few movies re: Dallaire, read his book and have seen him speak. I think what puts this film above all of the other background information that I have is the editing. Yes, some of the footage is stock (stock as in seen in other documentaries re: Rwanda) IT IS ALL REAL. THIS IS A VERY GRAPHIC FILM. The editing is amazing. The photography gives the beauty of the landscape and the stock footage is placed in very well. Overall, it is an amazing movie. I give most of that credit to the editor. It is important to put this film in context. I don't expect most people to understand this context, but if you are interested (which I hope you are) there are many wonderful books that can get you started. Not only is this an important film in the documenting of Dallaire and Rwanda, but it is a VERY honest look at the affects of war. If you watch him as he speaks (on film and in person) this is a man whose very core has been horribly affected. Can he ever overcome those scares? I don't think so. Should he? No. He should do what he is doing now...show them to the world. The sad part is that some parts of the world will never listen to him, but that can not distract him. He has to keep going....I hope this makes some amount of sense. Please, see the film. Understand the history. Teach your children so this isn't again our future.

This film reaffirms why documentary film making is so important. Documentaries don't simply tell a story; they tell a real story, a human story. Documentaries help to shed light on human triumphs and human tragedies, both of which are evident in this gripping film directed by Peter Raymont.

The tragedy, of course, was that nearly 1 million Rwandans were killed and slaughtered in a senseless act of genocide. What adds to the tragedy is that the "civilized" world could have easily stopped this from happening, if they only cared. The film displays how the U.N. and individual countries alike not only failed to help the innocent Rwandan people, but in many ways they contributed to the genocide that happened by creating some of the ethnic stigmas that existed in the country.

Yet amongst all of this carnage and horror there did remain some good people who tried to help the Rwandan's. General Romeo Dallaire, commander of the UN forces in Rwanda, was one of these people. Perhaps no one else in Rwanda did as much to save people as did Mr. Dallaire. Even though he was betrayed by the UN and ignored by the rest of the world, he emerged from this terrible situation as a hero.

I believe the ultimate message of this film is that the leading countries of the world and their citizens must learn from human tragedies like Rwanda so that we can take action to prevent such atrocities from happening again. Unfourtunately, with situations such as the one in Darfur, it seems like this message is not being heard. An important film that must be seen by all and a shining example of documentary film making. 10/10.

In 1994 General Dallaire was given command of a small peacekeeping operation from the UN in the central African country of Rwanda. When the Hutus started killing the Tutsis population the UN evacuated the westerners but essentially left the country to take care of itself – with only Dallaire's small and underfunded group of men left against a tidal wave of violence that left about 800,000 dead. As the west sat transfixed by the OJ trial, Dallaire struggled to get the word out and get the world to respond. Ten years later, he returns to Rwanda to remember.

Having been gutted by Hotel Rwanda I felt ashamed that I knew very little about the genocide and decided to watch this documentary to provide more insight than HR did. Although this film is more interested in Dallaire than in the actual genocides it still is educational, interesting and impacting. We follow Dallaire as he returns to the country and recollects the events of a decade ago, memories that are backed up with some sickening archive footage of bodies and murder. It doesn't really shock or emotionally involve that well in that regard though – compared to the narrative structure of HR this seems a bit distant, a fact not helped by the "looking back" delivery. However the film is still impacting because it focuses more on the west and the failure to act, with Dallaire lost in the middle of the chaos. The film does this well and it is very clear where the blame lies and how insincere the world was and still is – Clinton's visit and assurances that he didn't appreciate how bad things were at the time made me angry and frustrated.

As our eyes Dallaire is very interesting. He is long past tears so he doesn't move us by breaking down but by being honest and talking. The things he recalls seeing are horrific, although just as engaging is his own pain and suffering – his frustrations, his fears and his anger. I'm sure some viewers will not warm to him because he doesn't look emotional but his story makes up for it. The film gives him a bit of an easy ride in some regards, not pushing him when he says that he had no mandate etc, but even those who feel he is the figurehead for failure will acknowledge that he did stay when he could easily have left like everyone else.

Overall this is a hard film to judge because the subject matter means it easily engages and is moving. Some viewers may find it a bit cold compared to the emotional ride of Hotel Rwanda but it is no less for it, in fact it makes for a more detailed and open presentation that is consistently interesting and moving.

There is so much tragedy that takes place in the world involving the military and others involved in physical conflict, yet it is rare that a soldier comes forward to tell the truth. In Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire, we are lucky to have not just a soldier, but a leader who took so much responsibility for the Rwandan genocide onto himself explaining through word and deed what happened there, and its meaning. This is a wonderful documentary, and a moving story about an honest man's quest to understand the difficulty and horror he experienced. It is impossible not to be emotionally moved by Dallaire's story, and the well-crafted way in which it is told.

