The Last King of Scotland

Rating

Director

Kevin Macdonald

Screenplay

Jeremy Brock, Peter Morgan (Novel by Giles Foden)

Length

123 min.

Starring

Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Simon McBurney

MPAA Rating

R (For some strong violence and gruesome images, sexual content and language)

Review

The ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin dubs himself The Last King of Scotland in this intriguing political drama.

Though the Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) character is a key element of the film’s story, the true lead of the film is young, idealistic doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) who decides to serve the people of Uganda in a backwater clinic. When summoned to fix an injured Amin at the side of a car accident, his bravado is recognized and rewarded. He is asked become Idi’s personal physician.

At first, Nicholas is persuaded by the man’s charms but as things unfold and his anger and violent tendencies emerge, Nicholas begins to fear for his own life and searches for an escape that may never come.

McAvoy turns in a wonderful and nuanced performance. He blends the emotional zeal and conviction of a recent medical graduate with a veneer of innocence and invulnerability. Each of these strong qualities, though persisting in large part throughout the performance are eventually eradicated and a terrified young adult emerges.

Giving a career-high performance, Forest Whitaker conveys the charismatic appeal of a popularly-elected official and the oppressive, paranoia of a merciless dictator. He helps the audience understand how a man with so much power can delude himself into believing that his well being benefits the populace.

Screenwriters Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock adapt Giles Foden’s fictionalized novel to the screen. Though the story is an imagined one, it is nonetheless relevant to past, present and likely future political climates. The type of man Idi Amin was has been seen in many world leaders over the centuries and through this film, the screenwriters are not only providing a compelling view of a bloody segment of history but also provide a commentary on present day imperialistic viewpoints.

Many leaders, whether elected, appointed or usurped, have a tendency to believe that their word and not the will of the people will be served. They never fully understand that they serve rather than lead. An effective leader will always provide for those below him while strongly leading his country to forefront of the world community. Some leaders believe that regardless of the outcome of their actions, what they decide is more relevant than anything anyone else can prove. The Last King of Scotland is the perfect metaphor for political rebellion. Though fear motivates many of us into inaction, there are times and situations where it’s imperative to take things into our own hands.

The Last King of Scotland hints at many things the audience already knows about the cruel Idi Amin but the discovery of these events is slow, matching perfectly Nicholas’ growing understanding of his environment and his own mortality. Director Kevin Macdonald incrementally metes out the film’s brutal images so that when Nicholas becomes part of the most potent mayhem, we become fully immersed in their severity.

The film won’t appeal to many audiences who are looking for a more heavy handed action film as The Last King of Scotland is less so than similar films like Babel or Blood Diamond. It is a simple film whose motives are apparent but not forced. It feels as if we are a part of Idi Amin’s regime watching the events unfold and not being dragged through them.

Review Written

February 4, 2007