The Last King of Scotland

Movie review by Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media
The Last King of Scotland Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

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

R 2006 121 minutes
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Parents say

age 18+

Based on 6 reviews

Kids say

age 16+

Based on 6 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

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.

Community Reviews

Alexxis1995
Alexxis1995 Adult
May 11, 2013
age 17+

A harrowing, uncompromising cinematic experience

A harrowing, uncompromising cinematic experience that explores the insidious nature of evil. The main character is meaning good, but he makes a series of disastrous decisions that will have dramatic ramifications on the woman he loves and on himself. Whitaker and McAvoy are mesmerizing: Whitaker is simply hypnotizing, while McAvoy delivers a performance that is worthy of Al Pacino: hectic, nervous, exuding a frantic, desperate energy. They are the main reason I gave the film 4 stars. Don't get me wrong: this is an excellent movie, but unfortunately it never reaches the visceral intensity it is aiming for. It is an incredibly violent movie, with two particularly gruesome sequences that are literally stomach-churning. Even the oldest teen might be disturbed, so be careful.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Johnny J
Johnny J Adult
May 10, 2012
age 18+

Unpleasant Waste Of Time

18+ It's that simple, really. The 15 Rating it received in the UK is another example as to the uselessness of the BBFC these days, and adds more weight as to why it should be disbanded, and a new ratings system should replace it. Some people will pointlessly argue that quick cut photography ALWAYS lessens the impact of violence/harsh scenes...they would be wrong. That's my 2 penneth on that matter. Now, this movie?..too harsh violence-wise for a 15 rating, that's for sure. The sex?...depicted in ways unsuitable for 15 year old eyes...again, a sure thing. Hey, I'm no prude...but the main "hero" is a coward (not human, a coward), and a scumbag. The morality of the way he conducts himself sexually is something that will probably go over most 15 year old heads. Now, some out there are smart - don't get me wrong...but to most people that age hormones come first...so this is why I say the depictions in this film are not good. There's basically no positive messages in this film. Forrest Whittaker is (of course) great...but that doesn't mean the film is! At the end of watching this film I would think you'd feel soiled...and left with the feeling of "Well, that was a unpleasant waste of time." Don't bother with this film imho. Watch something entertaining, or just plain good instead lol.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 6 parent reviews

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

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