Great Movies:the Last King of Scotland

     One of the best movies I’ve ever seen dealing with dictatorship is the 2006 British drama film Last King of Scotland,which is inspired by the tyrannical regime of Idi Amin,who was the militar dictator and president of Uganda between 1971 and 1979.It is estimated that during his reign the number of people  killed is between 100,000 and 500,000;no matter what the number is,it certainly places Idi Amin in top position among the  worst dictators of the 20th century.

      The main characters of the film are Idi Amin,whose role is majestically played by Forest Whitaker,and Dr. Nicholas Garrigan,played by James McAvoy.The young doctor,who has just finished his studies in Scotland,isn’t very content with the perspective of a monotonous life at home,so he leaves for Uganda to work in a missionary clinic and live a more adventurous life.While the young doctor is in Uganda,a coup d’etat takes place and General Idi Amin takes over  the power in the country.Then,one day the two meet when Amin suffers a minor car accident and Dr.Garrigan treats him.Amin’s apparent open personality fascinates the young man and a close friendship establishes between them,and finally Amin asks Garrigan to become his personal physician and help modernise the health system in his country.

     From now on,life will change for the young doctor,whom Amin considers more than just a physician,but also a personal confident,and the events in which Garrigan is involved,which I will let you discover by watching the movie,will gradually change his opinion on the apparently cheerful and spiritual president.As he finds out more and more about the unseen and ugly face of  Amin’s regime,which includes abuses of all kinds,political and ethnical repression,corruption,and what’s the most terrible thing,killing of all those who try to oppose the regime and of innocent people too,Garrigan realizes that man’s worst nightmares can be real,and this is the case of the unfortunate people of Uganda.He even feels what it is like to be tortured on his own skin,and everything he lives in that African country will deeply affect him and forever change his attitude towards the world.

      ‘The Last King of Scotland‘ is a truly impressive movie,that opens people’s eyes and makes them realize how terrible it is to live under dictatorship and oppression.It is an absolute must for those who want to see and discuss uopn a really great movie.

Image via Wikipedia