30th January, 2007

NILS VON KALM

The Last King of Scotland (MA 15+)

In a word: Eye-opening

When you first see the title of this movie, the last thing you would be thinking is that it is a movie about the brutality of the Idi Amin regime in Uganda in the 1970s. Amin (played here by Forest Whitaker) referred to himself as the "last King of Scotland" because he proclaimed that his country had conquered the British and now people from Scotland were asking him if he could help them do the same!

THE TYRANT AND THE DOCTOR: Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) and Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy). "This is the true story of a brutal dictator in the mould of Saddam Hussein, and the desperation and inhumanity to which he will stoop to justify his actions and retain power."

This movie, based on actual events, follows the life of young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan (played by James McAvoy), as he flies to Uganda having just completed his studies, to see how he can help the poor. He arrives headlong into the coup that brought Amin to power, with soldiers patrolling the streets and the people celebrating the ousting of the previous ruler.

He quickly comes face to face with Amin after the leader’s car crashes and Garrigan is called to treat him. Amin, proclaiming his respect for the Scots, eventually invites Garrigan to become his personal physician.

What follows is the horrifying realisation over time that Amin is not the charming, jolly man that he comes across as on the surface. The naivety that often characterises the young and idealistic gradually gives way in Garrigan as he is forced to face the reality of what he is so close to, and being accused of being complicit in by some around him.

Amin’s sheer force of personality and his manipulation are difficult to resist as stories of his killing off and ‘disappearing’ those who dare to oppose him become more apparent. This includes even members of his own cabinet.

Garrigan is no saint himself, trying to instigate an affair with a married woman, and then getting one of Amin’s wives pregnant, eventually resulting in her brutal execution after Amin’s men find out. Troubled by his conscience however, and fearing for his own life, Garrigan tries to leave the country.

As the stories of Amin’s brutality become more obvious, and as he is increasingly condemned by the outside world while continually denying his crimes, his rage and irrationality become more acute. Amin would make a great case study for any psychologist looking at the internal splitting of the psyche that takes place when we continually do what is wrong and justify it, to others and to ourselves. At one point he cries out that he cannot trust anyone anymore. In the words of U2, “it’s no secret that a liar won't believe anyone else”. By the end of the movie, Amin is shown to be a miserable man, full of hatred and bitter rage. Yet it was not until nine years into his presidency that he was eventually overthrown. Never brought to justice, he died in exile in Saudi Arabia in 2003.

Whitaker is brilliant in his passionate rendition of the mad dictator, showing Amin's charm and mercilessness at the same time. It is no surprise that Whitaker has earned an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe for his performance. McAvoy is also very convincing as the flamboyant young doctor caught up in the middle of Amin's madness. Whitaker bringing across Amin's murderous charm and McAvoy portraying theinternal struggle of the young Garrigan, both make this film the classic that it is.

This is the true story of a brutal dictator in the mould of Saddam Hussein, and the desperation and inhumanity to which he will stoop to justify his actions and retain power. What a contrast to the Suffering Servant, whom His disciples also tried to turn into a military giant, but whose power was made perfect in weakness, who instead took the narrow road and said to those that would come after him that they must take up their cross, deny themselves and follow Him.