Movie Rant 2: The Last King of Scotland

I was able to catch two films during the last day of the special screenings of arthouse films in Greenbelt Cinema 1. The first movie that I watched was The Last King of Scotland.

Power is really seductive. Just ask Nicholas Gerrigan (James McAvoy), the Scottish doctor who became the personal physician of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). The film is an actual/fictional biography of the rise to despotism of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin told through the eyes of a young Scottish doctor (Nicholas Gerrigan).

Power is really seductive. One would wonder why Nicholas Gerrigan, amid the horror stories about the dictator, would willingly embrace the charms of Idi Amin without a second thought that it borders naivety (or stupidity?). Or is it just because Idi Amin is very smart, too charming and very persuasive? Whatever the possibility is, the idea of power is too mesmerizing that everyone try to grab it at whatever cost. Just look at the many candidates that the Philippines has for its incoming senatorial and local elections (May 14th). Or read the local dailies and one would read about a politician's assassination (again).

Through the eyes of Nicholas Gerrigan, the film's director, Kevin Macdonald was able to convey the many facets of Idi Amin: charismatic and magnetic but at the same time unpredictable, paranoid and brutal. Through Nicholas Gerrigan, viewers are able to see what Idi Amin is really capable of, and that spelled out fear and terror throughout Uganda between 1971-1979.

The film is engaging enough because you never know how it ends, and the powerful performances of the main protagonists would keep you glued to the screen. Go catch this film either in cinemas or DVD.


For the plot summary, click here.

For casts and credits, click here.