Just as Idi Amin
was a monster with a whirlwind of personality, this film about
his tyrannical rule has the same alluring effect. It begins
peacefully, and with a light air about it, and quickly turns
on you once you're in to far to turn back. Director Kevin
Macdonald has created a monster of his own, and that is The
Last King of Scotland.
Through the eyes
of idealistic Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a newly graduated
doctor who tries to make a difference in a Ugandan mission,
we see a first-hand account of the evils perpetrated by the
militaristic dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker.) After a
Nicholas aids the president following a n automobile accident,
the President takes him in as his personal physician and "most
trusted advisor." It doesn't take long for Nicholas to
realize what he's gotten himself into, and then it might be
too late to get home safely.
The power behind
the film is deeply rooted in Whitaker's stirring performance.
The range he exhibits is beyond comparison, desplaying both
the charisma and intense rage and insanity of the General.
Even at the start, when he is jovial and happy, there is a
menacing edge present in his eyes that hints at the horrors
to come. As amazing a performance as Whitaker delivers, it's
not much higher in effectiveness than that of McAvoy, who
brings the viewer into his overwhelming world of fear quite
empathetically.
One would expect,
knowing even the slightest bit about Amin as a historical
figure, that a film about him would be deeply disturbing,
and The Last King of Scotland does an excellent job
of conveying this, but does so in a brilliant way. The film
builds the terror and violence upon itself, never showing
more than the film can handle at any given point. By the end,
though, it has grown into a critical mass, and the inescapable
sense of impending bloodshed and pain is as frightening as
beign stuck in Amin's dark shadow.
This is the latest
in a growing trend of well-made films about important political
issues in Africa's history. For too long it has remained "The
Dark Continent" within the cinema world, existing as
a mysterious place for adventurers to quest, or for savages
to roam in the wild. Finally we have a canon developing of
films such as this, Hotel Rwanda, The Constant
Gardener and this year's Blood Diamond. I sincerely
hope the trend continues, and more focus is put on this rich
continent, its tumultuous history, and its people.
The Last King
of Scotland is a film with few rivals. It centers around
one of the most volatile personalities of the 20th Century,
and never exploits its subject. Direction, writing, and above
all performances are gripping, touching, and frightening all
at the same time. Don't be fooled by the joy of the authentic
ethnic culture, song, and dance, because once you're in Uganda,
you're at the mercy of Idi Amin, and this amazing work of
cinema.
