Exponentially commendable

Rating: 7/10 (8 August 2012)

The Last King of Scotland is an amazing, yet brutal portrayal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime during the 1970′s. Director Kevin Macdonald 2006 film has beautifully composed the fact and fiction to create a pallet of themes that engross the audience to a gripping degree. That taken into account, at points the acting doesn't directly match the true scope and potential of the film. It has undelivered in places where similarly vivid versions of, 'African conflict' such as 'Rwanda Hotel' are executed masterfully.
The story, which follows Idi Amin's (Forest Whitaker) personal physician, Dr. Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) and his spiraling journey through utmost admiration for Uganda's "father" and the hell which unravels around him. Forest Whitaker encapsulates magnificently the shocking nature of Amin's fall into paranoia and the way Whitaker captures this is exponentially commendable. Whitaker aside, the rest of the acting in the film can drop and lack at points. I felt McAvoy at time doesn't find a balance between a character who the audience are both meant to hate, and somewhat warm to. He doesn't give us time to warm to him early on and this makes the latter scenes fall short, he is simply not a likable character for the majority of the film. As a protagonist I feel this can deter the audience.
However, the way Madonald has manage to draw in a whole range of themes and stories is amazing, it constantly keeps the audience invigorated in the overall political story the film revolves around. The romances, the friendships and Garrigans roller coaster through this world, that is like an open fissure to him gives the audience something to become involved and interested in. Its not just based on true events, its a story Macdonald wants to involve us all in.
An excellent portrayal of regime that has the power to shock and awe its viewers.