When You Dance With the Devil You Get Burned.

Rating: Null/10 (23 June 2007)

A new Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) comes to 1971 Uganda, of all places, and starts his career. Uganda seems a strange, exciting, and fantastic place to McAvoy, but what he does not know is that he is in the middle of pure historical chaos. Soon the good doctor is entrusted as a top adviser to new leader/military dictator General Idi Amin Dada (a fiery and utterly brilliant role for Forest Whitaker) mainly due to dumb luck and the fact that he is from Scotland (a place Whitaker endears due to their dealings with the British, an enemy to him). What follows is a maddening, psychotic, and hellish view of a land that was literally held hostage for a decade by a power-hungry madman who left his imprint on the entire world. Wonderfully realized nervous masterpiece by British director Christopher McDonald who keeps the whole thing going at a fast and dizzying pace with wild camera shots and lightening strong editing techniques. Kerry Washington (best known as Jamie Foxx's wife in "Ray") shines as one of Whitaker's wives and David Oyelowo is particularly memorable as a native doctor to Uganda. Not for the faint of heart, "The Last King of Scotland" grabs you, spits at you, and then torments you with its wicked elements. Strong and decisive cinematic winner. 4.5 out of 5 stars.