Blistering performance from Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2007)

Ever since I saw Forest Whitaker in 'Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai' at the end of the nineties I've wanted to see him in another meaty, lead role. This was it. His performance as the tyrant Idi Amin is blistering and this alone makes the film worth seeing. I remember the coup in Uganda when Amin took over, and I remember the ensuing TV footage that chronicled the rise and fall of his violent, lunatic regime. I seem to remember also that Amin really did crown himself King of Scotland. In the first few minutes of watching this film the memories of those days came flooding back: it was uncomfortable and compelling to watch. The film is based on Giles Foden's novel of the same name and focuses on a period in the life of the newly qualified Scottish medical doctor Nicholas Garrigan, beautifully played by James McAvoy, who leaves his Scottish home in search of adventure in Uganda, where he finds work as a doctor in a poor area. He arrives in Uganda on the day of Amin's coup. By chance the naive, heavy drinking and womanising Garrigan meets Amin who takes him on as his personal physician and adviser. After a brief period of living the high life in the capital, Kampala, Garrigan realises his mistake and decides to leave. However, his plan backfires and the horror begins. Real TV footage and references to historical fact are used during the film to emphasise the underlying truth of the story, including the hijacking at Entebbe. There's humour and suspense in this brilliant film and the tension builds up until the last moment. The only criticism I have is that the terror unleashed by Amin is understated, but maybe this was a conscious decision because it mirrors the young doctor's naiveté and blindness to what was going on during Amin's tyrannical regime.