Whittaker's finest moment?

Rating: 8/10 (13 January 2007)

There is not much to add to the excellent range of comments already posted to this movie but having just returned from the cinema I feel I should have my say.
Rarely does a film make me wish to read the book, I have usually read this before or have no wish for one media to destroy my images of another, luckily films tend to drift so far from the text you can't usually see the lines.
I've always been a fan of Whittaker, being drawn to his style most closely when seeing Ghost Dog and until now I think that was his finest moment. However his dedication to this role, having caught some of the stoic nature and humour of this dictator whilst also showing his fierce, paranoid side makes me consider that he has now outdone himself. Some of the inflexions and facial expressions he uses are so close to the man himself.
However a film is not merely the performance of one actor and the whole cast move well under the directors gaze with the two leads playing off each other finely on the screen. Of particular note to myself was Gillian Anderson's role at the start of the film where in a few brief scenes you got a strong feel for a well rounded character.
The films style is simple as befits its subject matter, MacDonald using the same locations again and again to show the slow decent into the mire the country is taking under Amin's rule.
Music was also effectively used throughout.