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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
While taking my International Business class, we got on the subject of dictators and how they change their country’s whole political structure. Many evil dictators have crossed the pages of history. The Last King of Scotland is a film about the rise and crazy reign of Idi Amin. Known to the world as the “Butcher of Uganda,” he was a Ugandan military officer who served as the President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. His reign is considered to be one of the most brutal and deadly in world history. The dude was just straight up EVIL!! His reign has been characterized by rampant human rights abuses, including political repression, ethnic persecution, and extrajudicial killings, as well as nepotism, corruption, and gross economic mismanagement. During his reign, it is believed that anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000 people were killed.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald, The Last King of Scotland is based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin’s (Whitaker) regime as seen through the eyes of the fictional character Nicholas Garrigan (McAvoy). The movie starts off in the 1970s when Nicholas Garrigan finally graduates and becomes a doctor. The new doctor spins a globe and decides to go to Uganda to assist in a rural hospital. On his arrival, a military coup has been completed with Idi Amin proclaiming himself as the new President and promises that Uganda will see riches and growth like never before. After attending a rally for Amin, the President is hurt when a cow hits them, and his hand is injured. Garrigan and Amin hit it off immediately, with Amin being a huge Scotland fan. Amin soon offers Garrigan a senior position in the national health department and becomes one of Amin’s closest advisers and personal doctor. Garrigan is on the top of his own world, but as the years pass, the horrors of Amin’s reign start to show its ugly head. Amin’s behavior becomes extremely erratic as he constantly fears assassination that drives his bloody reign. Finally realizing that his boss is beyond insane, Garrigan must make some crucial decisions that could have him dead among the people that Amin is killing.
First and foremost, let’s talk about the performance of Forest Whitaker. Not only did he embody the ruthless leader, but his performance was also top-notch. From the very first minute he graced the screen, Whitaker made Idi seem larger than life as he stood on his truck as the bus drove by. Whitaker made this film go as he manipulated Nicholas into believing he was doing good and bringing him with open arms until he realized the leader’s true horrors. Whitaker had that charming smile and welcoming presence about him. Whitaker slowly showed and changed to show how evil this man. We must applaud Whitaker for his performance and his win for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. He deserved that award.
Now for the story. Like I said earlier, I am taking International Business, and one of the things we just learned was about political systems and how most countries either bring on the change or shy away if they believe the investment would be good or not. Typically, they stay away from dictators as they see no growth in the country. Now for the actual story, the primary focus comes from what Nicholas sees throughout Idi’s reign. Now the story is completely fictionalized, and from Nicholas’s point of view, Idi is a great leader. Everything seems to be okay, and he is genuinely naïve. When you have to go to an important meeting, and you are only a doctor, then you know the country is in trouble.
Nicholas slowly starts seeing Idi’s evils and how the country is in panic first with the whole prison breakout scene. From this, Nicholas as soon starts witnessing the increasing paranoia, murders, and xenophobia. When Nicholas wants to bounce, Idi replaces his British passport with a Ugandan one to prevent him from escaping, which leads him to frantically seek help from Stone, the local British Foreign Office representative. Nicholas is told the British will help him leave Uganda if he uses his position to assassinate Amin, but he refuses.
The whole scene with the car ambush is crazy. Idi gives Nicholas a car to drive, to even manipulate him more. As they drive around, they are attacked by rebels that shoot up everything and kill almost everyone. The one scene that shows a tiny bit of Idi’s madness is when one of his wives becomes pregnant with Nicholas’s baby. Rather than killing Nicholas, he straight up kills his wife, dismembers her corpse, and leaves it on an autopsy table. Inhumanity to the extreme.
Director Kevin Macdonald needs to be applauded for the direction but also the pacing of the film. In the beginning, the film seems cheery, and people cheer in the streets, and it seems that Idi will be a great leader. Yet, Macdonald slowly brings into life the madness of the mad. Behind the veil of happiness is death. Macdonald slowly pulls you in with each scene as Idi’s madness and paranoia increase. In the end, you just want to leave and never return to the country.
James McAvoy was strong as Nicholas Garrigan. McAvoy wasn’t too much or even too little but had the right tone. He was a person that wanted to help people and just picked Uganda as the luck of the draw. First, he was naïve, and then as time went on, his eyes were open and then almost shut completely.
The Last King of Scotland is an entertaining movie. Many rulers have graced the world’s surface, and Idi deserves a special place in the underworld. Another film that shows the horror of a man that made their country miserable in the end. Forest Whitaker does a marvelous job as the evil ruler, while McAvoy holds his own as the doctor who just wants to help. Sometimes a new person isn’t the greatest decision.
