The Last King of Scotland

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The Last King of Scotland (2006)

Genre: Drama/History

Director: Kevin MacDonald

Certificate: The Last King of Scotland was rated 15A by the Irish Film Censor's Office (www.ifco.ie) i.e. suitable for those of 15 years of age or upwards. Persons under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Violence = strong. Drugs = mild. Sex/Nudity = moderate. Language = strong.

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The Last King of Scotland

Review

Before going to see this I watched an interview with Forest Whittaker who spoke about this film with such passion and real belief in what he had set out to achieve with this role, that I sat down to watch it with a certain amount of trepidation in the hope I wasn't going to be disappointed. I soon realised nothing could be further from the truth as I was treated to a masterful, mesmerising, and totally believable performance from Whittaker as 70's Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Based on the true story of a young idealistic, naive and somewhat arrogant Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James Mc Avoy) who though newly qualified decides to try and make his mark on the world by going to work in a small Ugandan medical clinic. Surrounded by poverty, lack of any real facilities and flies in abundance, he is forced to take a reality check, before fate steps in and he encounters Amin, (injured in a minor road accident near the clinic), and who is so impressed with Garrigan's bedside manner and the fact that he is Scottish, makes him his personal physician.

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Garrigan's initial reluctance is soon swept aside by the charismatic, and gregarious Amin who has a passion for all things Scottish, and we see a honeymoon period where the young doctor lives a life of privilege and luxury, blissfully unaware of the atrocities that Amin is subjecting his own people to, and even becomes one of the dictator's closest confidantes… of course things eventually start to go pear shaped when the realisation dawns on Garrigan that all is not what it should be, and we eventually see his attempts to leave the country thwarted by Amin who has such a stranglehold on the country by this time Garrigan's movements are being monitored daily.

There are a couple of sub plots one involving one of Amin's wives, another surrounding the infamous Entebbe Airport episode, and I have no doubt that there is a certain amount of dramatic licence involved here… However, I was prepared to overlook that totally, as the film itself has such a lot to say, and is so well crafted you can't take your eyes off the screen. McAvoy gives a great performance as the dictator's doctor… But Whittaker is spectacular and dominates the film from start to finish, it all looks so effortless for him, exuding charm whilst maintaining that absolute menace beneath the surface, which much like a prowling tiger is ready to pounce at any minute! It's fascinating to watch, brutal on times, but isn't that what all dictators do... they brutalise people, and countries, and the world has looked on for centuries, when every so often someone just like Amin will surface. Whittaker's performance is worth the price of admission alone, a film that certainly makes a social, and political statement, yet still manages to skilfully keep the personalities of these two men, and the relationship that develops between them separate. Quite incredible.

Reviewed by Mary Kate, Premier Movie Reviews 2007.

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RELATED MOVIE REVIEWS: FORREST WHITTAKER: The Panic Room, Phone Booth. JAMES MCAVOY: The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Wimbledon. KERRY WASHINGTON: Mr and Mrs Smith. SIMON MCBURNEY: The Manchurian Candidate.

Main Cast

Forrest Whittaker

James McAvoy

Kerry Washington

Gillian Anderson

Simon McBurney

RATING