The Last King of Scotland
Charming. Magnetic. Murderous.
An account of the horrors of life in Uganda in the 1970s under the rule of former dictator Idi Amin, as seen through the eyes of his personal physician. Based on the book by Giles Foden.
Member Reviews
Stunning... - crazyboutmovies
Forest Whitaker gives an intense, frightening, and utterly believable portrayal of dictator Idi Amin. James McAvoy is equally convincing as the initially innocent young doctor.
This is a tale of the seduction of power. A young man looking for excitement and adventure falls prey to the charm of a ruthless and cold blooded executioner.
Wonderfully paced story telling and beautifully filmed, this film leaves you stunned and breathless at the end.Idi Amin Brought To Life By Forest Whitaker - A Real Show-Stopper - bwod
If nothing else, every film afficianado should see "The Last King Of Scotland" for the incredibly accurate portrayal of dictator Idi Amin, as realized by Forest Whitaker. He won the Oscar for best actor in this movie, and he really deserved it.
The story is quite engaging, and disturbing, as the young, naive Scottish doctor becomes embroiled in Amin's life as his personal physician and adviser. After a light beginning, things get very heavy towards the end. I suggest you be very immune to scenes of violence and nudity. It's graphic, to say the least.
Because of the amazing job Whitaker did, portraying Ugandan Idi Amin, I strongly recommend the film. It's at times both thrilling and horrifying, so I give it two thumbs up.TIA - TWA - ZetaC
In "Blood Diamond", "Hotel Rwanda" and this film we hear the phrase "This is Africa" proffered as the explanation for the insane contradictions that plague that continent. Truthfully, "The Last King" is about it being "This WAS Africa" - in the 1970's particularly, yet this movie resonates today with the shadow of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe just off-screen in our minds. The genius of this film's storytelling is, as others have noted, in the interweaving of the doctor's story with Idi Amin Dada's insanity. Even today most folks are persuaded that they can "experience" Africa without becoming encumbered by it. "The Last King" leaves us no such safe refuge for us to hide in. Artistically, Whittaker is beyond brilliant, chewing up the scenery with a skill I have never seen before, and may not see again. It wasn't supposed to be his film, but it is and that is as it should be. The cinematography, sound, editing and effects are expertly handled, but it is the story that counts. For the 40+ years of my life Africa has been an open question in the mind of rest of the world and especially the West. The shrugging answer "This is Africa." has never been satisfactory, and never will be. With films like this and the others I've mentioned we can hope that one day the answer will be "This was Africa - but no more." The moral questions asked by "The Last King" require a better answer from us now. What can be a higher achievement for any movie than to frame such important questions so well?
Member Reviews
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Stunning... - crazyboutmovies
Forest Whitaker gives an intense, frightening, and utterly believable portrayal of dictator Idi Amin. James McAvoy is equally convincing as the initially innocent young doctor.
This is a tale of the seduction of power. A young man looking for excitement ...Idi Amin Brought To Life By Forest Whitaker - A Real Show-Stopper - bwod
If nothing else, every film afficianado should see "The Last King Of Scotland" for the incredibly accurate portrayal of dictator Idi Amin, as realized by Forest Whitaker. He won the Oscar for best actor in this movie, and he really deserved it.
The story ...TIA - TWA - ZetaC
In "Blood Diamond", "Hotel Rwanda" and this film we hear the phrase "This is Africa" proffered as the explanation for the insane contradictions that plague that continent. Truthfully, "The Last King" is about it being "This WAS Africa" - in the 1970's particularly, ...