The Last King of Scotland (2006) Reviews
- Starring:
- Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, (more)
- Director(s):
- Kevin Macdonald
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
Member Rating
My RatingAverage Ratings
40 out of 45 people found this review helpful Everything you have heard about Forest Whitaker's perfromance is true. His turn as Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator, is spellbinding. So far removed from anything Whitaker has done before, it's one of ... Read More Everything you have heard about Forest Whitaker's perfromance is true. His turn as Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator, is spellbinding. So far removed from anything Whitaker has done before, it's one of those roles that will have him rememberd for years to come. Thankfully, the movie that surrounds him is equally engrossing. None of it would have worked without the authenticity of 1970s Uganda in turmoil, nimbly recreated in an almost documentary style and the strength of James MacAvoy, the young doctor who acts as our eyes and ears on this journey. Seductive and thought provoking, "King" is like a great historical fiction novel. Whitaker should win a well deserved Oscar and I suspect most others will agree. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
28 out of 33 people found this review helpful The movie is told through the eyes of Amin's (played by Forest Whittaker), naive fictional physician Nicholas Garrigan, who is portrayed by the wonderfully brilliant James McAvoy. It seems that the ... Read More The movie is told through the eyes of Amin's (played by Forest Whittaker), naive fictional physician Nicholas Garrigan, who is portrayed by the wonderfully brilliant James McAvoy. It seems that the relationship between Idi and Nicholas is bittersweet. Nicholas travels to Uganda with the intention of helping the impoverished, but he is seduced into Admin's power driven, charismatic world that borders on lunacy. Quickly the beautiful utopian society that Admin created; due to his greed for power, suddenly turns dark and ugly. It is something that resulted in butchering of over 300,000 Ugandans.
As I left the movie theater I was both deeply saddened that these types of atrocities. Unfortunately, it is something that is going on everyday in many countries around the world; particularly present day Darfur. This film should seen to inform us all of the ugliness that could come knocking on our front doors.
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20 out of 24 people found this review helpful This movie was grossly overlooked by the public. It is unfortunate that such a brilliant film was not wide released. It is even more unfortunate that people do not value great films, in favour of ... Read More This movie was grossly overlooked by the public. It is unfortunate that such a brilliant film was not wide released. It is even more unfortunate that people do not value great films, in favour of mindless ones. Everyone should see this film. Forest Whitaker was definitely Oscar-worthy! Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful I thought this movie was very well done. I didn't know that much about Idi Amin until this movie. It really just seemed to capture the country real well. Despite all the deep violence and such it was ... Read More I thought this movie was very well done. I didn't know that much about Idi Amin until this movie. It really just seemed to capture the country real well. Despite all the deep violence and such it was still a good movie. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful As a fan of history and contemporary politics I loved this portrait of the relationship between Ugandan dictator and his most trusted advisor/doctor.
Terrifically realistic, intensely interesting. ... Read More As a fan of history and contemporary politics I loved this portrait of the relationship between Ugandan dictator and his most trusted advisor/doctor.
Terrifically realistic, intensely interesting. 5 Stars Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful Forest Whitaker won the Best Actor for playing Idi Amin and he did a great job. The Last King of Scotland was Based on Real Life, about a Scottish Doctor and Idi Amin in the 1970's in African. Some ... Read More Forest Whitaker won the Best Actor for playing Idi Amin and he did a great job. The Last King of Scotland was Based on Real Life, about a Scottish Doctor and Idi Amin in the 1970's in African. Some parts very bloodily near the end and very hard to watch for some, be forewarned. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful I thought the writer had an opportunity to tell about Ugandan dictator Idi Amin but chose instead to give you the Dr's tale of sordid adulterous gratuitous sex. Forest Whitaker, deserved the Oscar. ... Read More I thought the writer had an opportunity to tell about Ugandan dictator Idi Amin but chose instead to give you the Dr's tale of sordid adulterous gratuitous sex. Forest Whitaker, deserved the Oscar. James McAvoy, did a creditable job. I almost stopped watching because I thought there was so much more that could have been done. I think they could have directed the move more towards the suffering people and less on an adulterous sexual liaison. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful The acting in the movie was very impressive. I hope people know that the events are mostly true, though the character of Nicholas was made up... another reviewer suggested that it was telling that ... Read More The acting in the movie was very impressive. I hope people know that the events are mostly true, though the character of Nicholas was made up... another reviewer suggested that it was telling that they chose to have the white doctor be the main character, and how strange that was and I agree. If almost all of the events are true, they could have been told from the perspective of another African. It was a little strange once you learned he was a fictional character. But other that that, McAvoy and Whitaker were great. It was a really good movie, albeit very disturbing and unsettling. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful I expected great acting. It definitely lived up to this expectation. The story was a bit inconsistent at times, a little hokey and when you find out it is a fictional story- well that ruined it for ... Read More I expected great acting. It definitely lived up to this expectation. The story was a bit inconsistent at times, a little hokey and when you find out it is a fictional story- well that ruined it for me. It just isn't as good. It's about this relationship between Idi Amin and his personal physician. If it were a true story- it would be this incredibly amazing story that you would be shocked happened to this doctor. When you find out this doctor is fictional (although he did have personal physicians from outside the country), this bizarre story is no longer amazing- it is made up and you would expect it. Also, since he did have these personal physicians, couldn't they tell the true story of their relationships? This has a few scenes that are tremendously violent. Not appropriate for anyone under 16 . I'm still reeling from the scenes and I saw it last week. I see why they put it in there. Amin was vicious and they needed to show that. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful I was hard for me to say whether or not I "liked" this movie. It was a well done movie with good and dramatic acting. It was hard to watch because of the subject material. I feel more like I ... Read More I was hard for me to say whether or not I "liked" this movie. It was a well done movie with good and dramatic acting. It was hard to watch because of the subject material. I feel more like I survived the movie than like the movie. The movie did make me think strongly about how thankful I am to live in the country I do. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No |
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