I just returned from the Sundance film Festival where I saw Shake Hands with the Devil. This documentary must be seen for many reasons. It is a history lesson for those who missed the tragedy of the Rowandan genocide. It asks the question: why do we value one human life above another? It tells the story of the courage and conviction of Romeo Dallaire; qualities he possesses to an extent that surpasses what most of us can only imagine. After the screening I attended, the audience was left speechless and was slow to applaud. We all sat in our seats numbed by what we just seen - that human life can have no value on a world wide basis. Please see this outstanding documentary.

As someone who has studied the Rwandan civil war and genocide in depth, I would recommend this documentary for providing some important background that is not readily available elsewhere in the film and literature about the genocide. The events of 1993 and early 1994 immediately leading up to the outbreak of killing, are often not presented well. Here we see General Dallaire's return visits to UN installations and places where he tried to carry out his initial mission to implement the Arusha Peace Accords of '93, important pieces of the puzzle. This alone makes the film worth seeing for anyone interested in how the genocide came to happen. There is also a visit to the memorial at Bisesero, an important but lesser known locale during the genocide where Tutsi were able to resist for a long time. While the "Ghosts of Rwanda" Frontline film remains the definitive documentary about the genocide, this movie adds some valuable details.

However, the film also uncomfortably at times seemed like a promotional project or hagiography for Dallaire and his friends and colleagues rather than a truly thoughtful documentary examination of one embattled and psychically wounded commander's experiences in trying to uphold an impossible mission. Part of the "problem" is that Dallaire is clearly a determined personality (and was in 1994) and speaks pretty eloquently for himself, but we also need to "see" more cinematically and not just hear people reciting how wronged he was. We needed less talking heads and more on-the-ground footage. (Although the 1994 footage is horrific enough) The film does not exactly take a dispassionate editorial tone... it's savagely condemning of both the UN and the Belgians in particular. (Warning, don't watch this movie if you're Belgian.)

Clearly, Dallaire was a fall guy for massive UN incompetence and immoral world indifference, who deserves to have his story told. I just think it could have been told much better in documentary form.

This incredible documentary must be seen. The irony that Romeo Dallaire, the only man who actually stayed in Rwanda during the genocide, would feel the most guilt over the mass slaughter is incredible. This film needs to be seen in the context of current African tragedies. Not simply Sudan, but the LRA's child soldiers of Uganda, the gruesome and pervasive civil wars in Burundi, DRC, and the Cote d'Ivoire. These conflicts are complex and ignored by the world. See this film and become more informed on African politics which are destroying the lives of tens of thousands of human beings. There are possibilities to help, seek out large NGOs such as Oxfam, Medecins Sans Frontieres, and the Heifer Organization; or smaller, more specialized NGOs such as Care For Life. This film helps us all to realize we cannot ignore the realities of developing nations' violence and poverty. In another fantastic documentary, "Born into Brothels," one of the children says something to the effect of "I like this picture, though it is sad, we have to look at it because that is the way she lives and it is truth." If an impoverished 10-year-old can come to that realization, so must the rest of the world.

Mr. McGonigle, though your criticism fair in parts, I wish you to delve deeper into why, exactly, the United States is partially blamed in this feature, as well as in Roméo Dallaire's book as well.

I have spent time as a foreign aid worker in Rwanda, and after seeing this film, I was disappointed at how little was spoken in regards to the peoples involved. You wrote, "The Hutu fundamentalists didn't want peace or a political settlement; they only wanted to see Tutsis dead. That's it. All the troops in the world would only have stopped the slaughter temporarily.", to which I would say is a very simple-minded argument, and based on what I have witnessed on the ground in Rwanda, I would say it to be quite irrational.

What is exceptionally important to understand, and I feel very understated in the West, is how intelligent these African leaders are. They, like the leaders in the West, have often attended Universities in the West (in this case, Universities in Quebec seemed popular amongst the francophones). These leaders understand what buttons to push, and what will give them gain, and what will not.

The Hutu were not out to kill for the sake of killing. There was a cunning behind this, and had their leaders nothing to gain with genocide, we undoubtedly would have stopped it before it began. The terrible thing, as Dallaire of course bears witness too, is that 'we' (that is, the member states of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council) could do something to stop it. We simply chose not to.

Let us also understand where the United Nations went wrong. This was not a situation of Secretary-General Mr. Boutros-Ghali or any of his subordinates simply turning a blind eye to the plight in Rwanda, or otherwise not committed to spending there. This was a failure of the member states not wishing to spend the needed cost in staff, soldiers, MILOBS, and supplies. Specifically the members of the Security Concil - including, of course, the all-powerful United States of America.

Another argument you put forth, Mr. McGonicle:

"Now let's be very blunt, look around you; how many young Americans would you send into harms way to only temporarily halt, not stop the eventual killings? How many would you be willing to sacrifice for a country of little strategic value, no natural wealth and no great political objectives to speak of? I am aware of the "doing it for humanity" argument, but is it possible to stop every insane group determined to kill off parts of their own population? Are the superpowers supposed to be the world's police? Can they be everywhere all the time?"

