Pointless, simplistic thriller

Rating: Null/10 (16 February 2007)

Maybe one day Peter Morgan will come up with something original instead of just taking from documentaries and getting actors to do impersonations. The Last King of Scotland is one of the most simplistic of screenplays, just an excuse for a clichéd thriller. The last ten minutes are very badly directed. Will the good doctor escape in time? Cross cutting and pounding pop music. Richard Attenborough would have done a better job. Pity someone like Ousmane Sembene didn't make it. Not exactly topical or interesting from a political point of view. Idi Amin was a brutal stupid dictator. Hold the front page. What else is new? It's a sad day if this is the Best British Film, though The Queen isn't much better. Shorter and less bombastic. Actually, The Last King of Scotland reminded me of The King and I. Can't wait for the musical version...