THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

"I am just like you"

In 1970, newly qualified doctor Nicholas Garrigan (McAvoy) shirked at the thought of joining his father's family practice in Scotland, so he headed Uganda to try and make a difference in a country going through a major political change. As the country entered a military coup and General Idi Amin (Whitaker) announced himself as president, the young doctor came to the attention of the charismatic new African leader and the pair quickly became friends. Becoming Amin's personal physician, Nicholas watched as the President tried to reinvent his beloved country but that was never going to happen without making some enemies or spilling some blood.

The presidency of Idi Amin changed the African country of Uganda forever but is he the right subject for a movie when he has so much blood on his hands?

Oscar winning documentarian Kevin Macdonald takes his first steps into dramatic cinema with an account of the rise of Idi Amin seen through the eyes of a Scottish doctor and the good news is that he does an outstanding job. He revealed how talented he is with his depiction of events that took place at the 1972 Olympics games in Munich in 'One Day in September' and expertly mixing recreations and interviews to tell the story of two climber's traumatic survival on Mount Siula Grande in the Andes in 'Touching the Void' but his foray into traditional cinema shows that he is a superbly gifted director.

Utilising all the skills he gathered via his documentary making, director Kevin Macdonald and his creative team take you back to the early 1970s and a Uganda that is about to change forever. Based on the novel by Giles Foden, the movie charts the rise to power of Idi Amin and how his regime changed the shape of the African nation of Uganda forever. Inserting the fictional character of Nicholas Garrigan, who is an amalgamation of westerners close to Amin, the story is a portrayal of despot's tyrannical regime seen through his eyes, which allows the director to show this time and the brutality.

The film would be nothing with a tour-de-force performance from the man playing Idi Amin and Forrest Whitaker provides just that. This is a role that will define his career, as he quite literally becomes the Ugandan president. For the first half of the movie, he oozes charm, drawing you into his inner circle as tries to implement his changes that will make his country better. A self-proclaimed man of the people, Amin soon enjoys the spoils of power however, living the decadent lifestyle to the full, at the expense of his own citizens. But with power comes enemies and after an attempt on his life, the man becomes increasingly paranoid and systematically killed everyone who he thought would be a threat to him or anyone who was disloyal. This allows Forrest Whitaker to create a truly terrifying character that can switch from charming to threatening instantly, giving Amin real menace and a presence that dominates the film.

Supporting Whitaker's Amin was never going to be an easy task but up and coming star James McAvoy. The Scottish actor is making a real splash in the industry and his role as doctor Nicholas Garrigan will get him even more recognition. As an idealistic, recently qualified M.D. he heads to Uganda for adventure but becomes embroiled in the start of Amin's fledgling regime. As his personal physician and trusted advisor, he has the ear of the president and all the comforts that his position brings but once he realises what is going on and the consequences of this actions. Nicholas isn't a very likable character at first, there only for the adventure and position but McAvoy makes him still watchable and even sympathetic as everything falls down around him. This is another stunning performance from the young actor and one that will definitely but him on the radar. Add to this memorable roles for Kerry Washington as Amin's youngest wife Kay and Gillian Anderson as seasoned medical assistant Sarah who has seen it all before and you have a cast that capture your attention throughout.

'The King of Scotland' is a truly memorable movie that will shock you and enthral you throughout. Filmed in Uganda and graphically recreating some of the intense cruelty and brutality of Amin's regime. This maybe a little too much for some, but this is fiction mixed with history and a story that needs to be told so that Western governments learn from their mistakes and leave African nations to find their own way.

Commentary by Director, Kevin MacDonald
Deleted Scenes
'Capturing Idi Amin' Documentary
Forest Whitaker "Idi Amin" Featurette
Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting - The Last King of Scotland
Theatrical Trailer

One Day in September

Touching the Void

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2007