Director Terry George brings to this story a special gift, honed in his Hotel Rwanda (2004), for choreographing the chaos of civil collapse, and the three stars serve him well.

The first major representation of the Armenian genocide boasts solid acting but falls short of the mark by a hokey, old-fashioned romance.

Terry George ... proved with Hotel Rwanda that he can tackle the wrenching subject of genocide with thrilling cinematic results. A wonderful cast adds no-fail polish.

Movies like Lawrence of Arabia and Reds had the ability to sweep viewers away with their passion and grandeur. The only sweeping to be found in this case will be by the theater employee tasked with removing spilled popcorn from the auditorium floor.