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Movie Review | 'The Last King of Scotland'

An Innocent Abroad, Seduced by a Madman

By Manohla Dargis

Sept. 27, 2006

Strange to think that the flamboyantly lethal nut job Idi Amin died in Saudi Arabia just three years ago. About 80 at the time, he had fled Uganda in 1979 after murdering upwards of 300,000 souls. Larger than life physically and metaphorically, he was a former heavyweight boxing champion with a brilliant sense of leadership as a performance: as a dictator, his methods were brutally antediluvian, but his public relations cunning was consummately 20th century. Smiling into cameras, he dropped provocations like bombs: “I don’t like human flesh. It’s too salty for me.”

The queasily enjoyable new fiction film “The Last King of Scotland,” based on the novel by Giles Foden and directed by Kevin Macdonald, creates a portrait of this famous Ugandan dictator from inside the palace walls. Furiously paced, with excellent performances by Forest Whitaker as Amin and James McAvoy as the foolish Scotsman who becomes the leader’s personal physician, the film has texture, if not depth and enough intelligence to almost persuade you that it actually has something of note to say. It would make a terrific double bill with Barbet Schroeder’s mesmerizing 1974 documentary, “General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait,” of which Mr. Macdonald has obviously made a close and fruitful study.

As it also happens, “The Last King of Scotland” would make an even better double bill with Stephen Frears’s forthcoming film “The Queen,” a sly peek at the current British monarch in the wake of the death of Princess Diana. (Amin once wrote milady: “Dear Liz, if you want to know a real man, come to Kampala.”) Amin was an amateur merchant of death compared with the historic British monarchy, but he absorbed the lessons of its colonial tyranny fatally well.

“The Last King of Scotland” makes the case that Amin was rational enough to understand his country’s tangled relationship with British imperialism and to inject that sociopolitical understanding into words. If this lecture feels a little too neat and contrived, well, that’s entertainment.

And how! Cannily designed to please and repulse, “The Last King of Scotland” uses a self-anointed outsider, Nicholas Garrigan (Mr. McAvoy), as its initially empathic point of entry. Arriving in Uganda in the early 1970’s, this young doctor evinces an understandable wide-eyed enthusiasm and wonderment at the sights and sounds around him. He’s alive to his exciting new world, which the exceptional cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, who shot Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later” and Lars von Trier’s recent films, paints in deeply saturated color. The otherworldly Fauvist palette, as well as the interludes of frenetic cutting, at times recall the Brazilian art-house exploitation flick “City of God,” though Mr. Macdonald, who has a background in documentary, proves somewhat savvier about the politics of representation.

Crucial to that savvy is the director’s vision of Amin as Dr. Frankenstein and monster both. A period fiction with a high-gloss historical finish, “The Last King of Scotland” is also a very contemporary, pointedly resonant film about blowback. That said, and despite some background filler, Mr. Macdonald isn’t interested in furnishing history lessons, and the details of Britain’s African adventures remain largely unstated. In 1888, much as it did throughout Africa and the world, the British government gathered together dozens of different ethnic groups and various kingdoms under its control, naming this new protectorate and commercial venture Uganda. Many pounds of profit later, in 1962, Britain granted Uganda its independence; the African nation has been struggling to recover ever since.

In 1971 Amin ousted Milton Obote, who had become president after tossing out the country’s king five years earlier. (Mr. Obote himself may have been responsible for half a million deaths.) “The Last King of Scotland” opens shortly after Amin has seized power, and his madness had yet to take at least visible bloom. After a brief spell working at a clinic run by a white British doctor (Adam Kotz) and his wife (a very fine, almost unrecognizable Gillian Anderson), Garrigan signs on with Amin. The Scot eagerly makes the transition from rural slum to Amin’s Kampala compound, embracing his ready-made privilege as he drinks in the general’s charisma and hungrily feeds on his praise. A master of manipulation, this Amin knows a choice morsel when one flies into his trap.

Despite his vaguely Falstaffian proportions, Mr. Whitaker doesn’t look like the man he’s playing, a point that becomes less crucial as the performance takes root. As much a seducer as a destroyer, his Amin changes moods on a dime depending on the gas percolating in his bowels or the threats on his person, real and imagined. It’s a role rich in gristle and blood, and Mr. Whitaker makes the most of it, even if the performance and the film’s essential conception of Amin never push deep or hard enough. This actor can play devious, as his brilliant turn in “The Color of Money” showed early in his career. But what you need in a film about a man who fed the corpses of his victims to the crocodiles is something more, something hateful and vile.

“The Last King of Scotland” delivers shocks worthy of the horror film it becomes. Garrigan is the kind of man who exploits his own boyishness, successfully with women, perilously with Amin, and Mr. McAvoy expertly makes the character’s naïveté seem at first appealing, then foolish and finally odious in the extreme. As a stand-in for all the white men who have unwisely and cravenly journeyed into the proverbial heart of darkness, the character effectively serves his purposes, and you shake your head, tsk-tsk, right on schedule.

Clearly, the film means this journey to be as inwardly directed as outwardly bound, though the larger message here, one that might make you blanch after you nod, is that the misery of other people makes unsettling entertainment, no matter how pretty the pictures and valuable the players.

“The Last King of Scotland” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). There is brutal violence from start to finish, including a scene of very graphic, believable-looking torture.

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Opens today in New York and Los Angeles.

Directed by Kevin Macdonald; written by Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock, based on the novel by Giles Foden; director of photography, Anthony Dod Mantle; edited by Justine Wright; music by Alex Heffes; production designer, Michael Carlin; produced by Andrea Calderwood, Lisa Bryer and Charles Steel; released by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Running time: 121 minutes.

WITH: Forest Whitaker (Idi Amin), James McAvoy (Nicholas Garrigan), Kerry Washington (Kay Amin), Simon McBurney (Stone), Gillian Anderson (Sarah Merrit) and Adam Kotz (Dr. Merrit).

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, ebert's oscar predictions (2007).

the last king of scotland movie review ebert

In a year when the Academy Award nominations are more diverse and international than ever before, it's anyone's guess who will win best picture. "Dreamgirls" garnered more nominations than any other movie, but was passed over for both picture and director.

But there are four categories that can be predicted with certainty -- best actress: Helen Mirren ; supporting actress: Jennifer Hudson ; best actor: Forest Whitaker , and supporting actor: Eddie Murphy . They have won almost every award, including the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Golden Globes. If any one of them doesn't snag the Oscar at the Feb. 25 ceremony, it will be an upset.

The world of the Academy Awards seems universally convinced that Forest Whitaker will take home an Oscar for "The Last King of Scotland." It would be well deserved, not only because Whitaker has a solid body of good acting behind him over the years, but because Oscar voters love it when actors remove themselves from the typecasting game and play a totally original character. Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator in "The Last King of Scotland," is such a character. Whitaker's performance somehow combines Amin's blend of cruelty and jovial good fellowship in the portrait of an extroverted madman.

Whitaker will win the Oscar, although there are strong contenders, including Will Smith in an affecting role as a homeless dad determined to raise his son in "The Pursuit of Happyness"; Ryan Gosling as a crack-smoking but well-meaning junior high school teacher in " Half Nelson ," and Leonardo DiCaprio as a mercenary Rhodesian diamond smuggler in "Blood Diamond."

Oh, and I left for last the sentimental favorite: Peter O'Toole in "Venus." What a one-of-a-kind performance from this actor, whose work always finds a new place to start from. Playing an aging, decrepit, broken-down actor relegated to mostly corpse roles, his character stumbles into an unlikely love affair with a troubled young woman, and finds it is too much a test for his frayed libido. In generous close-ups and sad, weary monologues, he shares with her what he knows about life, which he has apparently found mostly in barrooms and Shakespeare. O'Toole is such an interesting actor, who seems to know so much more than he tells, or dares to tell. He got an honorary Oscar in 2003, but has never won a "real" one.

Still, it is Whitaker's performance that will bring home the Oscar gold. I have especially great affection for O'Toole's work here, so I'll split my ballet, with affection on both sides.

Prediction: Forest Whitaker Preference: Peter O'Toole

The classic path to a Hollywood comeback is for a fading major star to find a great supporting role and work it for all it's worth. I predict that formula will win an Oscar for Eddie Murphy. Not many years after standing atop the box-office charts, Murphy became the victim of too many ego-generated projects and the enterprises of cronies.

Now, in Bill Condon's "Dreamgirls," Murphy forces Hollywood to take another long look at him. Bursting with what seems like fresh new talent, he plays James "Thunder" Early, a Motown star as a combination of James Brown and Jackie Wilson. Early gives a soul trio (think the Supremes) its start in show biz while fighting to preserve his own career. He's slick, extroverted, brimming with an inner joy (even in the sad scenes) because both he and his character know how good they are.

It would be an upset if anyone else wins this category. Yes, all four are worthy nominees -- (the most fun comes from veteran actor Alan Arkin as the earthy, foul-mouthed grandfather of a dysfunctional family in " Little Miss Sunshine "). Mark Wahlberg is compulsively watchable as a motormouth cop in the Scorsese film " The Departed ." Jackie Earle Haley ventures far from earlier roles to play a pedophile in " Little Children " -- one of the least likable characters in recent movies. And Djimon Hounsou's portrayal of a proud, small-town fisherman in "Blood Diamond" is genuinely moving as he fights to regain his son from the reaches of a corrupt regime.

But Eddie Murphy wins the category, deserves to, and will be back in starring roles unless he continues to choose unfunny comedies done just for the money.

Prediction: Eddie Murphy Preference: Eddie Murphy

In movies where a famous character is being portrayed, there is always the dramatic "reveal" moment when we see ... why, that's Warren Beatty ! This moment will inspire reams of disposable prose about how much the performer playing the famous character does or does not resemble its real-life counterpart. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't, and most of the time it makes no difference to the success of the film.

" The Queen " (2006) is a movie in which Helen Mirren, a British actress of limitless skills, often seen as a very ordinary person, plays the Queen of England. The "reveal" is boldly stunning -- not a coy glance over a shoulder, but a straight-on head shot. She levels a steady gaze at the camera. It contains a vast self-confidence that she truly and deeply takes very seriously her role and responsibilities. It is the best performance by any actress this year and deserves the Academy Award. It embodies all of the ways in which she tells us who this queen is, and why she is so stubborn about holding the line against a state funeral for Princess Diana.

