The Voice

I really don't want to live in Uganda. Even today it has a slew of problems, but apparently, one aspect of the nation was far worse a few decades ago: famine, poverty, and violence were all intensified under the command of a maniac.

Pulling from a historical fiction novel of the same name by Giles Foden, The Last King Of Scotland focuses on young, Scottish, would-be humanitarian doctor Nicholas Garrigan. Early in the film, the physician travels to Africa to aid the needy inhabitants of a small rural village. He arrives in Uganda in the early 1970's during a military coup that replaces the former Ugandan dictator with British-backed general Idi Amin.

As the result of an accident, Garrigan is required to tend to the new dictator's questionable medical needs. Amin is impressed and requests that Garrigan become his personal physician and live with him in the capital city. The doctor is torn between responsibilities to his mission and the promise of royal lifestyle, but the allure of luxury proves to be too strong, and Garrigan accepts the new position that he is offered.

Although Garrigan repeatedly reminds everyone (including himself) that he is just a doctor, Amin refers to Garrigan as his closest adviser and places great responsibility on Garrigan both for advice and for blame when things go wrong. Amin, who becomes more childish and terrifying throughout his reign, slowly draws Garrigan closer as his country crumbles around him.

Director Kevin Macdonald builds anxiety to heart-attack level as the misled protagonist is pulled further from any chance of escape from Amin and Uganda. The tension created by the crazed governor's ever-growing paranoia and mistrust of those around him envelops the viewer with similar emotions.

The movie makes it very clear that Amin is dangerous, but there's a lot that the audience doesn't see. Most of the atrocities committed under his rule are shielded from Garrigan's eyes, and so the viewer is kept in the dark as well, until a stomach-churning scene yanks back the shroud of mystery and shocks Garrigan into action. It's easy to suspect that things are going bad, but the realization is still jarring.

There isn't much to see of Amin's lighter side, and Macdonald doesn't attempt to humanize him in the slightest. Fair enough; there probably wouldn't be enough real-life material to work with, so Amin is presented as a ruthless, ill-tempered, and cruel tyrant who would have his closest friend killed at the drop of a hat. True to his pompous and overconfident nature, Amin dubs himself the "Last King of Scotland" because he identifies with the Scots, with whom he fought alongside in a war.

Garrigan's unwitting entry into the circle of Amin shows how easily an entire country could do the same- to trust a leader so blindly that no one checks him until it's too late. Questions are tantamount to treason, so no one can second-guess the dictator without deadly reprimand.

The story is gripping, but it's the acting that really makes this movie work. Amin's unpredictable rage, played to perfection by Forest Whitaker, propels this historic drama into thriller territory that frequently borders on horror. Whitaker fluently expresses the lunacy of the dictator as well the charm and strength that enabled his rise to power. His Amin comes off as a stupid brute in one scene, a vicious murderer in another, and a charismatic, clever leader in the next.

Whitaker's performance may be fantastic, but James McAvoy, who plays Garrigan, equally matches him. McAvoy creates a character of a noble yet morally-confused young man who frequently behaves against his better judgment (particularly in sexual situations). Garrigan makes an effort to behave virtuously but often seems to need a slap on the wrist to keep in line; McAvoy flawlessly depicts this trait.

In addition, the supporting cast for the two leads is very decent. Simon McBurney is perfectly villainous as a British diplomat, Gillian Anderson does well in her small role as a missionary nurse, and Kerry Washington reflects the citizens' fear of Amin in her convincing portrayal of one of Amin's several wives.

With an intriguing story, two powerhouse performances, and remarkable directing, The Last King of Scotland is a film that should not be missed.

Article Tools