Movie Info

RATING:

R for strong violence, disturbing images and language.

Note: The DVD reviewed is the "clean language" edition.

RELEASED:

March 9, 2007

GENRE:

Art/Foreign, Drama, Politics/Religion, War

STARRING:

Hugh Dancy, John Hurt, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Nicola Walker, Jack Pierce

DIRECTORS:

Michael Caton-Jones

DISTRIBUTOR:

IFC Films

 

Please Note

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MOVIE REVIEW

Beyond the Gates

By Elliott Ryan
Guest Writer

What's This?

CBN.com - In March 2007, a film entitled Beyond the Gates was released in U.S. theaters.  It didn’t make much money at the box office in its limited release.  The story seemed a bit too much like the acclaimed Hotel Rwanda (2004).  Perhaps audiences weren’t up for another film telling a very similar story.  However, the film tells the story of the Hutu extremists’ attempted genocide of the Tutsis (both tribes that inhabit Rwanda).  While, Hotel Rwanda looks at the crisis through the eyes of a Rwandan hotel manager, this film looks at it through the eyes of European outsiders trapped in Rwanda.

The film is now being released on DVD.  As the hero of the film is a Catholic priest, the producers are trying to reach out to a family friendly audience by releasing a version of the DVD with the profanity deleted.  However, while the language is cleaned up, there is still a lot of blood and violence as was the case in the real life events portrayed.  So this is definitely not appropriate for all ages.

Having said that, it is a really good film about the genocide and the lack of action from people in a position to stop thousands of innocent people from being slaughtered.  A Catholic priest and a missionary teacher work at a school that is housing a detachment from the United Nations.  The UN troops are there on orders to observe the relationship between the Hutus and the Tutsis but not to get involved.  They are not allowed to fire their weapons unless they are fired upon. 

Hundreds of refugees run for the school and the supposed safety afforded by the UN troops being housed there.  While the presence of the troops does keep the refugees safe for a time, their inactivity in stopping the armed street thugs from killing the Tutsis doesn’t provide lasting protection.  The film focuses on decisions made by the UN, the Rwandans, and the film’s heroes (the priest and the missionary) as the atrocities get worse by the minute. 

The film deals pretty well with spiritual themes.  Characters begin to wonder how God can allow this and where He can be found in the middle of such tragedy.  At times, the priest himself begins to wonder the same.  But by film’s end, he has found God in the midst of the turbulence.

The film’s crew was partially made up of people who actually survived the genocide attempt.  Before the credits roll, these crew members’ pictures are shown.  Many of them lost many family members and had to go into hiding to survive the genocidal militias.  The film is dedicated to these survivors and all who lost their lives during the genocide.

The film stars Hugh Dancy as the teacher and John Hurt as the priest.  Claire-Hope Ashitey (a talented actress who starred in Children of Men) stars as a young student at the school.  She looks to the priest and teacher for protection though there is some question as to whether or not they are in any position to help her.  A few survivors from the attacks were cast in minor acting roles as well.

While this isn’t a family movie, it is a heart-wrenching retelling of an ugly example of man’s inhumanity to man.  While the violent deaths portrayed may disturb many viewers, some Christian viewers may feel that the discomfort of some scenes is worth it as they did with the film Passion of the Christ (though not to the same degree).  Perhaps the need to tell this story makes the pain of viewing the gruesome details worth it. 

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