There are four other notable nominated performances by actresses this year. Penelope Cruz embodied joy and fancy as a high-spirited woman who inherits the ghost of her own mother in " Volver ." Judi Dench always great, doesn't disappoint as the ruthless and sly schoolmistress who discovers a new colleague is having an affair with a young boy -- and uses that information to advance her own erotic ambitions -- in "Notes on a Scandal." Meryl Streep was superb as a fashion editor of great ego and heartless ambition, whose career depends on cutthroat rivalry in " The Devil Wears Prada ." And Kate Winslet gives an erotic performance as one of a group of suburbanites whose lives are played out in the playgrounds and bedrooms of their less than satisfied existences in "Little Children."

All good movies, powerfully acted. One of the strongest actress categories in years. All deserving of the Oscar. But I will not soon forget Mirren's sober conviction that she and no one else is the Queen of England, and don't you forget it!

Prediction: Helen Mirren Preference: Helen Mirren

It's not often that a movie audience breaks into spontaneous applause, but you're likely to hear it after Jennifer Hudson's solo in "Dreamgirls," and there's no doubt the audience is sincere. Jamie Foxx plays a music impresario loosely based on Berry Gordy Jr., explaining to Hudson's character, Effie White, why they are breaking up personally and professionally. Effie sees this not as a matter of business but of the heart. " And I'm telling you ... I'm not going! " she sings, in a broadside of talent and feeling and emotion. That moment isn't the only reason she'll win as best supporting actress, but it's a good one.

Hudson's story is the kind beloved by movie audiences -- how she was voted off "American Idol" and now seems on the brink of an Oscar. And it's the kind of performance movies like this need to anchor its show-biz familiarities.

Also nominated: Cate Blanchett , ethereal in her role of a teacher having an affair with her young student; Abigail Breslin as a smart, irrepressible offspring of a dysfunctional family in "Little Miss Sunshine" (she has her emotional hooks into everybody); Rinko Kikuchi , as a deaf grieving teenager in " Babel " whose life becomes a target in her world, and Adriana Barraza as the Mexican maid who becomes the victim of a border guard while returning from her son's wedding in "Babel." These latter two characters symbolize the way no one in "Babel" really seems to communicate.

Hudson's character doesn't communicate very well with the others in her rags-to-riches story of three girls who become overnight singing stars in the 1960s. Maybe that's because she speaks with honesty and openness, and doesn't understand their lingo of ambition and career shortcuts. Not since Barbra Streisand's show-stopper "Don't Rain on My Parade" in " Funny Girl " has an actress brought a movie to a sudden, shuddering halt of emotion and applause. But Hudson does, showing the kind of talent she must have been born with.

Prediction: Jennifer Hudson Preference: Jennifer Hudson

I've seen four of the five foreign film nominations this year and they are so gloriously diverse, hold such promise for the future that you could do worse than starting your Oscar viewing here.

I'm predicting that Mexico's submission, Guillermo del Toro's brilliant " Pan's Labyrinth " will win this category -- not least because it is probably the most widely seen. The political fable of a young girl drifting between emotional times at home and a scary forest wonderland amidst the backdrop of Spanish fascism and war, it crosses the visual fancies of comic books, video games and graphic novels, combining them in a work stirred up from the depths of his soul.

Consider also the other nominees, including Algeria's " Days of Glory " by Rachid Bouchareb . It involves young North Africans, mostly Algerians, who are required to leave home and family and fight for their French "homeland." After the war, their sacrifice is completely forgotten. Consider, too, Canada's submission, Deepa Mehta's " Water ," the heartbreaking story of young brides, already widows, who are expected to live the remainder of their lives in solitude and involuntary labor. And also nominated from Germany is " The Lives of Others " by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. Using long-secret files of the Stasi, the East German secret police, it shows lives being methodically destroyed by a sadistic bureaucracy.

All four of the films I've seen (I have not seen "After the Wedding" from Denmark) are serious, focused, take their mission seriously. Any of them would be a worthy nominee. To choose one is not to choose against the others. But "Pan's Labyrinth" is fresh and innovative, and was rumored to be in the running for a best picture nomination. It is the one to beat.

Prediction: "Pan's Labyrinth" Preference: "Pan's Labyrinth"

A dark, scary, visually inventive sleeper named "Monster House" came out of nowhere to become an artistic success. But it has no chance to win the Oscar ahead of " Cars ," a bright and cheery story with a little something profound lurking around the edges. This Disney/Pixar production is smart in the way that its 1951 Hudson Hornet manages to look simultaneously like itself and Paul Newman . And I suspect the academy voters will agree with the picture's nostalgic look at the simplicity of the "good old days."

Neither will "Monster House" win over another real sleeper, the unexpected "Happy Feet," which audiences loved for its heart and sentiment, not to mention its music and dancing penguins. Nevertheless, I don't predict these little penguins will waddle right up to the Oscar like " March of the Penguins " last year. I predict that the more mellow "Cars" will take home the gold. But I wish more people had seen "Monster House," the story of a group of children mesmerized by a seemingly intelligent haunted house.

Prediction: "Cars" Preference: "Monster House"

Screenplays are the mysterious engines that lurk beneath a movie, often much edited, sometimes rewritten beyond recognition. But the general rule is, if it ain't on the page, it ain't on the screen. I haven't read one of the actual screenplays of any of the nominees, but how many Oscar voters will have? Nonetheless, that doesn't prevent me from predicting that Guillermo Arriaga's work for "Babel" will win this category. It will win in part because it generated the best movie, and in part because its great complexity and ingenuity takes on a dread fascination.

Of the other nominees, isn't it a shame that the Academy Awards make no distinction between drama and comedy? Michael Arndt's work on "Little Miss Sunshine" uses inspired casting and Arndt's rapid-fire dialogue to create a comic gem. It's a story of a dysfunctional family driving cross-country to enter its beloved daughter in a beauty pageant. It has a lot of heart and soul, and is very funny. It deserves to compete in a separate category.

Peter Morgan's "The Queen" not so much creates but evokes a convincing Queen Elizabeth. Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" is one of the most original fantasies since Grimm's Fairy Tales. Iris Yamashita's " Letters from Iwo Jima " hauntingly humanizes the Japanese soldiers fighting in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II and shows the chilling realism of that war.

But the academy will honor "Babel," not only because of its complex achievement, but also because of the thought and care that went into it.

Prediction: "Babel" Preference: "Babel"

I reviewed Martin Scorsese 's first film in 1968, something I never tire of reminding patient readers. In the review, I predicted, essentially, that he would stand astride the film world in, oh, say, 10 years. And so he did. But where is the recognition? Where is the Oscar after 39 years?

America's greatest director has been passed over time and again for the Academy Award. This time, with his popular "The Departed," I have a feeling he will finally win his golden trophy. It is only a feeling, an instinct, but let's see if I'm right. The movie returns to Scorsese's favorite subject, gangsters in America, and once again stars some of the most colorful of American actors, led by Jack Nicholson . And in its story of double identities, it is surprisingly entertaining.

I admired all the other nominees, not least Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu 's "Babel." The mercurial young director moves far outside genre to portray a world where terrorism criss-crosses with crime and ordinary lives. I also admired Stephen Frears ' "The Queen," with Helen Mirren's haunting portrait of Queen Elizabeth; Paul Greengrass' uncanny realism in "United 93 (which deserved the comparisons with a documentary), and Clint Eastwood 's visionary, incredibly ambitious war drama, "Letters from Iwo Jima," which considered the bloody struggle from the Japanese point of view.

But Eastwood has won twice in recent years, the others are less familiar to Oscar voters, and Scorsese's time has come around at last. And, to cement this, he recently won the Director's Guild Award.

Prediction: Martin Scorsese Preference: For reasons of tact, I prefer not to reveal my preference.

Five films more different in style, subject and form would be hard to imagine, but here they are, the nominees for best picture. The daring, original "Babel" is thought to be the frontrunner, and I think deserves to be, but each of these movies is excellent in its own way. Rumor has it that "Little Miss Sunshine" is poised to be an upset winner, and in fact it won an ensemble SAG Award.

Martin Scorsese has made better films than "The Departed," but then he has never made a bad film. The prospect of a great young director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, winning his first Oscar is matched by the possibility that Scorsese will win a much-delayed one. With the loss of Robert Altman , is any active director more senior and better than Clint Eastwood? And what a pure, stark war movie he has made in "Letters from Iwo Jima." His conception is so original -- two movies (the other is " Flags of Our Fathers "), one in English, one in Japanese. Both considering the same battle, both detached, low-key, lacking in action cliches.

No movie is harder to make, in a technical sense, than a comedy. But what a priceless one Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris have made in "Little Miss Sunshine." It has this combination of the transgressive and the risk-taking of this particular American genre, with Alan Arkin leading the parade as a vulgar but family-loving grandpa.

And what an achievement from Stephen Frears in "The Queen," where Helen Mirren bares everything in an original closeup that asserts she "is" the Queen, not an imitator, but an embodiment.

And yet Oscar voters often prefer serious, big-themed subjects of the kind seen in "Babel," a powerful group of international stories in which the secret human connections only gradually unfold. But the big upset could be "Little Miss Sunshine" because it touched something deep in the American psyche, and had people identifying with this odd family who pulls together when it matters the most.

I have only once in my almost 40 years as a film critic written these words: "You owe it to yourself to see this film." That was the power of Al Gore's movie about global warming, " An Inconvenient Truth ." My review was divorced from politics or political leanings. It reflected the truth as I understood it, that global warming is real, and is partly caused by human activity. That view has just been ratified in a recent meeting of scientists. But aside from the content, the movie is well done cinematically.

The other nominees: "Deliver Us From Evil," "Iraq in Fragments," "Jesus Camp" and "My Country, My Country."

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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The Last King of Scotland Reviews

Neither overly political nor overly intellectual, The Last King of Scotland is a powerful, accessible biopic of one of history’s recent madmen.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 8, 2024

Bigger than life, volatile, unstable, whipping from childlike generosity to ferocious vengeance to crippling paranoia in seconds, it’s the kind of role that invites accolades and [Forest] Whitaker deserves them all...

Full Review | Sep 24, 2023

An electric chemistry between McAvoy and Whitaker allows us to suspend our disbelief at the doctor's feckless gullibility...

