The Last King of Scotland
The new year begun and They shoot pictures, don’t they? have finally released their new versions of the best 1000 films of all times and the best 250 films of the 21st century. As every year, I would look at these lists, marking off the number I have seen, slowly seeing it grow. It is in these kinds of moments that I stumble upon so many films I have loved in the past, even if they might not be in my top 30. Truth to be told, I am not even sure if I want to see all those movies figuring in these lists, but along with Criterion’s releases, every year’s Academy Award candidates and Roger Ebert’s greatest films (I often do not agree with his contemporary movie tastes, but his look-back at film history is pretty awesome, with “Woman in the Dunes” and “Make way for tomorrow” and such), these lists play quite an important role in my film consumption. I love seeing these highly acclaimed films, while trying to keep an open mind about other films.
“The last king of Scotland” definitely is amongst these ‘other films’. When I think of films like “Avatar” or “The Hurt Locker” (representatives of a mediocre Oscar year except for the animated nominees, if you ask me), I am wondering why this film has not garnered any more acclaim. It might be a relatively typical “white man in Africa” kind of story, but what kind of Africa! The film is rather accurate with history, and Forest Whitaker is breathtaking. I don’t think I have seen him ever since “Ghost Dog”, but I knew he was awesome. His portrait as creepy dictator is absolutely haunting, and it is largely thanks to him that the movie attains its immense creepiness. I don’t think I have been scared watching a film like this for a long time. It’s just that the atmosphere of danger is literally everywhere.
Certainly the film had its gory parts, but even though they had their effect, I think the film also did a good job at portraying the militarism of the country, and its crazy “king”. The movie was suspenseful throughout its entire story, and I have finally satisfied my desire to see it ever since I saw the trailer many, many years ago in a theater. I’m pretty sure I was watching a rom-com back then. Though it might also have been “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”.