While some might argue it a callous argument, it is indeed both logical and fair. No, the United States is not obligated to solve the worlds problems. However, one can certainly argue there have been few human catastrophes worse than the Rwandan Genocide within the last century. Given the last forty years of near-constant warfare waged by the Americans, logical questions must be asked. Is it logical for the United States to aggressively invade nations based on ideological principles? If so, is that truly more important than halting genocide? If not, all I can say is we must agree to disagree. The pure human loss seems far more important than if a government wishes to abolish private land ownership, or to legalise cocaine.

Forgive me for the transgressions, though. The book, 'Shake Hands with the Devil', is magnificent. All documentaries and films I have seen depicting the genocide seem to always fill be with a lack of ... something unexplainable. Perhaps it just seems that there isn't enough time in these formats to adequately tell such a complex political and sociological story. While I would recommend the film for the pure purpose of educating oneself about such an important historical footnote (in the West) that deserves far more attention, I could not say it told the whole story.

This film is about Mr. Dallaire, first and foremost. And on that note, I must say it does a fine job.

This superb and movie will be doomed for failure in the USA, no it does not have a superhero that will stop WWIII, it does not have a deluge of special effect. It is just the story of a very brave man who listen to his hearth and tried to save as many lives as he could and refused to listen to orders, politicians and false promises made by the United Nations.

Graphic it is, humane it is too. Americans will hate it as it is very Canadian in its approach.

On TV former President Bill Clinton said the Rwanda tragedy was the worst failure of his career. It was that of the Canadian Government too as well as that of the United Nation. Amidst all that horror a man refuse to give up. A must see movie that Canadians will love and Americans will hate for the hero is not an American this time.

I saw this film on DOC TV on the Dish Network last night and could not take a break. I was furious that this was taking place while OJ was on trial and it was the stupid OJ trial we were being bombarded with day in and day out while genocide was taking place. Those that now rent the public airwaves should be jailed for not abiding by the laws they are to adhere to when they use the public airwaves.

From beginning to the end I was glued to my seat. Dallaire is a hero in my book, and should be to all humanity-loving people. This is a must see documentary. However, it would've helped more if we had seen what was going on WHILE it was happening!

I watched the dramatized movie titled: "Shake Hands with the Devil" and I loved it. And as IMDb is wont to do, they recommended similar movies and this documentary came up having the self-same title. I thought, "Of course, I want to see the real Romeo Dallaire." I was not disappointed. In fact, this documentary makes me have even more respect for the former U. N. General in Rwanda.

If you're late to the global conflict party, then you need to know that in 1994 there was a genocide that occurred in Rwanda on the part of the majority Hutus against the minority Tutsis. To the untrained eye, such as my own, it seemed like indiscriminate killing because I couldn't tell the difference between either tribe. And before you say that I suffer from cross-racial confusion, I am African American, so I'm not saying, "They all look alike." No, in this case they are very much alike, and before the Belgians issued identification cards in 1916, they were all one people. So, in essence, what played out in 1994 was a result of the segregation and favoritism implemented by Belgians in 1916. Am I saying the Belgians picked up guns and machetes and start slaughtering people? Absolutely not. Those who instigated genocide and participated in the genocide are 100% guilty for their own crimes. I'm just saying the Belgians can't claim total innocence.

Canadian soldier Romeo Dallaire was put in charge of a peace-keeping mission in Rwanda by the U. N. He was made a general and had control of all U. N. troops under UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda). The entire situation was a mess and the U. N. didn't do much to help, but Dallaire wouldn't abandon Rwanda or the prone Tutsis. His conscience wouldn't allow him to flee when so many more helpless men, women, and children were being slaughtered.

"Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire" is a walk-through time as Dallaire revisits the scene of so many atrocities ten years later. He and his wife visit the various spots in Rwanda where he'd witnessed and prevented senseless bloodshed. Dallaire is very matter-of-fact about everything that occurred and his opinion hasn't changed one iota in ten years. Honestly, I'm glad someone like Dallaire was there and remained there when the U. N. and everyone else pulled out, because there needed to be at least one person to tell the story to the rest of the world.

A great documentary which tells the story of Dallaire in Rwanda during the genocide. It's amazing to see how no one responded to this crisis and yet quickly responded to what was happening in Yugoslavia. My one problem? Dallaire's roman-catholic spiritualism whereby he says he could feel "the coldness" of the "evil" men who orchestrated the genocide. There are no evil men and good men. Just men. What these men did, they did because they were human, not because the devil tapped them on the shoulder.

I'd heard about Dallaire's return to Canada and what happened when he came back. He was suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome and was severely depressed. At one point he wandered drunkenly through the streets of Ottawa while he contemplated suicide. He was eventually picked up on a park bench in Hull and was hospitalized. I would have been more interested in hearing about Dallaire's psyche when he returned home. This documentary is after all less about the genocide and more about Dallaire and his confrontation with what he calls "evil".