Full Review | May 12, 2020

A commendable action film rather than astute political portrait.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 3, 2018

In Idi Amin, Whitaker reaches his artistic zenith.

Full Review | Feb 27, 2018

The Last King Of Scotland will no doubt be picking up an armful of gongs come award season, and rightly so; it's not only lovingly shot and acted, but it evolves into one of the best thrillers of recent memory too.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 3, 2012

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 24, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Feb 9, 2011

Pit stop for white liberal guilt and neocolonial pillaging

Full Review | Aug 28, 2009

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 20, 2008

Whitaker's chilling, charismatic take on Uganda's General Idi Amin in The Last King Of Scotland stands up there with the great depictions of unhinged dictators like Antony Hopkins' Hitler in The Bunker or Christian Clavier in the 'Napoleon' mini-series.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 25, 2008

Its ultimate effect is that of shallow self-congratulation.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Apr 5, 2008

Whitaker portrays Amin as funny, vulnerable, tender and enigmatic -- all without ever letting us forget he was a maniacal monster.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Feb 28, 2008

film postaje daleko mra%u010Dniji nego %u0161to su to njegovi autori imali u plan

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Jun 22, 2007

it's Whitaker that kept the film alive when everyone was handing him Best Actor statuettes

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 5, 2007

...Whitaker's superb work remains the highlight of an otherwise routine effort.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jun 4, 2007

Historical fantasy rules in Hollywood's Africa.

Full Review | Apr 21, 2007

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 14, 2007

It's a deconstruction of Idi Amin's persona, played with such dedication by Whitaker the surrounding narrative feels without purpose.

Full Review | Mar 15, 2007

There is surprise in Whitaker's step, with a curtain of menace running beneath it. His is one of the fiercest, least predictable performances of 2006, so fully on edge that he becomes the movie's edge.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Mar 5, 2007

Suggestions

Review: the last king of scotland.

Forest Whitaker gives a tour-de-force portrayal of a creature who is all the more horrifying because his evil is so recognizable.

Ugandan dictator Ida Amin was a monster of epic proportions, a larger-than-life figure well known for his charming personality and big plans. Reveling in pomp and circumstance to the point where it became comical, it was difficult to take this tyrant seriously; the almost childlike demeanor he presented to the world existed side by side with megalomania and mass murder. The Last King of Scotland is a portrait of the monster told from the point of view of a (fictional) Scottish doctor fresh out of school, Nicholas (James McAvoy), who is quickly promoted to personal physician to Amin himself simply because the leader loves and respects all things Scottish. As Nicholas sees the increasingly unstable and murderous reign of this mad dictator, he inevitably realizes he’s in over his head. The Last King of Scotland is remarkably taut and fast-paced for a two-hour film, with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle using his 28 Days Later style of jolting handheld camerawork and unlikely camera placement to maximum effect here. He finds a fascinating subject in the face of Amin, as played by Forest Whitaker. This tremendous actor is able to suggest striking subtleties from one line reading to the next, and his expressive face quickly shifts from love to bullying to hectoring to adoration in rapid, eye-blinking succession. Evoking danger and a sickening sort of pity, Whitaker suggests through his mercurial turn that being an innocent and being a monster can be uniquely combined; and that within the heart of the megalomaniac is a spontaneous, moody child jumping from the heights of joy to the depths of depravity. The world is his train set, and if he doesn’t like it he’ll break it apart, but once broken he’ll childishly beg his colleagues to put it back together again. If The Last King of Scotland doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know about monsters, it certainly provides a vivid snapshot of Uganda (the film was shot on location) and a tour-de-force portrayal of a creature who is all the more horrifying because his evil is so recognizable, and so chillingly embracing and warm.

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The Last King of Scotland

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Peter Travers

Powerful. Thundering. Colossal — puny words to describe Forest Whitaker's king-size, Oscar-ready performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. There is pow to spare in this first feature — and a lively one — from documentarian Kevin Macdonald ( Touching the Void ). Whitaker brims with charm and outrageous humor, making Amin's emerging savagery scary as hell. Based on the novel by Giles Foden. the film views Amin through a fictional character, the young Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan (gifted newcomer James McAvoy), who signs on in 1971 as Amin's personal MD. The script, by Peter Morgan ( The Queen ) and Jeremy Brock ( Mrs. Brown ), asks us to see ourselves in Nicholas, seduced by Amin's charisma and awakening too late to his evil. The plot turns perilously Hollywood when the doc gets it on with one of Amin's wives (Kerry Washington). But Whitaker is on fire, and as long as he's onscreen. King keeps you riveted.

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The last king of scotland.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 2 Reviews
Kids Say 4 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Cynthia Fuchs , based on child development research. How do we rate?

Brutal look at the consequences of absolute power. No kids.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 17+?

Over 20 uses of "f--k," plus other profanity ("hell," etc.).

Violence is pervasive, including shooting and tank battles; characters are shot

BMW, Holiday Inn.

Frequent drinking and some smoking (cigarettes and cigars).

Sexual activity/naked body parts in two or three scenes; women perform sensuous

Any Positive Content?

Based on the real-life story of notoriously brutal dictator Idi Amin, the film i

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Violence is pervasive, including shooting and tank battles; characters are shot in close-up; discussion of assassinations; images of bloody body parts (one woman's body gruesomely appears briefly, cut into sections); the protagonist is tortured by being hung from the ceiling on hooks attached to his chest (gruesome again); a child suffers a frightening epileptic attack.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

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Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sexual activity/naked body parts in two or three scenes; women perform sensuous dances during celebrations (some are topless); a pregnancy results from an adulterous affair.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Based on the real-life story of notoriously brutal dictator Idi Amin, the film implicates as well those non-Ugandans who made his rise to power possible, including the British and the CIA.

Parents need to know that this movie is based on the real life of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and includes references to massacres, revenge killings, torture, and abuse. Some scenes depict such violence explicitly, including bloody bodies, shooting, knifing, and grisly torture. There are also some scenes of sexual activity, including a one-night liaison between the protagonist and an unknown woman and the protagonist's dangerous adulterous affair. Women appear in revealing or little clothing (some dancers are topless). Characters use foul language (especially "f--k") in anger. It's the 1970s, so characters also drink liquor and smoke cigarettes as emblems of class comfort. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (2)
Kids say (4)

Based on 2 parent reviews

A harrowing, uncompromising cinematic experience

Unpleasant waste of time, what's the story.

Newly minted doctor Nicholas (James McAvoy) avoids going into practice with his father by traveling to Uganda, where he imagines he can "make a difference" and have an adventure. When Nicholas is invited to serve as president Idi Amin ( Forest Whitaker )'s personal physician, he imagines that he'll get excitement, access, and a chance to "do good" with the new resources at the hospital in Kampala. But Amin's reign quickly turns violent (he kills anyone he deems an enemy and expels 50,000 Asians from Uganda), and Nicholas watches the action and pretends that Amin isn't responsible. The doctor goes so far as to justify his own errors in judgment: He wants to look after Amin's wife Kay ( Kerry Washington ), currently on the outside because her son is epileptic. As Amin becomes visibly (or more consistently) psychotic and paranoid, Nicholas begins to fear for his own safety.

Is It Any Good?

Harrowing and provocative, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND traces the rise of Idi Amin by taking the perspective of the young Scottish doctor. While the device could seem hackneyed, it's instructive here, for the film never lets viewers forget that the doctor comes to Africa to "play the white man," as Amin puts it, careless and self-indulgent.

As a metaphor, the fictional Nicholas makes clear the insidious means by which the West, and -- in particular -- the Caucasian West, exploits and abuses its privilege in other nations. While The Last King of Scotland makes Nicholas pay dearly and repeatedly for his vanity and willful ignorance, it also encourages your investment in his plight. Still, the fact that Nicholas -- however inadvertently, however much he seems a victim -- is also capable of great horrors (he lets others perform them, then judges them), makes him even more troubling than Amin. He should have known better.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the cycles of violence that afflict developing nations. How are these cycles supported by outsider money and exploitation of resources? Who's to blame for what happens in these cases? Families can also talk about the story of Amin, a former heavyweight boxer and British colonial army sergeant who declared himself president of Uganda following a military coup and ruled for eight years. What effect does having a fictional character tell his story have on the movie and what viewers take away from it?

Movie Details

In theaters : September 27, 2006
On DVD or streaming : April 17, 2007
Cast : Forest Whitaker , James McAvoy , Kerry Washington
Director : Kevin Macdonald
Inclusion Information : Black actors, Female actors
Studio : Fox Searchlight
Genre : Drama
Run time : 121 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : some strong violence and gruesome images, sexual content and language.
Last updated : May 13, 2024

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Cast & crew
User reviews

The Last King of Scotland

Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s. Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s. Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.

Kevin Macdonald
Peter Morgan
Jeremy Brock
Giles Foden
James McAvoy
Forest Whitaker
Gillian Anderson
403 User reviews
204 Critic reviews
74 Metascore
49 wins & 32 nominations total

Top cast 45

Dr. Nicholas Garrigan

Sarah Merrit

Jonah Wasswa
(as Abby Mukiibi)

Times Journalist
(as Dr. Dick Stockley)
Mrs. Garrigan
Dr. Garrigan - Senior
Kay Amin's Servant
Mackenzie Amin
Campbell Amin
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

Trivia On the DVD director's commentary, Kevin Macdonald states that during filming of Idi Amin 's visit to the village near the mission, many of the local extras thought it was the real Idi Amin on stage giving speeches.
Goofs Most shots of Entebbe Airport include a long line of African flags running alongside the terminal, between it and the runway. The line includes the flag of the rebel Republic of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), which neither Uganda, nor any other country, recognized.

Idi Amin : You are British?

Nicholas Garrigan : Scottish. I am Scottish.

Idi Amin : Scottish? Ha! Ha! Why didn't you say so?... Great soldiers. Very brave. And good people. Completely. Let me tell you, if I could be anything instead of a Ugandan, I would be a Scot.

Nicholas Garrigan : Right... Really?

Idi Amin : He. Except for the red hair, which I'm sure is attractive to your women, but which we Africans, we find is quite disgusting.

