The Last King of Scotland Review
by Patiche (larts AT juno DOT com)March 11th, 2007
Written by : Jeremy Brock, Giles Foden (Novel)
Directed by : Kevin McDonald
Genre : Drama/History/Thriller
Rated R
Running Time : 121 mins
Theatrical Release : September 27 2006
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Cast : Forrest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Karry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Simion McBurney, David Oyellowo
I eagerly waited to see this outstanding movie and adaptation of Giles Foden's novel The Last King of Scotland because it
is a wonderful biography of the famed tyrannical dictator Idi Amin. Forrest Whitaker provides a superb performance as the tyrannical President and dictator of the African country Uganda. While I thought the movie overall was excellent, I had problems with its cinematography it was too dark. The characters in the movie looked very haunting and meaningless. The cinematography certainly wasn't the best, and it took away the film's quality. Nevertheless, documentary film director Kevin McDonald skillfully projects a horrible portrait of an evil ruler rings loud in "The Last King of Scotland."
In this politically charged movie, the year is 1970 Uganda, an independent colony of Britain has become prey to a coup and the country's President Milton Obote has been over thrown by the army's chief of staff, General Idi Amin. Idi Amin has declared himself President of the African country Uganda. Meanwhile, A Scottish physician, Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) who also lives in the country, is appointed as the private doctor and personal Advisor of Idi Amin. Garrigan, a bored family physician that worked with his father escapes to Uganda for hubbub and the charitable ambitions of making Uganda a better place begins his work at a remote medical clinic.
Things change for this Scottish doctor when he meets Idi Amin and their ties to each other become bonded when Amin discovers that the doctor is Scottish and not British due to Uganda's and Scotland's historical ties of freedom from Britain. When Nicolas Garrigan is hired as Idi Amin's personal physician he becomes carried away with the lavished wealth, prestige, and honor of becoming Amin's personal physician and Advisor. He makes a dreadful choice and leaves the clinic. Later things began to get bad for this young Scottish doctor when his Casanova and over sexed behavior gets him in trouble with Amin, he has an affair with Main's third wife Kay (Kerry Washington) and takes offensive liberties with Ugandan women.
Nicholas discovers the beguiling and insane paranoid mind of Idi Amin and the gruesome atrocities of slaughter, and murder Idi Amin has committed against the Ugandan people. The doctor is trapped in his commitment to Amin, he cannot leave the country, and must remain Amin's doctor, his passport is taken away and his beaten up when he attempts to escape the cliches of the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. What happens next? Will this doctor get out of Uganda? You'll find out when you see this movie.
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned earlier "The Last King of Scotland" is an outstanding movie. Each character played a riveting and powerful role. Academy awarding wining actor Forrest Whitaker carries this movie to its heights of success in his bold, and gripping portrayal as Uganda's most remembered, and noted dictator in Africa's history. The cast provided good performances whether strong, weak, or contradictory as we see in James McAvoy's role as a charitable doctor who delighted himself in the wealth of Idi Amin's wicked and twisted world of power until his interests became threatened.
"The Last King of Scotland" wonderfully presents a vivid and horrid portrait of Uganda's President Idi Amin. However, I thought this cinematic painted portrait of Idi Amin appeared to be fictitious at times because of its visually projected moments of a cartoonish image rather the serious character the world knew of Idi Amin. Overall The Last King of Scotland gets 4 stars it's a must see motion picture.
Reviewed by Lisa Smith
(c)2007
This review is also posted at mouthshut.com
http://www.mouthshut.com/review/The_Last_King_of_Scotland-120375-1.html Check out my reviews at mouthshut.com
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