After gaining enough valuable experience by translating real-life brutality on screen in “One Day In September” (the Oscar-winning documentary about the terrorist attack on the Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics), Director Kevin MacDonald brings yet another thriller that portrays the morality of international politics- “The Last King of Scotland”. The film is an adaptation of the novel by Giles Foden. The movie is a fictionalized version of the ruthless dictator Idi Amin’s reign of terror.
Way back in 1971, a young semi-idealistic Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) comes to Uganda to assist in a rural hospital. This happens at a time when Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) has taken over the power of the country & promises a golden age for the African nation. During an accident, Nicholas gives medical assistance to Amin. He also saves his son’s life from Epilepsy. Impressed by Nicholas, Amin makes him his most trusted aide and his closest advisor. But when Nicholas finds out that Amin has ordered massacres to thousands of Ugandians & evacuated thousands of Asians, he decides to leave but Amin refuses to let him go & makes him an Ugandian citizen.
Forest Whitaker, as the mad General, is full of charm and scandalous humour, making Amin’s evolving brutality scary as hell. His performance as Ugandian dictator Idi Amin is powerful, mighty & authoritative. He pulls off a spectacular thespian coup that has Oscar-winner stamped all over it. James McAvoy (as Dr. Garrigan) is impressive and is actually the heart of the story. He’s likeable but morally flawed. Kerry Washington (as one of Idi Amin’s neglected ex-wives) is superb as well.
The script, by Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock, asks us to see ourselves in Nicholas who is seduced by Amin’s charisma. Director MacDonald has done a commendable job but in the second half, he gets sloppy, as though in a rush to finish the movie. Some of the torture scenes are quite explicit as well. But it’s hard to deny the power of his film.
Truly a wild take on the lure of power & politics !!!!
Rating: 4/10
Manas Mishra – MovieWalah.Com
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