Last King of Scotland

Last night I went to a movie alone, as has become my habit of late, and one that I don't really mind. Going alone often allows for much more reflection and immersion in a film. Needless to say though, I will be glad to go to movies with Kara again! The movie I went to see was The Last King of Scotland in which Forrest Whitaker plays the terrifying and somewhat charming Idi Amin, the brutal president of Uganda during most of the 1970's. While Amin is the gravity of the film, all plots and figures being drawn into his world, we observe him mainly through the life of a young Scottish doctor named Nicholas Garrigan. The young Scotsman is as charming as Amin himself and they quickly become friends.

When Garrigan is drawn into Amin's world however, he looses sight of the real Uganda. It isn't until its almost too late that Garrigan realizes what and who Amin really is. What ensues is a terrifying and claustrophobic tale of Garrigan trying to stay alive by appeasing Amin and simultaneously trying to get the heck out of Uganda. Scary. And more scary than your average horror movie because of the reality of it all. This horror tale doesn't have radio-active desert zombies bent on killing, it's about the insane insecurity of a man with a lot of power.

Labels: Film, Military