You ugana love Mr. Whitaker in this one!

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2007)

"Forest" heaven's sake, somebody please give Mr. Forest Whitaker the Best Actor Academy Award for his ferocious tour-de-force leading performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin! His work will reign as the king of performances of male actors this year. However, I do have to dictate that he was not the leading actor in the film. That reign of being the premier protagonist of "The Last King of Scotland" would go to James Mcavoy, who plays Nicholas Garrigan, the young Scottish doctor who moves to Uganda and befriends Amin. It is prominently his story that is the film's showcase. Garrigan, not only becomes Amin's doctor, but as Amin calls him also "his most trusted adviser". That is till Garrigan discovers the massacre Amin havocs on his people. It also did not help matters much when Dr. Garrigan made too many Ugandan house calls to Amin's wife Kay, so they can play doctor together if you know what I "amin". Anyway, Idi Boy was responsible for the savage brutal deaths of over 300,000 people during his reign in the 70's. He was a vindictive eradicator! The film was inspired by true events, even though the Garrison character is fictional. James Mcavoy's underrated performance as Dr. Garrigan deserves a doctorate in effectual acting. Kerry Washington's work as Kay was also "ok" in my book. Director Kevin MacDonald can be called the "Mac Director Daddy" for assembling a gripping film on the personal corollary of dictatorship through one man's eyes. I also have to helm other cinematic players in "the King's court": Jeremy Brock's screenplay, Anthony Dod Mantle's cinematography, Joshua Barraud's art direction, and Alex Heffe's musical score. However, it is that "Forest" through the trees that primarily branches the cinematic power of "The Last King of Scotland". **** Good