Every once and a while, a film comes out that attempts to recreate the worst events in human history - events that cannot ever be adequately described, because words and pictures can never do justice to real experiences.

"Hotel Rwanda," however, comes close.

The story begins more than a decade ago, on an April day in 1994: A plane, carrying then-Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, was shot down over the Kigali airport in the African nation of Rwanda. Although the ethnic tension in the region between the majority Hutus and minority Tutsis existed for years, it exploded with the Hutu president's assassination. Rwanda and its people became victim to a sudden outbreak of violence, where more than 800,000 were murdered within a span of 100 days.

"Hotel Rwanda" kicks off in the midst of this devastation, and manages to recreate the events with honesty and grit. The people portrayed are not characterized in the typical Hollywood fashion of "good" or "evil." Instead, each is shown as they were during the real events: Conflicted, terrified and willing to make sacrifices.

The characterization of hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, played by Don Cheadle, who struggled to house more than 1,000 people during the crisis, is a great example.

Frequently, he is given the choice to remove himself and his family from imminent danger in exchange for leaving others behind. These decisions are not always immediate for him - an eyeline match from Rusesabagina to his threatened neighbors, for example, shows the complexity of his choices without a word spoken.

It's also easy to forget that it's not the real Rusesabagina you are watching - Cheadle's performance is so convincing you aren't even aware of him on the screen. It would have been a mistake to cast Denzel Washington, who was also considered for the role - usually, the bigger the star, the less you see the real man.

As far as the outside assistance Rwandans received in 1994, this film refuses to sugarcoat anyone, which is significant. "Hotel Rwanda" would be a misleading, inaccurate portrayal of history if those hit by the genocide were shown to have been fought for by the international community. When the United Nations arrives at Rusesabagina's hotel in the film, they do little, as they were mandated to simply "monitor" the events. The film shows the scarcity of troops or guards present to ward off Hutu attacks, and the little aid that was received by those turned prisoner on their own land - the world simply turned a blind eye to Rwanda. Ultimately, despite its unflinching presentation of one of the most bloody human events in recent history, "Hotel Rwanda" shows how sometimes, it takes the worst experiences to bring out the best in humankind.