The Last King of Scotland (2006)

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  July 14, 2011

  fb701560354

  Ugandan dictator Idi Amin was portrayed as a funny, charismatic and tender guy, but he never let us forget that he was a maniacal monster. This is a brutal political thriller about power and corruption. The film shows the lengths at one will go for power and money and the persu... read moreasion of the population to believe in something that does not exist. The Last King of Scotland is brilliantly acted by Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy and is almost worth seeing for the performances alone.

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  June 12, 2011

  garyX

  Based on the experiences of a young Scottish doctor who becomes the unlikely confidante of brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, this film is quite even-handed in it's representation of the two main characters. Whitaker was fully deserving of his Oscar and McAvoy looking for the worl... read mored like a young Ewan McGregor, it's easy to see how a young hedonist who sees Africa as an adventure playground of life experience would fall for the personal charm and charisma of Amin, while completely insulated from the atrocities he was committing in the outside world. I would have liked to have seen more of the context in which the story was situated, as the audience sees only glimpses of Amin's crimes as Garrigan does so the film does not have the weight it could have. As such it's a very well made and entertaining personal story, but it lacks the real punch of something like The Killing Fields.

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  February 16, 2011

  stevenecarrier

  "The Last King of Scotland" is obviously known for winning Forest Whitaker a Best Actor Oscar for his earth shaking performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, but other than that, I feel like it's a rather overlooked film. The movie really is a terrific experience; creating a dizz... read moreying, hypnotic and mesmerizing atmosphere. The performances from the supporting cast are great as well. James McAvoy and Gillian Anderson in a small role are excellent. The combination of the meticulous 1970s Ugandan period design and the soft lenses Anthony Dod Mantel uses to shoot his scenes all add to the sense of time and place and urgency.

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  June 4, 2010

  ythelastman89

  Even though it was an oscar winning movie, it still doesn't get enough praise for the right reasons. Forest Whitaker is very breathtaking in his role as Idi Amin, but I feel that James McAvoy turned in the better performance and really became overshadowed for no reason. The look ... read moreof the movie is beautiful and a surreal look at Uganda. The story is well written and a unique way to tell the story of a presidential reign.

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  April 5, 2010

  ironclad1609

  People should not think this is a Idi Amin biography, he is a main character, but the story is told from the point of view of his doctor, a Scottish hotshot who loves women a little too much for his own good. And therein lies the problem of the film, Dr. Garrigan is not as likabl... read moree as he should be. It takes a while for him to realize what country and mess he has gotten himself into and up until that point, the movie is a tad too friendly and harmless. The second half more than makes up for it, as the noose tightens around the protagonist's neck things are getting really exciting. That's when Whitaker starts to shine the most as well, giving a terrific performance as Ugandan dictator.

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  December 9, 2009

  mumby1988

  In my review of Che: Part One (2008), I postulated that it is impossible to make definitive biopics of key historical figures like Hitler and Stalin, because of the sheer volume of historical and intellectual baggage that they bring with them. The Last King of Scotland seems to f... read moreollow the rule that the best such biopics focus on a small part of the figure?s life and from that form a microcosm which alludes to the bigger picture. Downfall pulled it off by being the most meticulous reconstruction of Hitler?s last days that we have. The Last King of Scotland achieves the same feat by using a fictional story as the prism through which great evil is reflected.
  
  A quick glance at the crew list assures us that we are in safe hands. It is helmed by Kevin MacDonald, who has proved himself a master of suspense in both Touching the Void and State of Play. The screenplay is co-written by Peter Morgan of Frost/Nixon fame, a man whose work handles complex political subjects with brio and knows how
  to rack up the tension to breaking point. And it?s shot by Anthony Dod Mantle, an expert in digital photography who would go on to shoot Slumdog Millionaire.
  
