| The Last King of Scotland (2006) |
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| Written by Daniel Cann | |
| Thursday, 09 October 2008 | |
 Newly graduated Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) is desperate for adventure and travel, he decides to randomly select a country from his bedroom globe and his finger lands on Uganda. This being the early 1970s he finds himself in a country ruled by charismatic and mesmerising new President Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). Fate unites these two men from very different backgrounds and to his amazement the impressionable young Garrigan finds himself appointed by Amin as his personal physician.
Initially Garrigan is seduced by the jovial appearing Amin and all the trappings of life at court. The decadent lifestyle and influence Garrigan seems to have quickly appeal to him and it seems that life cannot get any better, feeling that he has really landed on his feet he allows himself to be swept up into a bizarre world of parties and privilege. Amin is obsessed with Scotland and styles himself as the ‘Last King of Scotland’ much to everyone’s amusement. It is not long before the cracks start to appear however, and Garrigan discovers his eccentric benefactor is not the man he thought he was, neither is his regime. Amin who in public exudes power and benevolence is in fact erratic, paranoid and prone to terrifying outbursts and mood swings. Garrigan also learns that opponents or supposed opponents to Amin’s regime ‘disappear.’ It is not long before the party lifestyle he was enjoying begins to turn sour.
What makes this film so interesting is that with the (fictional) character of Garrigan we the viewer, get an insider look into the life of one of Africa’s most infamous and notorious despots. To the worlds press Amin could appear charming and almost clownish, but this benign exterior covered up a terrifying and volatile man who thought nothing of ordering the deaths of 300,000 of his own people. Garrigan is excellently portrayed as a wide-eyed naïve and impressionable upstart who is also reckless in his womanising and hedonistic attitude to life, a character flaw that would later prove costly. McAvoy is totally convincing as his character goes through a range of emotions as he first enjoys being feted by Amin and then is shocked and outraged by the reality of the brutal regime that he has become part of. The fear and paranoia of 1970s Uganda is palpable in many uncomfortable scenes. A look or word out of place could all too easily lead to a ‘disappearance.’ The supporting cast all play their part in helping to vividly bring this sense of fear and underlying menace to life. The main plaudits must go to the central performance of Whitaker. As Amin he is utterly convincing and electrifying. He manages to convey Amin’s charm and revels in the playful antics of a powerful man enjoying the trappings of a President. He is most effective though as the other side of Amin: an unbalanced and unpredictable sociopath who puts no value on life whatsoever. His scenes where Amin goes over the edge make this a truly exceptional film, it needed a strong central performance to do the story of Amin justice and with Whitaker it has it. The suspense and tension is sustained throughout the films duration and you will be gripping the arms of your seat as you see Garrigan’s struggle to come to terms with the reality of the regime and his attempts to escape it. Top drawer Oscar worthy acting and entertainment. VIEW MOVIE TRAILER BELOW
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