Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire

 
The documentary Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire shows the journey of Dallaire’s trip back to Rwanda for the 10 year anniversary of the genocide. Dallaire brings his wife along and the audience watches as he shows her and others the city of Kigali through his eyes.

    As Dallaire walks through Rwanda he reveals his pain and guilt he feels for the lives of so many Tutsi and Hutu moderates who were brutally murdered. The setting of the film was crucial for this documentary not only for the audiences understanding but as well for the health of Dallaire. By viewing the destinations along-side of Dallaire’s flashbacks the audience gets an in depth look at the horrific events that occurred during the genocide. We are also able to see the effects that the genocide has on people, not only Dallaire but the many people interviewed throughout the film.

   The documentary allows the genocide to become much more realistic to all who viewed this film. Previous films although are factual they do not show real footage or interviews of those involved. This was very effective because I felt true emotion towards those who struggle to understand why they weren’t good enough to save or help. The visuals were so horrific it made me understand the importance of catching genocide in early stages. I know now that if anything like the Rwandan genocide happened again I would like to be one of the hopefully many trying to stop it.

  Although the film was more about the effects on Dallaire and his struggle to cope then the genocide itself. I give this movie a 7 out of 10.