  Against all this technical promise, however, we have the opening forty minutes, which are uninvolving and look very sub-Trainspotting. They?re not terrible as in obnoxious, offensive or stupid, but they feel bland and inconsequential in regard to the rest of the film. The best thrillers, like the Bourne series, rely on the protagonists being both believable and likeable before the bad stuff starts happening to them.
  
  James McAvoy is fine, make no mistake, but Gillian Anderson?s character is just so planky that you struggle to form an emotional bond with her. Like Laura Dern?s character in Blue Velvet, she is supposed to serve as the sanctuary to which the protagonist seeks to return after he wades in too deep. But there?s very little that she does on screen which makes us care about what she does and what she stands for. When we see her getting out of Uganda on a bus and James McAvoy running after her, we feel the pain and torment of his character but think almost nothing of her.
  
  Thank goodness, then, for Forest Whitaker, who in both character and acting is lord over all he surveys. He gives a truly great performance, almost on a par with that of Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood. What makes it so involving is that the reaction we have to his Idi Amin is exactly that of the McAvoy character: we are initially drawn in by his charisma and deep belly laugh, but as the film rolls on he becomes more paranoid and bloodthirsty, making us fear for our lives. Amin was such a larger-than-life character that it would have been very easy for an actor to slip into pantomime, to play him as a cartoonish, over-the-top witchdoctor. The fact that Whitaker gets it so right, so early on, is proof that the film has the right intentions.
  
  Other reviewers have remarked about the film?s resemblance to Apocalypse Now, both in the nature of its villain and in the shared premise of Heart of Darkness (an outsider going into the darkness of Africa). Whitaker is clearly drawing on Marlon Brando?s Kurtz in his performance, and the initial encounters between Garrigan and Amin could be compared to the scenes between Willard and Kurtz in the temple. To some small extent, this is Apocalypse Now in reverse; instead of strangly warming to evil the closer he gets, Garrigan becomes more desperate to return to ?civilisation?.
  
  The main theme of the film is a surprisingly cynical one, at least for an awards contender. We?ve become used recently to award-winning films like The Interpreter and The Constant Gardener, playing it safe with solidly liberal credentials. So when a thriller comes along which suggests that Western intervention may do more harm than good, it comes as a pleasant surprise.
  
  The film is quite nihilistic insofar as it offer up two opposing theories on post-colonialism and find them both to be inadequate. On the one hand, Western intervention is shown to be futile; Garrigan?s efforts on the ground struggle to compete with local supernatural cures, and the British are clearly implicated in the coup which brings Amin to power. On the other hand, Africa?s ability to produce democracy of its own accord is chastised by the record of Milton Obote, and the speed at which government descends into near-tribal warfare. The first time Amin speaks about a united Uganda, we?re taken in by the rhetoric; the second time, at the party, we?re not so sure.
  
  The filmmakers have clearly done their homework both on the story of Amin and on the culture of Uganda. Numerous scenes start off with characters talking over a great piece of African music, including a great use of Hugh Masakela during the bar scene.
  While the story clearly carries so-called ?universal themes?, it isn?t just an ancient morality tale dressed up in 1970s clothing. The Uganda you see on screen looks and feels like 1970s Uganda, from the cars and architecture, right down to the fashions of the ex-pat tailors.
  
  As far as tension goes, the film rises and falls on the strengths of its editing. In the baggy opening, the quick cuts suggest nothing of any substance is happening, and that MacDonald is trying to hurry the story along to get to Amin. By the end of the film, the quick cutting has become a great device, steadily racking up the tension and making you squirm in the process. In both the military base and the airport, the cutting and Whitaker?s close proximity to the camera can scare you half to death. The technique may be borrowed from The Bourne Supremacy, but at least there?s no clunky homage to it amongst all the blood and gunfire.
  
  The Last King of Scotland is not a perfect film by any means. Some of the characters are not properly explored, and there are aspects to the cinematography which don?t quite work. Dod Mantle captures tension well, and you can see hints in this of what he would accomplish on Slumdog Millionaire. But the film is littered with unnecessary zooms which don?t contribute to the tension and often have the opposite effect.
  
