David Oyelowo, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington

In an incredible twist of fate, a Scottish doctor on a Ugandan medical mission becomes irreversibly entangled with one of the world's most barbaric figures: Idi Amin. Impressed by Dr. Garrigan's braze...( read more  read more... )n attitude in a moment of crisis, the newly self-appointed Ugandan President Amin hand picks him as his personal physician and closest confidante. Though Garrigan is at first flattered and fascinated by his new position, he soon awakens to Amin's savagery - and his own complicity in it. Horror and betrayal ensue as Garrigan tries to right his wrongs and escape Uganda alive.

Flixster Users

87% liked it

234,156 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

175 critics

R, 2 hr. 3 min.

Directed by: Kevin Macdonald

Release Date: September 27, 2006

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DVD Release Date: April 17, 2007

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Stats: 17,784 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (17,784)


  • October 18, 2009
    Whitaker is amazing, at turns charming and scary!! McAvoy is very good too as the naive doctor who realizes his flaws and the horrors he has had a hand in much too late.
  • October 1, 2009
    I can't say I'm James McAvoy's biggest fan but Whitaker's fantastic performance and MacDonald's brilliant direction made this a very enjoyable film. I'm not a big fan of the fiction element of the film though, I would have rather seen a film that was 100% factual.
  • September 5, 2009
    Forest Whitaker gives the best performance of his career and also one of the greatest performances in the history of Hollywood cinima. A tour-de-force performance that is truly one of the best i have ever seen. James McAvoy gives a riveting movie star performance, he's a force to...( read more) be reckoned with. A searingly powerful film that has thrills and intensity. A memerising, gripping, spellbinding and exhilerating drama. Compelling, chilling and absolutely shocking. An unforgettable movie. An explosive and brutal experiance.
  • May 3, 2009
    Whoa. Forest Whitaker definitely deserved that Oscar...and in my opinion, James McAvoy was robbed!! ;) Really powerful film.
  • March 19, 2009
    Forest Whitaker gives the second best performance of the year (Helen Mirren was no doubt number one) in an otherwise stellar film.
  • January 30, 2010
    An aspect for Uganda's reality with Idi Amin in 1970's.

    The Last King Of Scotland (a title President Amin apparently gave himself) is a snapshot of his presidential career from its beginning, to the start of international awareness of his cruelty, and perhaps madness.
  • January 25, 2010
    Recently there have been two films of note portraying famous figures, the other being the queen.
    This film is markedly less sedate and tackles a more interesting subject matter.
    Though like the queen it is a film that ultimately is all about the lead performance.
    If there we...( read more)re only one oscar for best performance this year, or for that matter many previous years, it would have to go to Forest Whitaker.

    James McAvoy is pleasantly real, not the chalk and cheese good guy of more simple and typical movies. Ultimately though he is only there to provide a window through which we can pass into Amin's Uganda.

    Not a great film, but a good film with a great performance.
  • January 5, 2010
    I really wish that this had recieved a wide release.
  • January 4, 2010
    i've seen it but i want to see it again!
  • December 30, 2009
    Great performance by Forest Whitaker

Critic Reviews


October 13, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

See the movie for Whitaker alone: He's possessed by evil and possesses it wholly, rendering the film (and everyone in it) his plaything. full review

October 5, 2006
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Whitaker is on fire, and as long as he's onscreen, King keeps you riveted. full review

October 5, 2006
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

A spellbinding safari into the mind of His Excellency the madman. full review

October 1, 2006
Pete Hammond, Maxim

Whitaker creates one of the most indelible screen portrayals of recent years. full review

September 29, 2006
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

The film as a whole measures up to Forest Whitaker's performance. That's high praise indeed. full review

September 27, 2006
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Forest Whitaker shatters abstraction and replaces it with flesh, blood and unspeakable charm. full review

September 27, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Whitaker is formidably compelling as a man whose quixotic temperament and larger-than-life persona both fascinate and repel. full review

September 27, 2006
Kyle Smith, New York Post

The Last King of Scotland is a parable shocking in its truth, jolting in its lack of sentimentality, Shakespearean in its vision of the doctor's catastrophic flaw. full review

September 25, 2006
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

The film is phenomenally well directed by Kevin Macdonald and edited by Justine Wright to bring out every bit of scary volatility in the most casual interactions. full review

View more The Last King of Scotland reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • sarcasim1215
    February 28, 2008
    Oh god. If someone is going to put down something racial on here, keep it to yourself. That's not what this is for.
    Seriously. That's so immature.
  • kmajor9
    January 23, 2008
    Kind of disturbing, sill trying to get some images out my head
  • bluelaurie
    June 5, 2007
    a very good story!inprevisibile
  • locky007uk
    May 27, 2007
    A brillant film, well made and a good choice of cast, I'll nodoubt watch it again very soon!
  • lilhotboy1515
    April 20, 2007
    well not that good....to much black ppl.....for rebels that lives in the souther states yall wont like this movie...i made a mistake going see it...
  • Jess0461
    April 18, 2007
    I really want to see this, but i missed it at the cinmeas. Anyone know when it will be out on DVD?
  • bluejays86rock
    March 20, 2007
    very scary movie when u think about how one guy can destroy so much
  • flixster89
    September 29, 2006
    A freshly graduated young doctor Nicolas from Scotland went to Uganda in 1970s hoping that he could offer his helping hands to the Ugandan people. Instead of serving the poor and needed, he met the charismatic Uganda dictator Idi Amin and his life is forever changed.

    I didn't know anything about Idi Amin before the film, but I know a great deal about him after the film. He is charismatic yet brutal. I can see myself to become his friend when I first meet him and then realize that he can be the worst monster in my life and I want to escape far away from him. Idi Amin's character is so lively and fascinating in this film, through the terrific performance by Forest Whitaker.

    I know it's just the beginning of the Oscar season, but Forest Whitaker definitely gives an Oscar worthy performance in this film as Idi Amin.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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