Connections Edited from General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait (1974)
Soundtracks Nakawunde Performed by Percussion Discussion Afrika Written by Mike Musoke and Herman Sewanyana Copyright Control Licensed courtesy of Percussion Discussion Afrika

User reviews 403

Jun 24, 2022
How long is The Last King of Scotland? Powered by Alexa
Why is the movie called The Last King of Scotland, if he's the dictator of Uganda?
January 19, 2007 (United States)
United Kingdom
United States
Vị Vua Cuối Cùng Của Scotland
Kampala, Uganda
Fox Searchlight Pictures
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$6,000,000 (estimated)
$17,606,684
Oct 1, 2006
$48,618,191

Technical specs

Runtime 2 hours 3 minutes
Dolby Digital

More to explore

Review: The Last King of Scotland (2006)

Wesley Lovell

The Last King of Scotland

Kevin Macdonald

Jeremy Brock, Peter Morgan (Novel by Giles Foden)

Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Simon McBurney

MPAA Rating

R (For some strong violence and gruesome images, sexual content and language)

Buy/Rent Movie

Source material.

The ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin dubs himself The Last King of Scotland in this intriguing political drama.

Though the Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) character is a key element of the film’s story, the true lead of the film is young, idealistic doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) who decides to serve the people of Uganda in a backwater clinic. When summoned to fix an injured Amin at the side of a car accident, his bravado is recognized and rewarded. He is asked become Idi’s personal physician.

At first, Nicholas is persuaded by the man’s charms but as things unfold and his anger and violent tendencies emerge, Nicholas begins to fear for his own life and searches for an escape that may never come.

McAvoy turns in a wonderful and nuanced performance. He blends the emotional zeal and conviction of a recent medical graduate with a veneer of innocence and invulnerability. Each of these strong qualities, though persisting in large part throughout the performance are eventually eradicated and a terrified young adult emerges.

Giving a career-high performance, Forest Whitaker conveys the charismatic appeal of a popularly-elected official and the oppressive, paranoia of a merciless dictator. He helps the audience understand how a man with so much power can delude himself into believing that his well being benefits the populace.

Screenwriters Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock adapt Giles Foden’s fictionalized novel to the screen. Though the story is an imagined one, it is nonetheless relevant to past, present and likely future political climates. The type of man Idi Amin was has been seen in many world leaders over the centuries and through this film, the screenwriters are not only providing a compelling view of a bloody segment of history but also provide a commentary on present day imperialistic viewpoints.

Many leaders, whether elected, appointed or usurped, have a tendency to believe that their word and not the will of the people will be served. They never fully understand that they serve rather than lead. An effective leader will always provide for those below him while strongly leading his country to forefront of the world community. Some leaders believe that regardless of the outcome of their actions, what they decide is more relevant than anything anyone else can prove. The Last King of Scotland is the perfect metaphor for political rebellion. Though fear motivates many of us into inaction, there are times and situations where it’s imperative to take things into our own hands.

The Last King of Scotland hints at many things the audience already knows about the cruel Idi Amin but the discovery of these events is slow, matching perfectly Nicholas’ growing understanding of his environment and his own mortality. Director Kevin Macdonald incrementally metes out the film’s brutal images so that when Nicholas becomes part of the most potent mayhem, we become fully immersed in their severity.

The film won’t appeal to many audiences who are looking for a more heavy handed action film as The Last King of Scotland is less so than similar films like Babel or Blood Diamond . It is a simple film whose motives are apparent but not forced. It feels as if we are a part of Idi Amin’s regime watching the events unfold and not being dragged through them.

Review Written

February 4, 2007

The Last King Of Scotland Review

12 Jan 2007

123 minutes

Last King Of Scotland, The

“Political awareness can be raised as much by entertainment as rhetoric,” says director Ed Zwick of January’s other Africa-in-crisis movie, Blood Diamond. It’s a tenet that could equally be applied to this sometimes savagely violent examination of Uganda under Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). Part Amin biopic, part political drama, part blistering thriller, Kevin Macdonald has taken a break from award-winning documentaries (One Day In September, Touching The Void) and instead created an unashamedly entertaining movie in his fiction debut, even if its final half-hour turns the screws on both Amin’s victims and the audience.

Based on the novel by Giles Foden, The Last King takes a fictional protagonist, Nicholas (James McAvoy), and slots him into an historical document of Amin’s regime, the young, Scottish doctor finding himself adopted, and manipulated, by the despot. It’s a movie of ambiguities on many levels, and can be tonally awkward at times. The third act is pure thriller as Nick tries to escape his increasingly desperate situation, and feels like a different film from the first hour, in which Macdonald’s documentary background is clearly evident. Such a flaw could, in less confident hands, prove fatal. But Macdonald covers the structural cracks by ensuring that the narrative pace never flags.

Indeed, it could be argued that the uneven structure is deliberate, underlining the film’s moral ambiguities. Macdonald presents us with a renowned monster — it’s estimated Amin had over 300,000 Ugandans killed before he was forced into exile — who appears, for a fair chunk of the movie, an endearingly eccentric figure. Meanwhile our ostensible hero is in Uganda to ‘do some good’, but within hours has blithely made the moves on his new boss’ wife (an underused Gillian Anderson) and a day later swapped the grim realities of outback medicine for a place at Amin’s privileged ‘court’. An underdeveloped subplot involving the British secret service’s attempts to manipulate the situation is similarly painted in shades of grey.

It’s a sophisticated message to offer in a film that plays like a mainstream blockbuster, and the daring presentation of an unavoidably human Amin succeeds largely because of an electrifying performance from Whitaker — rightly prompting Oscar talk. He makes it near impossible to draw firm conclusions about the man, his larger-than-life irrepressibility as hypnotic for the audience as for the naïve Nicholas. As the dark realities of the regime become clear — and a succession of horrific scenes will stay seared in the memory — it is with some reluctance that we are forced to admit that this is no affably bonkers George III, but a vicious mass murderer. The perfect foil is young upstart Nicholas, potentially colourless in comparison but, thanks to another nuanced performance from McAvoy, a protagonist as charming as he is cocky — crucial if we’re to root for him in those final terror-filled scenes.

There’s no denying that as the film reaches its conclusion Nick finds himself in situations ever more difficult to swallow. But forced moments aside, it succeeds in entertaining and raising questions in equal measure, and refuses to offer easy answers.

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Eye For Film >> Movies >> The Last King Of Scotland (2006) Film Review

The last king of scotland.

Reviewed by: Chris

It's Scotland 1970 and Nicholas (James McAvoy) is going semi-skinny-dipping in a chilly loch, with a bunch of other new medical graduates. Afterwards he goes home for a sherry with overly-traditional parents. Or at least until the opening credits. By then, desperate to get away, he spins the globe and ends up amid hot, dusty colours and rich, vibrant sounds of Uganda.

Nicholas is a blue-eyed boy with lots of testosterone. His hormones compete for attention with newly acquired medical skills. Out in the backwoods, he assists a lone doctor and tries to seduce his wife (Gillian Anderson). Yet a string of coincidences soon has Nicholas playing personal doctor to the new President, Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker).

As Amin's regime gets underway, young Nick realises he's sold his soul. He's surrounded by a life of luxury - paid for with the blood of hundreds of thousands of Ugandans. Worse still, 'Daddy' Amin is in no mood to let him leave.

Expect strong performances, plenty of brutality, a tense ending and a very nasty little scene in the airport duty free. Plus some convincingly mutilated bodies in the mortuary. A thriller 'inspired by true events', The Last King Of Scotland is a competent if slightly raggedy film that sticks in the mind.

On the down side, it's shot on grainy 16mm, blown up to 35mm. The overall visual effect often lacks definition to the point of fuzziness. The bigger shortfall is that it has nothing to say beyond its own basic story. It could be called yet another white-conscience-in-Africa film. We hear how the Brits helped Amin to power: it would have been an ideal opportunity to suggest countries cannot easily be 'helped' towards a better form of government until they are ready (or have earned it themselves, and so learning to appreciate and maintain it).

The Last King of Scotland lacks the moral complexity it should have. It misses, for instance, any chance to say anything of importance about the wider world or its subject matter. Unlike The Constant Gardener , Tsotsi or Shooting Dogs , it concentrates on weak or corrupt characters, which can make for unsatisfying viewing.

Even the moral dilemmas of the young doctor are undeveloped. We watch an action-driven plot and unless we are totally ignorant of history, we know exactly what sort of atrocities Amin will eventually get up to. The horror has been diluted; the intellectual component edited out. For a thriller, it often leaves much to be desired and one wonders whether Director Kevin Macdonald is still too wedded to the documentary genre that his been his mainstay until now.

Idi Amin had a fixation for Scotland. He gave himself many grandiose titles including 'Last King of Scotland'. One painter depicted him as Scotland's Bonnie Prince Charlie, the 'Young Pretender', who led the fight against the English army but was defeated at Culloden. Such a comparison is odious and appears to hold no deeper meaning than to show what Amin's disordered mind was capable of (he saw a comparison between two countries 'seeking to free themselves from the yoke of English imperialism').

It does, however, flesh out the almost mythical figure of Idi Amin. The character of Nicholas would hold our interest more if we did not have to credit a university mind with such stupidity in personal relations. While The Last King of Scotland has many good features, including performances that raise it well above the average, it surely deserved more. Early on in the film, the warmth and spirit of rural Uganda shines through. That humanity might have made a more moving bookend than the cold fact of numbers killed that appears before the closing credits.

Read more The Last King Of Scotland reviews:

Director: Kevin Macdonald

Writer: Jeremy Brock, based on the novel by Giles Foden

Starring: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Simon McBurney, David Oyelowo, Abby Mikiibi Nkaaga, Adam Kotz

Runtime: 121 minutes

Country: UK

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News & Features

The Last King of Scotland

Review by brian eggert january 29, 2007.

The horrific but true story of Ugandan Prime Minister Idi Amin (whose reign over the first independent government of Africa began in 1971 with a military coup of Uganda’s first Prime Minister), partnered with the film’s pseudo-documentary camerawork, gives The Last King of Scotland a brimming authenticity. The story is told from the point of view of the character Nicholas Garrigan, a recently graduated Scottish doctor who just had to get away from home. Garrigan is the white man in Africa, picking Uganda at random as somewhere wild to go and make a difference. The film plays out like Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness ; Garrigan enters the unknowns of Africa and becomes enticed, entranced, and finally horrified by what he sees.

