Shake Hands with the Devil
Year: 2010
Runtime: 112 min
Language: English
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
In 1993, Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire is deployed to Rwanda with a peacekeeping mission, attempting to maintain a delicate peace. He quickly finds himself entangled in a complex web of international bureaucracy, facing severe limitations due to inadequate funding and conflicting priorities among numerous nations. As the threat of genocide grows, Dallaire is compelled to confront a harsh reality and must find a way to protect hundreds of thousands of innocent people, despite being hindered by political constraints and a lack of support from those in power.
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Timeline & Setting – Shake Hands with the Devil (2010)
Explore the full timeline and setting of Shake Hands with the Devil (2010). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.
Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:15
Main Characters – Shake Hands with the Devil (2010)
Meet the key characters of Shake Hands with the Devil (2010), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.
Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:15
Major Themes – Shake Hands with the Devil (2010)
Explore the central themes of Shake Hands with the Devil (2010), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.
Last Updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:15
Explore Movie Threads
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Movies about wartime bureaucracy like Shake Hands with the Devil
Stories where political red tape and international indecision create moral catastrophes.If you appreciated the frustrating political constraints in Shake Hands with the Devil, this collection features other dramas where well-intentioned individuals are hindered by complex bureaucracy during times of crisis. These films capture the tension between ground-level realities and high-level political indecision, creating similar feelings of moral outrage and tragic inevitability.
Narrative Summary
The narrative follows protagonists who are part of a larger system—be it a peacekeeping mission, a government agency, or a military command—who recognize an impending disaster but find their hands tied by protocol, politics, or a lack of political will. The drama unfolds as they navigate this impossible situation, often leading to a tragic outcome that highlights the failings of the system itself.
Why These Movies?
These films are grouped together because they share a core conflict: the struggle of an individual against an indifferent or dysfunctional system during a humanitarian crisis. They evoke a specific kind of frustration and moral weight, focusing on the tragedy of preventable disasters exacerbated by political complexities.
Stories about crushed idealism like Shake Hands with the Devil
Character arcs where noble ideals are shattered by harsh, violent realities.For viewers moved by the journey of idealism succumbing to grim reality in Shake Hands with the Devil, this section gathers films with similar arcs of moral disillusionment. These movies follow characters who begin with strong principles but are fundamentally changed by experiencing violence, moral ambiguity, and the failure of just causes.
A Hidden Life
2019
Devils on the Doorstep
2002
War Machine
2017
Generation War
2014
A Private War
2018
Sand Castle
2017
Uprising
2001
Tristan and Isolde
2006
Death and Glory in Changde
2010
Warsaw 44
2014
Blood Oath
1990
Forest of the Hanged
1965
The Sand Pebbles
1966
The Promised Land
1975
Khartoum
1966
Narrative Summary
The narrative pattern centers on a protagonist's psychological and emotional descent. They start with a firm belief in a cause or a set of principles. As the story progresses, they witness betrayal, extreme violence, and the futility of their efforts, forcing a painful evolution. The arc is less about physical survival and more about the death of their former worldview, often ending in sadness or resignation.
Why These Movies?
These movies are united by a specific character arc: the destruction of idealism. They share a heavy emotional weight, a dark tone, and a focus on the internal collapse of a character's spirit rather than an external victory. The pacing is often steady, allowing the weight of each disillusioning event to build convincingly.
Unlock the Full Story of Shake Hands with the Devil
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Shake Hands with the Devil Summary
Read a complete plot summary of Shake Hands with the Devil, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Shake Hands with the Devil Timeline
Track the full timeline of Shake Hands with the Devil with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
