The Last King of Scotland (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'The Last King of Scotland' is a fictional drama based on real events that were dictated by a real man, Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). The film is based on a novel by Giles Foden, & directed by Kevin Macdonald. Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a Scottish doctor, makes his way to Uganda to help in a free clinic. Events occur which leads him to become Idi's personal physician, friend, & advisor. Initially, he enjoys his flashy life, but the floundering moods and deadly actions of Amin makes Nicholas crave for an escape to his homeland. Whitaker's performance is worthy of an Oscar. McAvoy is fantastic. And although we're not shown many visual examples of Amin's savagery, I still found the story to be immensely intriguing.
After achieving his PhD, Nicholas spins a globe, it lands on Uganda, and naively, he goes there with hope of saving lives & living free from his suffocating father. In Uganda, he hears of this new charismatic president, Idi Amin. This new 'dictator' talked the talk. And his nation's people hoped he would walk the walk. Amin is injured in a minor car accident & is impressed when Nicholas shows up to confidently handle a sticky roadside situation; a job is offered. Nicholas can't believe the prestige of his new position (including benefits, a house, car, & women) and turns a blind eye to some shady dealings & suspicious disappearances of high ranking advisors. When will enough be enough for Nicholas? When will he realize his 'boss' is a crazy? Will anyone suffer the consequences of attempted assassinations? Will it be too late for Nicholas to get out? Can he get out?
Nicholas' involvement in Amin's regime, his involvement with one of Amin's wives (yes, one of), & his hurried attempts to right some wrongs become very complex as the plot unfolds. Amazingly, in the middle of all this death, destruction, & turmoil is a very intimate look at Idi Amin ... the nice guy. You heard me, through the simple eyes of Nicholas, Idi Amin is often sweet, loveable, funny, & boisterous. The problem is, 2 minutes later, Amin would become paranoid and reflective if something 'clicks' inside his head. You never know what you're gonna get with an erratic psyche.
Forest Whitaker is the heart & soul of this movie, much like Helen Mirren is in The Queen. His physical presence (dressed in full-on military gear) is nerve-wracking to behold. When he speaks to a crowd of cheering onlookers, his voice booms, exuberance spills out, & he seems like someone you'd die to meet, but wouldn't dare disappoint. On a flip side, Whitaker is able to show a quiet, sullen side to Amin when situations go haywire near the end. But then you see the pot boil over & Amin explodes in fits of rage when he feels he's been betrayed. Whitaker allows Amin to be quite the enigmatic character. And in a completely different way, James McAvoy is just as impressive as a young, hopeful, but ultimately vulnerable, disillusioned slob.
There is a lot to appreciate here. The editing & writing is engaging. The climax in Entebbe airport is full of suspense. Really, the 2 hours go by at a quick pace. I acknowledge that we don't see a lot of Amin's mass genocide. But before viewing this film, we already know Idi Amin's name & we know how he terrorized his nation. Instead of making this a depressing, disgusting, beat-you-over-the-head bloodbath, Macdonald stays loyal to a book which apparently highlights Amin's mind & not his actions. Trust me, you get an idea of what Amin does to his nation, and there's plenty of cringe-worthy violence spread throughout. 'The Last King of Scotland' is a curious type of thriller where the eyes & ears of the protagonist shed several lights on the mind of a madman.
After achieving his PhD, Nicholas spins a globe, it lands on Uganda, and naively, he goes there with hope of saving lives & living free from his suffocating father. In Uganda, he hears of this new charismatic president, Idi Amin. This new 'dictator' talked the talk. And his nation's people hoped he would walk the walk. Amin is injured in a minor car accident & is impressed when Nicholas shows up to confidently handle a sticky roadside situation; a job is offered. Nicholas can't believe the prestige of his new position (including benefits, a house, car, & women) and turns a blind eye to some shady dealings & suspicious disappearances of high ranking advisors. When will enough be enough for Nicholas? When will he realize his 'boss' is a crazy? Will anyone suffer the consequences of attempted assassinations? Will it be too late for Nicholas to get out? Can he get out?
Nicholas' involvement in Amin's regime, his involvement with one of Amin's wives (yes, one of), & his hurried attempts to right some wrongs become very complex as the plot unfolds. Amazingly, in the middle of all this death, destruction, & turmoil is a very intimate look at Idi Amin ... the nice guy. You heard me, through the simple eyes of Nicholas, Idi Amin is often sweet, loveable, funny, & boisterous. The problem is, 2 minutes later, Amin would become paranoid and reflective if something 'clicks' inside his head. You never know what you're gonna get with an erratic psyche.
Forest Whitaker is the heart & soul of this movie, much like Helen Mirren is in The Queen. His physical presence (dressed in full-on military gear) is nerve-wracking to behold. When he speaks to a crowd of cheering onlookers, his voice booms, exuberance spills out, & he seems like someone you'd die to meet, but wouldn't dare disappoint. On a flip side, Whitaker is able to show a quiet, sullen side to Amin when situations go haywire near the end. But then you see the pot boil over & Amin explodes in fits of rage when he feels he's been betrayed. Whitaker allows Amin to be quite the enigmatic character. And in a completely different way, James McAvoy is just as impressive as a young, hopeful, but ultimately vulnerable, disillusioned slob.
There is a lot to appreciate here. The editing & writing is engaging. The climax in Entebbe airport is full of suspense. Really, the 2 hours go by at a quick pace. I acknowledge that we don't see a lot of Amin's mass genocide. But before viewing this film, we already know Idi Amin's name & we know how he terrorized his nation. Instead of making this a depressing, disgusting, beat-you-over-the-head bloodbath, Macdonald stays loyal to a book which apparently highlights Amin's mind & not his actions. Trust me, you get an idea of what Amin does to his nation, and there's plenty of cringe-worthy violence spread throughout. 'The Last King of Scotland' is a curious type of thriller where the eyes & ears of the protagonist shed several lights on the mind of a madman.