The Last King Of Scotland

Star Review

The Last King of Scotland is an intoxicating carnival of sound and colour, realised through the superb cinematography of Anthony Dod Mantle, who fills the frame with a rich palette of hues, capturing, in the grainy sunlight, something of the spirit of the 1970s.

Based on Giles Foden’s novel, it presents the rise and fall of Amin's brutal regime as an intimate morality play in which director Kevin Macdonald (Touching the Void) puts the focus on the superb performances of his two leads.
The growing instability of Idi Amin the man, and Uganda the country, is gradually revealed through the eyes of Dr Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a newly qualified young Scottish doctor who wants to escape the dour prospect of his father's practice, letting a spin of a globe decide his fate and his suntan.

McAvoy, as ever, gives a confident, likeable performance, letting the audience enjoy the self-indulgence of a young man who has been given an unlimited bar tab by a madman.
Garrigan ends up in a small Ugandan settlement run by a nice-but-dull doctor and his bored wife Sarah. Having exchanged a dour father figure for a dull one, Garrigan is instantly impressed when he comes across Idi Amin at a rally, finding inspiration in his energy and defiance of the English. Sarah refuses Garrigan's advances, but Amin seduces him utterly, embracing the young man as his personal physician, confidant, and as a mascot for his beloved Scotland. Given tailored suits, a chauffeur-driven Mercedes and the run of Kampala's night life, Garrigan dances to the afro-beat, oblivious, while Amin's bloody rule grinds on in the background.

There's something Shakespearean about this tragic tale of a mad, corrupt king, and Forest Whitaker brings the intimacy and immediacy of the stage to the screen. His performance as Amin is remarkable, rather than attempting a mere impression, he captures the very essence of the man; the Academy clearly had no choice but to name him Best Actor.Milo Wakelin

Milo Wakelin on 13th April 2007

View all 43 of Milo Wakelin’s reviews

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Film Description

A naive young doctor (McAvoy) arrives in 1970s Uganda looking for excitement - and maybe to do some good along the way. Through a chance encounter he befriends the country's charismatic new leader, Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker, who won an Oscar for his towering performance), and is appointed as his personal physician and sometimes confidant. Little by little, he comes to realise the horrors of the regime he has unwittingly joined.

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DVD Extras

• Making of Documentary
• Audio commentary
• Deleted scenes
• Featurette.

Film Details

Cast

Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson, James McAvoy

Technical Details