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Rating of
3/4
"The Last King Of Scotland" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 01/09/2012
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 world 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 …
Rating of
3/4
You swore an oath.
gideon43 - wrote on 05/27/2010
A fictionalized account detailing the events surrounding Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and a young Scottish doctor who becomes Amins personal physician.
The Last King of Scotland is a powerful and searing drama which has an exemplary performance from Forest Whittaker as the ruthless yet strangely charismatic despot. Brutal and disturbing images intercut with a seductive romanticism of a young man in an alien land suddenly thrust into a glamorous and wealthy lifestyle.
This is a movie which once again explores a dark, corrupt and murderous chapter in African political history
Delivering a superior and thought provoking tale involving the loss of innocence and the all too familiar transformation of saviour to destroyer, The Last King of Scotland is a triumph and another historical warning …
Rating of
4/4
A Well-Paced Political Drama
Franz Patrick - wrote on 02/22/2008
I love films that changes tone at the half-way mark and this is a fine example of that. The first half is more about the innocence of a young doctor, played splendidly by James McAvoy, and the second half is more about the demolition of that young doctor's innocence; the first half is also about the establishment of a leader's charisma, played very convincingly by Forest Whitaker, and the second half is the revelation of the leader's monsterous heart. I love this movie because it never ceases to be interesting; the fact that I'm interested in becoming a doctor and wanting to go to another country to help, which is the movie's palate, it really did get to me. I can't believe I put off watching this because I thought, "Great. Another history lesson from the movies." But I'm slowly learning …