First settling at a small, private hospital, Garrigan (James McAvoy), unexpectedly meets the newly “appointed” Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker), inadvertently charms him, and then reluctantly takes a position as Amin’s personal physician. Amin is shown as good-humored, he laughs with childlike immaturity but also has bouts of anger and even paranoid schizophrenia. Completely unaware of Uganda’s political situation, Garrigan doesn’t judge Amin; he keeps giving the Prime Minister chances until it becomes impossible (bloodily) to do so. Everyone calls Garrigan “the white monkey” as he’s become a slave to Amin; the horror of Amin’s supremacy finally hits Garrigan, as he sees firsthand the butchery of Uganda’s leader. By that time it’s too late to go home.

Known for giving himself extravagant titles such as “His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular” (that’s a long one) and “King of Scotland”, Amin was considered a madman. Rumors of cannibalism and mass killings made it back to the U.S. during his administration, and as the film tells us, Amin is now known to be responsible for over 300,000 deaths during his eight-year rule. Forest Whitaker never fails to show us his character capable of such horrors.

Whitaker, whose career thus far isn’t widely known, gives a performance that gradually induces both Garrigan and the audience to sink into their chairs. We’re charmed by Amin’s power, his generosity to Garrigan, and then we realize we’ve been duped by an egomaniacal monster. This realization is downright scary and unnerving like something out of a great horror film. Whitaker got his big break in Martin Scorsese’s The Color of Money , playing a pool shark who out-hustles the hustler, Paul Newman. Later roles in Clint Eastwood’s Bird as Charlie Parker, The Crying Game , Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai , and Panic Room have proved Whitaker’s versatility. Hopefully, this film thrusts Whitaker into the general public’s eye. His performance here has already won several awards and is sure to garner more.

The film also stars Gillian Anderson, who sort of disappeared after The X-Files went off the air, save this and a role in 2005’s hilarious Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story . It’s nice to see her on the screen again, doing something other than investigating government conspiracies. Here’s hoping her feature film career continues. Kevin Macdonald, whose filmography consists of mostly documentaries, shoots the film in a realistic, breaking news style. We’re often watching from afar during outside scenes, focusing in from a distance. Scenes of violence, in particular, are comparable to graphic scenes on CNN—painfully real. Though the setting allows for the possibility of an epic visual scope, Macdonald personalizes it—as though TV cameras are catching the film’s events, as though it’s live.

Even if you’re unaware of Unganda’s maniacal Idi Amin, because of Garrigan’s obliviousness to the political situation there, it’s better if you go into the film without extensive knowledge of the material beforehand. The film, though essentially about Amin, gives us Garrigan to relate to; we’re on this trip with him into one of the most horrifying times in African political history. The “white man in Africa” idea is a little problematic in the way Blood Diamond was, but the fact that this is based on a true story smoothed over my angst. Macdonald’s direction, Whitaker’s standout performance (not to mention James McAvoy’s surprising portrayal of the corrupted Garrigan), and most importantly the story are all real in that gets-under-your-skin way. Neither overly political nor overly intellectual, The Last King of Scotland is a powerful, accessible biopic of one of history’s recent madmen.

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The last king of scotland.

Directed by Kevin Macdonald

Charming. Magnetic. Murderous.

Young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrives during the downfall of President Obote. General Idi Amin comes to power and asks Garrigan to become his personal doctor.

Forest Whitaker James McAvoy Simon McBurney Gillian Anderson Kerry Washington David Oyelowo Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga Adam Kotz Barbara Rafferty David Ashton Sarah Nagayi Stephen Rwangyezi Sam Okelo Dick Stockley Chris Wilson Daniel Ssettaba Giles Foden Andrew Williams Martina Amati Devon Diep

Director Director

Kevin Macdonald

Producers Producers

Andrea Calderwood Ros Borland Christine Ruppert Lisa Bryer Suzanne Warren Charles Steel

Writers Writers

Peter Morgan Jeremy Brock

Original Writer Original Writer

Giles Foden

Casting Casting

Editor editor.

Justine Wright

Cinematography Cinematography

Anthony Dod Mantle

Assistant Director Asst. Director

Derek Ritchie

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Andrew Macdonald Allon Reich Tessa Ross

Production Design Production Design

Michael Carlin

Art Direction Art Direction

Mags Horspool Lynne Huitson

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Tina Jones Rebecca Alleway

Title Design Title Design

Matt Curtis

Stunts Stunts

Gary Connery Eddie Stacey

Composer Composer

Alex Heffes

Sound Sound

Carsten Richter

Costume Design Costume Design

Michael O'Connor

Makeup Makeup

Suzanne Belcher Dianne Jamieson Barrie Gower

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Sharon Martin

Fox Searchlight Pictures Cowboy Films DNA Films Scottish Screen UK Film Council Film4 Productions Slate Films Tatfilm

USA UK Germany

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English French German Swahili

Releases by Date

01 sep 2006, 10 sep 2006, 10 oct 2006, 27 oct 2006, 22 nov 2006, 25 nov 2006, 26 nov 2006, 26 feb 2007, 02 mar 2007, 04 mar 2007.

Theatrical limited

27 Sep 2006

22 mar 2007, 12 jan 2006, 12 jan 2007, 19 jan 2007, 24 jan 2007, 25 jan 2007, 26 jan 2007, 01 feb 2007, 02 feb 2007, 08 feb 2007, 09 feb 2007, 14 feb 2007, 15 feb 2007, 16 feb 2007, 21 feb 2007, 23 feb 2007, 01 mar 2007, 10 mar 2007, 15 mar 2007, 16 mar 2007, 05 apr 2007, 19 apr 2007, 11 may 2007, 06 sep 2013, 23 feb 2021, 23 mar 2010, 16 jul 2013, 02 jun 2014, 04 mar 2010, releases by country.

Theatrical M

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Theatrical 16
Premiere Sofia Film Fest

Burkina Faso

Premiere Ouagadougou Panafrican Film and Television Festival
Premiere Toronto International Film Festival
Theatrical 15
Theatrical K-16
Theatrical 12
Digital Disney+
Premiere Internationale Hofer Filmtage
Premiere Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Theatrical 18
Theatrical 15A

Netherlands

TV 16 RTL 7
Physical 16 DVD
Physical 16 Blu ray
Premiere Oslo International Film Festival

Philippines

Theatrical M/16
Premiere Belgrade Film Festival
Premiere 15 Stockholm International Film Festival

Switzerland

Premiere BFI London Film Festival
Premiere Telluride Film Festival
Theatrical R

United Arab Emirates

Physical DVD

123 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Matthew Christman ★★ 6

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

The consensus view of this one is: Forest Whitaker is awesome, the rest of the movie is mediocre. I disagree. Forest Whitaker is awesome, and the rest of the movie is infuriating, awful horseshit. The propensity of films about Africa to end up starring white people is a long-time annoyance to me, and this movie is the absolute most egregious case I've ever seen. The reign of Idi Amin is just not compelling on its own merits, it only gains relevance if it is observed by a white protagonist whose character arc is the most important thing happening on the screen at any given moment. It's bad enough that the main character is a white hanger-on, and that the tragedy…

Review by Imogen ★★★★ 2

Bet he wished he picked Canada.

Review by Sam ★★★ 6

Forest Whitaker’s HUGE fart was 100% the best part of the movie

Review by {Todd} ★★★★

"Did you think this was all a game? 'I will go to Africa and I will play the white man with the natives.' Is that what you thought? We are not a game, Nicholas. We are real." -Idi Amin,

Forest Whitaker gives one of the best performances in the history of acting and I am not speaking in hyperbole, I literally think it's one of the best performances I have ever seen in a movie. He manages to make me scared of him... that's right I was scared of a character on a screen in a historical fiction because he's that terrifying. That said, it's not an unhinged performance. Part of what makes it so good is the controlled…

Review by mhoddd ★★½

would probably be more interesting if it was actually about amin and not a made up scottish doctor

Review by Dolev Amitai ★★★

There is something about biographical films, which always highlights an actor's (or actresses') skills, but considers everything else not as important.

It seems the most important part of the actor in a biographical film, is to get every thing right about the character he is playing. His posture, his accent, his manner of speech and his look. So much effort goes into building the character, that the film usually falls behind and does not live up to the actor's skill.

Of course there are exceptions, but biographical films usually suffer from this fate.

The Last King of Scotland suffers the same fate. Except in this film, aside from Forrest Whitaker's good performance as Idi Amin, James McAvoy also gives a…

Review by lex 🔪 ★★★★

patiently waiting for the day that james mcavoy finally gets the recognition he deserves

Review by Darren Carver-Balsiger ★★★½

The story of Idi Amin is messy and brutal. It deserves to be told, so that we can understand the terrors created by leaders such as him. His legacy in Uganda and wider perceptions of Africa is something that needs to be reckoned with. However The Last King of Scotland is not so suitable as that film. It turns these events into a cheap thriller at times, and centres a British man as the main narrative presence. A man, incidentally, who is not so interesting. Not that a European-centric film can't work in some contexts, but The Last King of Scotland doesn't deliver any examination of Western interests in Africa, unlike a similar film such as The Constant Gardener . The…

Review by Travis ★★★½

Well, this wasn’t about Scotland at all.

Review by Steven Sheehan ★★ 7

Far less than half the film it could be. 'Wild' Africa is cranked up where necessary, playing up the stereotypes to appease turning what should be a fascinating character study into a bog standard thriller. What should be an African story told through African eyes somehow becomes the same old sob story of a white guy trying to flee the savages. Bar a couple of fleeting moments of paranoia, all of Whitaker's excellent work - possibly his best - is left without nowhere near enough context to understand his brutality and madness within.

Instead it becomes a story about the shattering of Carrigan's idealism, saying nothing about the destruction of families and communities within Uganda. "Violence must be met with…

Review by Daryl ★★★★½ 1

Forest Whitaker is terrific portraying Idi Amin, intimidating, terrifying, and the best performance I've ever seen from him. Knowing nothing of this story and Amin's presidential reign in Uganda, I was shocked to see what happened under his tenue. Excellent direction, a quality screenplay that is riveting and wholly investing. The Last King of Scotland is a brilliant political thriller.

