The Last King of Scotland

I would be lying if I said that I was looking forward to watching the movie – The Last King of Scotland. I mean, tyrannical dictators & despots, assuming power by staging coups, have long since ceased to be a novelty, haven’t they?

I therefore braced myself for some boring docu-drama about Idi Amin – the long–forgotten, cannibal dictator. Thankfully, I could not have been more wrong.

The Last King of Scotland is a brilliant film, which merits a watch for reasons more than one – first, an excellent and justifiably award–winning performance by the lead-actor Forrest Whittaker as Idi Amin, and second –in spite of the small garnishing of fiction, it is one of those movies which provide one with a reference point in history

The story of the movie is from the perspective of Amin’s personal physician – Dr. Garrigan who, from being a nobody, rises to the top echelons of power, among the most trusted aides of Amin himself.

Initially charmed by Amin’s ostentatious show of concern towards the poor of his country, Dr. Garrigan later comes to know the horrors Amin & his coterie has inflicted on the masses.

But by that time, he realizes he is entrapped in the vicious quagmire and in a reversal of fortune, he just escapes being murdered by Amin’s henchmen to flee from the state incognito.

More than being a story, the movie actually scores in bringing out in detail not only the eccentricities, whims & tantrums of a dictator drunk on absolute power, but also his insecurities & fears in illuminating detail. A must watch.