  In the end, though, the film rises above most of its flaws via a strong script and even stronger performances. The film is a vivid and compelling portrait of a bloodthirsty dictator, which follows the golden rule mentioned at the start. It only shows us so much of Amin, but the little we see of him is enough to make us fascinated by him. But its greatest triumph is its willingness to challenge the political credentials of our age, a reminder that ?end of history? neo-liberals should not rest on their laurels just yet.

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  November 10, 2009

  fb619846742

  Harsh, brutal movie that just does a fabulous job capturing the chaos of the rule of the maniacal Idi Amin. Whitaker and McAvoy give career performances. Tough to watch at times, especially near the end, but the fact that this story is based on true events is incredible. A must-see.

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  October 1, 2009

  SirPant

  I can't say I'm James McAvoy's biggest fan but Whitaker's fantastic performance and MacDonald's brilliant direction made this a very enjoyable film. I'm not a big fan of the fiction element of the film though, I would have rather seen a film that was 100% factual.

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  September 5, 2009

  allan913

  Forest Whitaker gives the best performance of his career and also one of the greatest performances in the history of Hollywood cinima. A tour-de-force performance that is truly one of the best i have ever seen. James McAvoy gives a riveting movie star performance, he's a force to... read more be reckoned with. A searingly powerful film that has thrills and intensity. A memerising, gripping, spellbinding and exhilerating drama. Compelling, chilling and absolutely shocking. An unforgettable movie. An explosive and brutal experiance.

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  June 30, 2009

  MrsInsomnia

  The good thing about this movie is that is based on real facts .But the bad thing is that is also violent.It seems like life can write such unpredictable scripts.

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• Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin
• James McAvoy as Nicholas Garrigan
• Kerry Washington as Kay Amin
• Gillian Anderson as Sarah Merrit
• Simon McBurney as Stone
• David Oyelowo as Dr. Junju
• Stephen Rwangyezi as Jonah Wasswa
• Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga as Masanga
• Adam Kotz as Dr. Merrit

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

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  Hotel Rwanda (90%)
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  The Constant Gardener (90%)
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  Blood Diamond (78%)
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  Kill Bill: Volume 1 (40%)

• • Idi Amin: Look at you. Is there one thing you have done that is good? Did you think this was all a game? 'I will go to Africa and I will play the white man with the natives.' Is that what you thought? We are not a game, Nicholas. We are real. This room here, it is real. I think your death will be the first real thing that has happened to you.
• • Idi Amin: I am the father of this nation, Nicholas. And you have most... grossly... offended your father.
• • Idi Amin: [to crowd at rally] I know who you are and what you are. I am you!
• • Idi Amin: I want you to tell me what to do.
  • Nicholas Garrigan: You want ME to tell YOU what to do?
  • Idi Amin: Yes, you are my advisor. You are the only one I can trust in here. You should have told me not to throw the Asians out, in the first place.
  • Nicholas Garrigan: I DID!
  • Idi Amin: But you did not persuade me, Nicholas. You did not persuade me!
• • Dr. Junju: Tell the world the truth about Amin. They will believe you, you're a white man.
• • Idi Amin: They take you to a tree and hang you by your skin. Each time you scream the evil comes out of you. Sometimes, it can take three days for your evil to be spent. Pull him up.

• For what film did Forest Whitaker win the 2007 Best Actor Oscar?   Answer »
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• The Last King Of Scotland: Featurette (Idi Amin)
• The Last King Of Scotland: Featurette
• The Last King Of Scotland Scene: I Have To Go Home Now
• The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Press Conference
• The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Show Them What Kind Of Man You Are
• The Last King Of Scotland Scene: The President's Son Is Sick
• The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Nicholas, I Have To Go
• The Last King Of Scotland Scene: I'm Scottish
• The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Together We Will Make This Country Better

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