Review by Jerry McGlothlin ★★½ 6

Forest Whitaker is an absolute force as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. The film itself is average as best, with some very of-its-time filmmaking techniques and I don’t mean that endearingly. The lighting is really bad, though there was some decent camerawork at certain points. McAvoy makes the most of what he’s given but really, the only reason to watch this movie is for Whitaker’s intense and affright performance, which won him an Academy Award for Best Actor—well deserved, in my opinion. The script is kinda weak, but he elevated the material and delivers like no one else could. He becomes Amin; utterly terrifying and very impressive work. It may be his best performance that I’ve seen and that says a lot considering how great of an actor he is. Recommended for his performance and that’s pretty much it.

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The Last King Of Scotland review

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Evil has a face. And it belongs to Forest Whitaker. Big, cuddly Forest Whitaker. An actor so admired and well-respected and so memorable often as a friendly dope that Last King’s unlikeliest coup is its casting. It’s like asking Keanu Reeves to play Hitler... and then seeing The One deliver a soulful, troubling portrait of malignant lunacy. Banish any memories of Whitaker’s Oinglish accent in The Crying Game as here, you don’t see the seams. It’s a performance that justifies the Method, with reports indicating the actor lived the role 24/7 (minus the rampant, genocidal butchery). If enough Academy members see the picture, he’s nailed on for the gong.

Less likely to receive such attention and acclaim, but no less worthy, is McAvoy. Sure, Whitaker has a challenge – to lend dimension and emotion to a despotic mass murderer who once entranced the world’s media with his eccentricity and charm. But McAvoy has to make you care about a med school graduate. Really, Garrigan is a little shit; arriving in Uganda on a cocky, groin-centred quest, he’s seduced a bus passenger within the opening credits, and then sets about trying to woo his employer’s wounded wife (an understated, affecting Gillian Anderson). When Amin wants a personal physician, the young Scot hesitates, but then opts in. He doesn’t give a hoot about what’s right, but what’s easy.

Amin’s evil is rooted in the rotten remnants of Empire, his charisma initially blinding the viewer as much as it does Garrigan. But even as the young opportunist turns a blind eye for far too long (until he’s in way too deep), McAvoy keeps the audience onside. We recognise ourselves – as well as, in a steady but subtle subtext, the invidious arrogance of imperialism – in the angelic-looking amorality of an antihero on the ride of his life. Last King kicks around the brain for long after viewing, troubling because it asks, “Well, what exactly would you do?” It’s historically charged fiction rather than the painstaking reconstruction of director Kevin Macdonald’s Touching The Void, but the demands of making a seat-edge-shredding thriller rarely impinge on the sense of truth.

Staging the wince-inducing climax in the real-life setting of the Entebbe hostage crisis is a dare which pays off, compensating for a slightly forced build-up to the final act, which feels like a self-conscious attempt to inject thriller thrills where dramatic tension would suffice. This is a minor gripe in what is a major work, though, with Macdonald putting himself in the front rank of important filmmakers – British or otherwise.

A smart, searing thriller with blistering performances from McAvoy and Whitaker. Like the best Graham Greene script Graham Greene never wrote.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.

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Movie Review: “The Last King of Scotland”

Taking place in 1971 at the cusp of Amin’s rule, the film stars James McAvoy as Nicholas Garrigan, a recently graduated Scottish doctor who travels to Uganda to serve a small village in desperate need of medical care. Soon after arriving in the country, Garrigan is introduced to the larger-than-life Amin when he’s called upon to mend the general’s wounds obtained in a car accident. Immediately taken with Garrigan’s brash attitude and Scottish heritage, Amin enlists the young doctor to become his personal physician. Seduced by the idea that his service to Amin would indirectly result in the improvement of health care throughout the entire country, Garrigan accepts the position only to discover that Amin isn’t quite the gratious dictator he was led to believe.

Frankly, “The Last King of Scotland” isn’t that great of a film. Most of the performances either feel subdued or completely unnecessary (I’m looking at you, Gillian Anderson), and the pacing resembles that of a mediocre documentary – lots of footage, but nothing particularly informative. Luckily, none of this really matters when you’ve got a great actor like Forest Whitaker behind the reins of one of the year’s most magnetic characters. To say he succeeds in his portrayal of Amin would be to take his performance lightly. This is a powerful performance of the utmost degree; one in which the actor brilliantly depicts both the general’s playful seduction of the media and the murderous treatment of his people in a manner worthy of comparison to guys like Hussein and Hitler.

And while Whitaker will surely receive an Oscar nomination for his work, it’s doubtful that he’ll triumph over more commercial alternatives. It’s a shame really, since this is the most emotionally-charged performance that many people will see all year. Or perhaps that’s the problem – many people haven’t seen this movie, and they probably never will. If Whitaker were to win, it would surely be a welcome change from the awards ceremony’s usual pattern of recognizing the most obvious nominee with a golden statue, but then, what would the Academy Awards be without a few letdowns?

3 / 5 Stars Starring: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington Director: Kevin Macdonald

Single-Disc Blu-Ray Review:

“The Last King of Scotland” finally makes its way to Blu-ray, and considering the grainy, documentary-style look of the film, it’s better than expected. All of the bonus material has also been brought over, including an audio commentary with director Kevin MacDonald, deleted scenes, a short interview with Forest Whittaker about playing the famed dictator, a featurette on casting the role, and the 29-minute “Capturing Idi Amin,” which is one-part documentary on the real man and one-part making-of featurette.

About Author

In addition to writing for Bullz-Eye.com, Jason is a proud member of the Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA) and the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS).

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25 can’t-miss shakespeare movies.

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Leonard Whiting plays Romeo Montague and Olivia Hussey plays Juliet Capulet in the 1968 production ... [+] of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

"All the world's a stage" and sometimes a film set. Whether you frequent Shakespeare Festivals or just had to read a couple of sonnets once in high school, almost everyone is familiar with William Shakespeare as a playwright and poet . Many films have been made based on his plays. Shakespeare film adaptations range from dutiful restagings to creative retellings. The best Shakespeare movies capture the feeling of the original play and often add something more. While there are many movies based on Shakespeare, his plays can be depceptively hard to make into films. From dense dialgoue to long run times and complex plots, there are many pitfalls to making Shakespeare movies. However, the films list do it well and shine as not only films, but as adaptations.

Top Shakespeare Movie Adaptations

In 2014, the Guniess Book of World Records stated that there were 420 full length films based on Shakepeare plays. Ten years later, there is undoubtably many more. These films range from comedy to drama much like the plays they are based on. While there is some debate over authorship, around 38 plays have been attributed to William Shakespeare and over 15 of them appear on this list. However, some plays are made into films more often such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello.

This list takes a broad approach to defining what a Shakespeare adaptation is and some of these films are very loose retellings. However, the films on this list are also ranked by two factors. The first is how the film functions as an adaptation. This doesn’t mean that it has to take place in past or even use the original text of the play. Rather it is about capturing part of the feel of the play or its intended effect. The second (and arguably more important factor) is how good the film is as a stand alone piece. Films on this list range from teen comedies to those devoted to the original play; however this list omits TV films, BBC productions, miniseries and theater pro-shots to focus on theatrical films.

25. Kiss Me Kate (1953)

A scene from Kiss Me Kate

Kiss Me Kate maybe shouldn’t appear on this list. It is a non-direct adaptation of a Shakespeare play but rather one inspired by Shakespeare, much like Shakespeare in Love, Hamlet 2 or All is True. Inspired by Taming of the Shrew , Kiss Me Kate follows two divorced Broadway actors who reunite to act in a musical adaptation of the Shakespeare play.

The film doesn’t age perfectly (much like Taming of the Shrew itself); however, the music and performances in this movie are nothing but infectious. The film is based on the stage musical of the same name and features songs by Cole Porter. It stars Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel and Ann Miller. It is currently streaming on Tubi .

24. Scotland, PA (2001)

Scotland, PA is a black comedy adaptation of The Scottish Play set in a 1970s small-town fast food restaurant. While it isn’t the closest adaptation of Macbeth on this list, it is undoubtedly fresh. The film follows local restaurant owners, the McBeths, as they deal with fortune-telling hippies, embezzlement and a staged robbery.

The film stars Maura Tierney, James LeGros and Christopher Walken. Although it wasn’t originally particularly well-reviewed, it has taken on a kind of cult classic status. The film was even reworked into an off-Broadway musical. It is currently streaming fro free on Tubi , Peacock and Pluto TV .

23. O (2001)

Surprisingly, one of two high school Shakespeare adaptations starring Julia Stiles on this list, O is a dramatic, modern take on Othello . The film follows an up-and-coming basketball player convinced by his duplicitous friend that his girlfriend is cheating on him.

Directed by Tim Blake Nelson, the film stars Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett and Stiles. While screenplay writer Brad Kaaya was inspired by a rash of suburban school shootings in the 1980s and his own experiences as a black teenager at a predominantly white public school, the film was initially shelved for two years following the Columbine High School massacre , given its violent final scenes. The film is surprisingly close to the plot of Othello , possibly even too close for its modern-day setting. However, it is a fascinating adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most intense plays. It is currently streaming with Cinemax .

22. Were the World Mine (2008)

Were the World Mine is another film that isn’t a direct Shakespeare adaptation. However, it is a true hidden gem and must-watch for Shakespeare fans. The film is inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream. It follows a gay high school student who is cast as Puck in a school production of the play, only to become a modern-day Puck in his conservative town.

The film is a musical and gained a cult following in the LGBTQ community. It was written and directed by Tom Gustafson. Were the World Mine stars Tanner Cohen, Wendy Robie, Judy McLane, Zelda Williams and Jill Larson. While it isn’t a direct adaptation, it captures the spirit of A Midsummer Night’s Dream phenomially. It is curerrntly streaming on Tubi and The Roku Channel .

21. Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Judy Dench playing Queen Elizabeth I in the film "Shakespeare in Love".

There are a lot of pretty good films that are a loose take on “ Romeo and Julie t” plus something. Valley Girl is Romeo and Juliet plus Southern California Campiness, Warm Bodies adds Zombies, Rosaline adds a contextual b-plot (in a very Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead way). However, the best is Shakspeare in Love which is Romeo and Juliet plus imagined Shakespeare autobiography.

