Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire (2005)
92%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 13 nominations
Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire is a poignant and thought-provoking documentary that delves into the psyche of a man who witnessed one of the most horrific genocides in history. The film is a testament to the human spirit and the resilience of the human soul in the face of unimaginable evil. The director, Peter Raymont, skillfully weaves together personal interviews, archival footage, and still photographs to create a powerful and moving portrait of a man who was rendered powerless in the face of evil. While some critics have criticized the film for being too one-sided, it is clear that Raymont’s intention was to focus on Dallaire’s personal journey rather than the broader political context of the genocide. Overall, Shake Hands with the Devil is a must-see documentary that will leave you with a deep sense of empathy and compassion for those who have suffered at the hands of human cruelty.
Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire is a documentary that follows the journey of a man who witnessed one of the greatest catastrophes of the 20th century and was powerless to stop it. Critics have mixed feelings about the film, with some calling it a flat-lined, pedestrian affair, while others praise it for its personalized, historically charged travelogue. Personally, I think the documentary is a sobering reminder of the atrocities that occurred in Rwanda and the impact it had on one man. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s an important one. Plus, Roméo Dallaire is a total badass.
Production Company(ies)
Norma Productions, Curtleigh Productions, Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Kigali, Rwanda
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some disturbing violent images and brief strong language
Year of Release
2007
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English, French
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 2004 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2005
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Shake Hands with the Devil, documentary, 1994 Rwanda genocide, Roméo Dallaire, Canadian general, UN peacekeeping force, civil unrest, tragedy, gut-wrenching, painful memories, Peter Raymont, directed by, produced by, box office performance, budget, reviewed by, critic names, producer names, MPAA rating, English, 1h 31m, audience score, top critics, fresh, rotten, tragic reminder, Western conscience, heroic man, powerless, underfunded, undermanned, mental anguish, racism, colonialism, gender roles, African village, false note
Worldwide gross: $594
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $851
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,160
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 93
US/Canada gross: $594
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $851
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,838
US/Canada opening weekend: $86
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $123
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,861
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): CA$11,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Peter Raymont – Producer
Director(s)
Peter Raymont
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 13 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (50) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (6)
A flat-lined, pedestrian affair, a talking-heads/ touring-heads piece that seems to point the camera in the wrong direction.
September 2, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
A personalized, historically charged travelogue that speaks to a massive tragedy’s impact on one man.
September 2, 2005 | Rating: B+
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
A tragic reminder of how that overused epithet, ‘Never again’, makes hypocrites of us all.
August 9, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Jamie Woolley
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
In a way, Shake Hands With the Devil puts the best of Western conscience on display — and it’s not a pretty sight.
July 8, 2005 | Rating: B
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
TOP CRITIC
We never get a satisfying re-creation of the events for which Dallaire now suffers.
July 8, 2005 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Booth
Denver Post
TOP CRITIC
Offers a rare and privileged portrait of a heroic man profoundly troubled by a terrible experience.
July 1, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4
Tom Keogh
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
Shake Hands with the Devil is a sober, harrowing chronicle of one man’s attempt to escape the guilt and regret of having witnessed one of the greatest catastrophes of the 20th century, and being powerless to stop it.
January 29, 2020
Felicia Feaster
Creative Loafing
Documentary should have been more about what happened in Rwanda rather than just about his personal feelings and his return trip. Very one-side picture of a highly criticized UN official. Paul Chambers, CNN.
December 30, 2009 | Rating: C-
Paul Chambers
CNNRadio
September 29, 2007 | Rating: 88/100
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide
Raymont gets the most out of what little footage and still photographs remain from 1994.
March 1, 2007
Maria Garcia
Film Journal International
You can’t imagine a worse situation, but at the same time it’s hard to imagine that a better man could’ve been on the scene, even if he was rendered powerless in the face of evil.
October 21, 2005 | Rating: B+
Shawn Levy
Oregonian
The documentary is effective, though at times it’s a challenge to watch.
September 23, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jeff Vice
Deseret News (Salt Lake City)…
Plot
In the end of 1993, the Canadian General Romeo Dallaire is assigned to lead the United Nation troops in Rwanda. In 1994, when the genocide of the Tutsis by the Hutus begins, General Dallaire gives his best effort to help the people in Rwanda, inclusive negotiating with the Tutsi rebels, the Hutu army and the Interhamwe militia. However, he fights against bureaucracy and lack of interest from the United Nations and witnesses the West World ignoring and turning back any sort of support, inclusive USA opposing in the security council of UN to any type of help.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
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