Shake Hands With The Devil

Directed by: Roger Spottiswoode
Starring: Roy Dupuis, Deborah Kara Unger

Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire's story has already been told so well in his award-winning book and in Peter Raymont's subsequent documentary that this feature film adaptation faces some high expectations. Unfortunately, more often than not, it fails to meet them.

Following Dallaire from his arrival in Rwanda as head of the United Nations' peace-keeping mission through to the brutal 1994 genocide and its tragic consequences, Shake Hands With The Devil certainly has the makings of a great film. The scenes depicting the atrocities of genocide possess a raw, unflinching realism that's utterly compelling to behold. Roy Dupuis' portrayal of Dallaire is also impressive. Equal parts heroic and tragic, he's believable as the man caught in the middle who's struggling to put an end to the situation despite the political forces that render him powerless.

The scenes that take place outside of Rwanda are nowhere near as spectacular and those of Dallaire speaking to a therapist back home feel like a cheap and clumsy attempt at artistry. The haunting and powerful true story is enough to keep Shake Hands interesting, but the way it's told makes it more like a good made for TV movie than the excellent film it could have been.