The film follows an imagined version of the Bard as a romance with a noblewoman leads him to have the idea for Romeo and Juliet .The movie is beautiful and swoon worthy. The only reason it isn’t higher on this list, is it is barely an “adpatation,” and more of a film inspired by Shakespeare. However, it captures plot devices and themes from several Shakespeare plays. The film’s star studed cast is lead by Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes. The film was nominated for 13 Oscars, winning seven. It is streaming on Max .

20. Angoor (1982)

Angoor is a Hindi-language comedy based on Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors . It is one of several classic Indian films based on the play. Many are actually based on Bhranti Bilas (an 1869 Bengali-language play by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, also based on The Comedy of Errors ). Angoor is a remake of the 1963 film Bhranti Bilas, which also inspired 1968’s Do Dooni Chaar. While all of these films are enjoyable, Angoor is arguably the best.

Angoor itself has been remake twice as 2014’s Double Di Trouble and 2022’s Cirkus. Every adaptation follows the chaos that ensues after identical twins meet as adults. Directed by Gulzar, Angoor stars Sanjeev Kumar, Moushumi Chatterjee, Deepti Naval and Deven Verma. Unfortunately it is currently not available on streaming in the US.

19. Titus (1999)

Titus isn’t a perfect film, but it is a must-watch for fans of Shakespeare. Titus suffers from difficult source material. Many are unfamiliar with Shakespeare's revenge drama Titus Andronicus , and the play isn’t usually considered one of his best. However, Titus is a good adaptation and balances style with substance.

The film closely follows the play (including its almost three-hour run time) and tells the story of a Roman general as he plans to sacrifice a prince of the Goths. The film stars Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange and Alan Cumming, who deliver very different but impeccable performances. Unfortunately it is currently not available on streaming.

18. Hamlet (1964)

Arguably the best non-modernized (and non-lion) version of Hamlet, 1964’s Hamlet is a Russian adaptation based on a translation of the play by Boris Pasternak. While the film is shorter than the Shakespeare play, it is a dedicated adaptation that keeps most of the original plot.

Directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Iosif Shapiro, the film retains far more of the politics of the original Shakespeare play, unlike other versions, such as the 1948 Olivier version. The film stars Innokenty Smoktunovsky, Mikhail Nazvanov, Elza Radziņa and Anastasiya Vertinskaya. While it was released during the Cold War, the film was well received in Europe and America. It was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film and a Golden Globe for Best Foreign-Language Foreign Film. While it is easy to find online, it is currently not on streaming services.

17. Forbidden Planet (1956)

A poster for Fred M. Wilcox's 1956 science fiction film 'Forbidden Planet',

Forbidden Planet is a classic of the Cult and Sci-Fi genres, but it is also a loose retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest in space. The film follows astronauts who travel to the planet of Altair IV in hopes of discovering what happened to a group of scientists sent there on a previous mission.

The film is a camp masterpiece that is a foundational work in Sci-Fi filmmaking. It stars Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen and Warren Stevens. The film also “stars” Robby the Robot, a Robot character who made his film debut in Forbidden Planet. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It is currently streaming for free on Tubi .

16. William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1953)

Actor Marlon Brando on the set of the movie 'Julius Caesar'

Usually just called Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar feels both very accessible and slightly dated for a modern audience. The film is the type of lavish period epic that helped define Hollywood’s Golden Age. The star-studded cast includes Marlon Brando, James Mason, Louis Calhern, John Gielgud, Greer Garson and Deborah Kerr.

The film follows the play closely with no significant omissions except for the Battle of Philippi, which is shown instead of spoken of by a messenger. The film was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture (however, it lost to From Here to Eternity .) Brando and Gielgud also won Brando BAFTA Awards for their performances (Brando for Best Foreign Actor and Gielgud for Best British Actor.) It is currently streaming for free on Tubi .

15. A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935)

Lobby card for Max Reinhardt's 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' (1935).

Although A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been adapted into films countless times, Max Rienhardt's 1935 film is one of, if not the best version. The film is adapted from Reinhardt's 1934 Hollywood Bowl production of the play.

The film stars James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Anita Louise, Victor Jory, Jean Muir, Dick Powell and Olivia de Havilland in her first film. While it was a box office bomb and originally received mixed reviews, it has become a classic of the Shakespeare film genre. The film was banned in Germany by Nazi censor Joseph Goebbels for being “degenerate art.” It has a German Expressionist style, features music by 1800s German-Jewish composer Felix Mendelsohn, and Reinhardt had fled Austria himself due to anti-Semitism, which likely contributed to the ban. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the first and last film to be directed by Reinhardt. It is currently available to rent on Amazon Prime .

14. My Own Private Idaho (1991)

My Own Private Idaho is a very loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the film follows a narcoleptic sex worker and his best friend as they search for his mother in Oregon, Idaho, and Rome.

The film stars River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves. My Own Private Idaho is a landmark in New Queer Cinema and has taken on a cult status. Both Phoenix and Reeves deliver powerful performances against stylized set pieces that deliver quiet tragedy. It is available to rent on Amazon Prime , YouTube , Google Play and Apple TV .

13. Henry V (1989)

Laurence Olivier as Henry V in the film of the same name

Henry V is based on the Shakespeare play of the same name. It is one of two films directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh on this list and was his feature directorial debut. The film also stars Paul Scofield, Derek Jacobi, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, Alec McCowen, Judi Dench and Christian Bale.

Henry V strays slightly from the original play with heavily edited dialogue and parts of Henry IV, Part 1, and Part 2 added. However, these changes, coupled with the gritty visual style, make it more accessible than other versions of Henry V , such as Olivier’s 1944 version. The film was nominated for three Oscars, winning Best Costume Design. It is streaming for free on Tubi and Pluto TV .

12. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio in scene from the film 'Romeo + Juliet', 1996.

Romeo + Juliet, also called William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, is a hard sell. While the film is set in the present day, it uses Shakespearean English. However, the film works better than it should. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo, Pete Postlethwaite and Paul Sorvino.

The film is a surprisingly dedicated adaptation. Even though much of the dialogue is used, there are several differences between the play and the movie. Most of the differences come from modernizations, such as swords being replaced with guns. The film includes iconic maximalist visuals and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Art Direction. It is available to rent on YouTube , Google Play , Apple TV and Amazon Prime .

11. Maqbool (2003)

Maqbool is the first film in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespeare trilogy. It is a Modern-day Hindi crime movie retelling of Macbeth. Bhardwaj went on to make 2006’s Omkara (O thello ) and 2014’s Haider ( Hamlet ). While all three films are great Shakespeare adaptations, Maqbool is arguably the best.

The film follows Maqbool as he takes out a Mumbai crime lord after falling in love with the Lord’s mistress. However, he is soon haunted by the ghosts of his betrayal. Maqbool stars Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, and Om Puri. It is available to rent on YouTube, Google Play and Amazon Prime .

10. Richard III (1955)

Sir Laurence Olivier plays the title role in Shakespeare's 'Richard III'

Richard III is Laurence Olivier’s technicolor tragedy based on the Shakespeare play of the same name. Olivier has become synonymous with prestige Shakespeare adaptations. While his performances in 1965’s Othello (he infamously wore blackface) and, to a far lesser extent, 1973’s The Merchant of Venice, have not aged well, Richard III ages beautifully.

Olivier directed and starred in two other Shakespeare adaptations, 1944’s Henry V and 1948’s Hamlet ; however, he arguably gives his best performance in Richard III . While Richard III was the only of the three films not to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, the BFI said of the film, “ Richard III is comfortably the most entertaining of the three great Olivier Shakespeare films, and may have done more to popularise Shakespeare than any other single work.” The film also stars Ralph Richardson, Claire Bloom, Cedric Hardwicke and John Gielgud. It is currently streaming on Max .

9. Chimes at Midnight (1966)

Orson Welles directs and stars in 'Chimes at Midnight'

Chimes at Midnight isn’t a direct adaptation of a single Shakespeare play. Instead, the script has text from five Shakespeare plays. While most of it is taken from Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 , it also includes parts Richard II , Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor . While it isn’t a direct adaptation, it is a phenomenal film that is a must-watch for fans of the Bard.

The film follows a usurping king who faces a rebellion from the North and deals with his mischievous heir, who must choose between his friends and his father. The film was written and directed by Orson Welles. Welles made Chimes at Midnight years after producing a Broadway stage adaptation based on Shakespeare’s Henriad in 1939 called Five Kings . The film stars Welles, Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford and John Gielgud. It is currently streaming on Max .

8. The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

Joel Coen’s hyper-stylized take on Macbeth is one of the most interesting and arresting theatrical takes on a traditional Shakespeare tragedy. The Tragedy of Macbeth blends the play's original text with stark, almost silent film-like sets. The film almost seems like a bold stage play instead of a movie, which is exciting for a recent Shakespeare adaptation.

The Tragedy of Macbeth stars Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling and Brendan Gleeson. The film was nominated for three Oscars, and Washington’s performance as the titular King of Scotland was especially praised. It is currently streaming on Apple TV .

7. The Lion King (1994)

The Disney animated classic, The Lion King, follows much of the plot of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. While it isn’t the most direct adaptation, it is many children’s first taste of a Shakespearian narrative. The film was a mega success and led to two direct-to-video sequels. Interestingly, the sequels also pull from Shakespeare, with The Lion King II: Simba's Pride being a loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet and The Lion King 1½ being inspired by Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (a play that follows two side characters from Hamlet .)

The Lion King won two Academy Awards and was the highest-grossing animated film before 2003’s Finding Nemo (the 2019 CGI remake of The Lion King controversially currently holds the title.) The original movie stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons and Moira Kelly. While the film isn’t a perfect Hamlet adaptation, it doesn’t need to be. It is a gorgeously animated classic with some of the best songs of any Disney musical. The Lion King is streamin on Disney+.

6. Ran (1985)

Film "Ran" By Akira Kurosawa In Japan On April 26, 1985

Ran is a true samurai epic by legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While many think of it first as a samurai film , it is also a retelling of William Shakespeare's King Lear mixed with legends of the daimyō Mōri Motonari.

Kurosawa struggled to get it made partially due to its impressive scale. While he announced the idea for Ran in 1975 , he couldn’t secure funding until the 1980s. He even went so far as to make another film, Kagemusha , as a sort of proof of concept for Ran. Kurosawa made two other films (one featured later on this list) based on Shakespeare's plays before making Ran . His 1960 version of Hamlet, The Bad Sleep Well , is also well worth a watch, especially for noir cinema fans. Ran was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning for Best Costume Design. It is currently streaming on BFI Player Classics .

5. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Denzel Washington, a movie still from 'Much Ado about Nothing', May 15, 1993.

Kenneth Branagh has made a lot of Shakespeare plays into films. While many are good adaptions, including 1996’s Hamlet and 1998’s Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing is his best. Similarly, while there are other fun versions of Much Ado About Nothing (including Anyone But You and the Joss Whedon-led 2012 version), the 1993 version is also the best theatrical version of the romantic comedy .

Much Ado About Nothing stars Emma Thompson, Robert Sean Leonard, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Keanu Reeves and Kate Beckinsale. Branagh’s love of Shakespeare really shines in this adaptation, and the film is surprisingly accessible even for non-the-Bard fans. While some casting decisions are slightly odd (especially Reeves as the villainous Don John), Thompson is especially spellbinding as Beatrice. It is currently streaming on Tubi , Pluto TV and The Roku Channel .

4. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles at swing in a scene from the film '10 Things I Hate About You', 1999.

There are several romcoms set in high schools based on Shakespeare plays, including She’s the Man ( Twelfth Night), Just One of the Guys (Twelfth Night) and Get Over It (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). However, 10 Things I Hate About You is easily the best. A retelling of The Taming of The Shrew set in a modern-day Seattle high school, 10 Things I Hate About You stars Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and David Krumholtz.

Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew is a notoriously hard play to stage, given feminist critiques of the plot of “taming an independent woman for marriage.” However, 10 Things I Hate About You does it exceptionally well by centering its young female protagonist. The film is also one of the funniest on this list, with a surprisingly witty script that pays homage to the comedic tone of the play. Stiles and Ledger particularly shine and will have you saying, “But mostly, I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.” It is currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu .

3. Romeo and Juliet (1968)

Romeo And Juliet, lobbycard, Olivia Hussey, Leonard Whiting, 1968.

There are many, many adaptations of Romeo and Juliet . From faithful adaptations to ones with Elton John singing gnomes, it almost feels overdone. However, the 1968 version is arguably the best traditional film version of the play. The film stars Olivia Hussey, Leonard Whiting, Milo O'Shea and Michael York. It also features narration by Lawrence Olivier.

Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, the film closely follows the plot of the play and features lush and arresting visuals. It is clear that Zefferelli had a palpable love and reverence for the source material. Roger Ebert said, “I believe Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet is the most exciting film of Shakespeare ever made.” The film was nominated for four Oscars and won for Best Costume Design and Cinematography. It is currently streaming on Youtube TV .

2. West Side Story (1961 and 2021)

Rita Moreno in 'West Side Story'

Both West Side Story films are based on the Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim stage musical of the same name and are modern retellings of Romeo and Juliet between 1950s New York street gangs. While the original West Side Story is a classic, it has a big brownface problem. In it, several white actors, including the lead actress Natalie Wood, play Puerto Rican characters. The 2021 remake omits the offensive practice starring Rachel Zegler. Both versions also feature the iconic Rita Moreno.

The original film won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The 2021 remake received 7 Oscar nominations. Notably, Moreno and later Ariana DeBose both won Best Supporting Actress for their portrayal of Anita (the stand-in character for Juliet’s Nurse) in their respective films (making them the only two Latinas to have won in the category). The 1960s version is available on Max , similarly the 2021 remake is also available on Max .

1. Throne of Blood (1957)

Throne Of Blood (aka Kumonosu Jo), poster, Isuzu Yamada, Toshiro Mifune, 1957.

Throne of Blood is another Shakespeare retelling from Akira Kurosawa. The film is Shakespeare’s Macbeth in feudal Japan with elements of Noh theater. It is one of several Kurusawa films to star Toshiro Mifune and with special effects by Godzilla ’s Eiji Tsuburaya.

At the time of its release, Throne of Blood was one of the most expensive Japanese films made, and its quality is still notable 60 years later. Throne of Blood is widely considered one of the best film adaptations of a Shakespeare play; literary critic Harold Bloom once called it "the most successful film version of Macbeth .” It was even adapted for the stage at the 2010 Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It is currently available to stream for free on Plex or Max with a subscription.

Bottom Line

While some may say, ‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so,’ these films are truly good whether you are hoping for a great Shakespeare film or just a great movie in general.

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IMAGES

The Last King of Scotland wiki, synopsis, reviews, watch and download
The Last King of Scotland wiki, synopsis, reviews, watch and download
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
The Last King of Scotland wiki, synopsis, reviews, watch and download
The Last King of Scotland wiki, synopsis, reviews, watch and download
The Last King of Scotland (2006)

COMMENTS

The Last King of Scotland
The Last King of Scotland. Directed by Kevin Macdonald. Biography, Drama, History, Thriller. R. 2h 3m. By Manohla Dargis. Sept. 27, 2006. Strange to think that the flamboyantly lethal nut job Idi ...
The Last King of Scotland
Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/15/23 Full Review Tony M The Last King Of Scotland is a great movie that I will definitely watch again. ...
Ebert's Oscar predictions (2007)
Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator in "The Last King of Scotland," is such a character. Whitaker's performance somehow combines Amin's blend of cruelty and jovial good fellowship in the portrait of an extroverted madman. ... The best movie reviews, in your inbox. Movie reviews. Roger's Greatest Movies. All Reviews. Cast and crew. Ebert Prime. Sign ...
The Last King of Scotland (film)
The Last King of Scotland had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on 1 September 2006, and was released in the United Kingdom on 12 January 2007, and in Germany on 15 March 2007, by Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film received positive reviews and grossed $48.4 million on a $6 million budget. For his performance as Idi Amin, ...
The Last King of Scotland
Neither overly political nor overly intellectual, The Last King of Scotland is a powerful, accessible biopic of one of history's recent madmen. Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 8, 2024
Review: The Last King of Scotland
Review: The Last King of Scotland. Forest Whitaker gives a tour-de-force portrayal of a creature who is all the more horrifying because his evil is so recognizable. Ugandan dictator Ida Amin was a monster of epic proportions, a larger-than-life figure well known for his charming personality and big plans. Reveling in pomp and circumstance to ...
The Last King of Scotland
The script, by Peter Morgan ( The Queen) and Jeremy Brock ( Mrs. Brown ), asks us to see ourselves in Nicholas, seduced by Amin's charisma and awakening too late to his evil. The plot turns ...
The Last King of Scotland Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 2 ): Kids say ( 4 ): Harrowing and provocative, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND traces the rise of Idi Amin by taking the perspective of the young Scottish doctor. While the device could seem hackneyed, it's instructive here, for the film never lets viewers forget that the doctor comes to Africa to "play the white man," as ...
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
The Last King of Scotland: Directed by Kevin Macdonald. With Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson. Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.
Review: The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Review. The ruthless Ugandan dictator Idi Amin dubs himself The Last King of Scotland in this intriguing political drama.. Though the Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) character is a key element of the film's story, the true lead of the film is young, idealistic doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) who decides to serve the people of Uganda in a backwater clinic.
The Last King Of Scotland Review
The Last King Of Scotland Review. It's the 1970s, and Scottish medic Nicholas Garrigan (McAvoy) heads to Uganda to help the poverty-stricken locals. Soon he finds himself Idi Amin's (Whitaker ...
The Last King of Scotland Review
Score: 6 out of 10 The Bottom Line Last King of Scotland is a well-crafted film that got some well-deserved attention at the Oscars a few years back, including a Best Actor win for Forest Whitaker ...
The Last King of Scotland
In an incredible twist of fate, a Scottish doctor (McAvoy) on a Ugandan medical mission becomes irreversibly entangled with one of the world's most barbaric figures: Idi Amin (Whitaker). Impressed by Dr. Garrigan's brazen 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 ...
The Last King of Scotland [Reviews]
Summary. 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 ...
The Last King Of Scotland (2006) Movie Review from Eye for Film
A thriller 'inspired by true events', The Last King Of Scotland is a competent if slightly raggedy film that sticks in the mind. On the down side, it's shot on grainy 16mm, blown up to 35mm. The overall visual effect often lacks definition to the point of fuzziness. The bigger shortfall is that it has nothing to say beyond its own basic story.
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrives during the downfall of President Obote. General Idi Amin comes to power and asks Garrigan to become his personal doctor. Kevin Macdonald. Director. Giles Foden.
The Last King of Scotland
The horrific but true story of Ugandan Prime Minister Idi Amin (whose reign over the first independent government of Africa began in 1971 with a military coup of Uganda's first Prime Minister), partnered with the film's pseudo-documentary camerawork, gives The Last King of Scotland a brimming authenticity. The story is told from the point of view of the character Nicholas Garrigan, a ...
The Last King of Scotland
Forest Whitaker James McAvoy Simon McBurney Gillian Anderson Kerry Washington David Oyelowo Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga Adam Kotz Barbara Rafferty David Ashton Sarah Nagayi Stephen Rwangyezi Sam Okelo Dick Stockley Chris Wilson Daniel Ssettaba Giles Foden Andrew Williams Martina Amati Devon Diep. El ultimo rey de Escocia, Le dernier roi d'Écosse, O ...
The Last King Of Scotland review
The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and ...
Rick's Cafe Texan: The Last King of Scotland: A Review
The Last King of Scotland won Forest Whitaker a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Amin, the film's sole Academy Award nomination. It is rare when a film wins a major Academy Award when it is the only nomination it has, and Whitaker is exceptional in the role. He switches easily from Amin's joie de vivre to his unhinged fury. Many times ...
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Terms and Imprint. Young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrives during the downfall of President Obote. General Idi Amin comes to power and asks Garrigan to become his personal doctor.
Movie Review: "The Last King of Scotland"
Much like the monstrous dictator for which the film is titled, "The Last King of Scotland" is incredibly charming, yet still tragically unfamiliar to a good portion of the American public. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Kevin Macdonald, the film has absolutely nothing to do with the British-ruled nation, but does draw an interesting parallel between the unjust governing of the ...
25 Can't-Miss Movies Based On Shakespeare Classics
The Lion King won two Academy Awards and was the highest-grossing animated film before 2003's Finding Nemo (the 2019 CGI remake of The Lion King controversially currently holds the title.) The ...

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