'The Last King Of Scotland'

The last King of Scotland (2006) Rating  Director: Kevin MacDonald‘The last King of Scotland’ is a film about a Scottish Doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) who travels to Uganda to help aid the poverty stricken locals. At this time Uganda has had a change of power, and is being presented by Milton Obote. When Nicholas first arrives he is in the company of Dr. Merrit (Adam Kontz) and his wife Sarah (Gillian Anderson.) He starts off by working at a small clinic on the outskirts of Uganda. Along his travels Nicholas meets paranoid and forceful Milton Obote. Nicholas, at this stage is oblivious to his aggressive and power hungry nature. Obote, is constantly paranoid of traitors and opposition. However Nicholas gains the trust of the president, Obote recognises positive advice from the young Doctor and takes him on not only as a Doctor, but as a personal adviser. Obote rewards his new found advisor with a Mercedes car and and a house to live in. Garrigan begins to loose his focus and realises that his new life in Uganda is very different to the one that he wanted to pursue. Instead of aiding the country, he finds himself deeply involved with a dangerous man. Garrigan warns Obote of a possible betrayer, and gets it very wrong indeed. Obote kills the man that Garrigan warns him about and all is resulted in terrible consequences. It becomes significantly clearer that Obote is an arrogant and greedy man. He has a number of wives and little regard for either of them. Garrigan finds himself falling for one of them, he has sex with her right under Obote’s nose as his character becomes noticeably cocky. Obote’s wife becomes pregnant and in a desperate attempt to cover up the ordeal she goes to the village to have a messy abortion by inexperienced villagers. The abortion goes terribly wrong and the ambulance is called.Obote becomes aware of the dishonour and betrayal of his wife. In a bloody scene Garrigan discovers her with her limbs decapitated and her face scarred. It becomes clear that Obote has also discovered who his wife had had the affair with.Garrigan, in an old tradition is hung up by hooks to the ceiling and left there to bleed until death. One of Garrigan colleagues from the hospital risks his own life to rescue and free him. Meanwhile, passengers on a aeroplane leaving Uganda is corrupted by terrorists against Obote. The plane is being held up and a hostage situation arises. When the ordeal is sorted Garrigan is this time free and boards the plane along with the other passengers. Meanwhile Obote’s men become aware that Garrigan has gone and they interrogate and eventually kill Garrigan’s colleague whilst Garrigan’s plane flies over the building and he is finally free. Although the film is significantly hard going, its cultural exploration and representation is extremely interesting and intriguing. The film represents the trouble in Uganda and the clashing of cultures.
Starring:Forest WhitakerJames McAvoyKerry WashingtonSimon McBurneyGillian Anderson