7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.6 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
This is Idi Amin's incredible story as seen through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan, a young Scotsman who becomes the volatile leader's personal physician, due in part to Amin's unexpected passion for Scottish culture - Amin even proclaims himself "The Last King of Scotland". Seduced by Amin's charisma and blinded by decadence, Garrigan's dream life becomes a waking nightmare of betrayal and madness from which there is no escape.
Starring: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Simon McBurneyDrama | 100% |
History | 78% |
Biography | 71% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Is there some kind of rule that says that all dictators, along with being charismatic and power- hungry, have to have at least one unexpected, particularly idiosyncratic interest and/or a bizarre taste in fashion? Think Colonel Gaddafi and his wacko, Michael Jackson-esque outfits, Kim Jong-Il’s love of Britney Spears, Saddam Hussein’s romance novels and gold-plated assault rifles, or former Burmese leader Ne Win, who changed the country’s currency so that all bills would be divisible by 9. One of the odder examples is Idi Amin, who ruled Uganda during the 1970s and was so obsessed with Scotland that he had his army’s marching band learn to play bagpipes, and often wore a kilt. Jokingly proclaiming himself as the “Last King of Scotland,” Amin saw a kinship between the Scots oppression by the English and his own country’s plight to get out from under the thumb of British colonialism. Lest that sound too inspiring—this isn’t some sub-Saharan Braveheart—he was also a vicious and erratic dictator whose regime was responsible for the deaths of 100-300,000 Ugandans. Amin is at the center of director Kevin Macdonald’s appropriately titled The Last King of Scotland, a brutal, fictional thriller set within the real life horrorshow of Amin’s corrupt administration.
"Uganda! Oh yeah!"
The Last King of Scotland debuts on Blu-ray with a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that's true to source, and will have grain-lovers smiling at the warm, gritty, fully cinematic image on display. Most of the film was shot on 16mm—with only select scenes shot on 35mm—so grain is quite noticeable. It looks completely natural, though, and while there are a few spikes in analog noisiness, especially during darker scenes, the image quality is never compromised. The film is never going to be as sharp as those shot natively on 35mm, but clarity is excellent, all things considered. Forest Whitaker's face gleams with sweat, the texture of his skin easily visible, rural foliage pops off the screen, and there's ample detail to be noticed on the film's props and sets. As expected from the African setting, the color palette is lush and varied, from dusty orange dirt roads and deep green grass to the president's aquamarine pool and cool palace interiors. Primaries are especially vivid, with the red and yellow of Amin's epaulets standing out strongly. Black levels can get a bit oppressive at times, but this seems to be an intentional effect of the high-contrast cinematography. And aside from some blotchy pixilation in a cloud of dust, I didn't notice any transfer-related compression issues. Overall, this is a great looking transfer that represents the film well.
I was also more than pleased by the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which, while not being one of the most action-packed and aggressive mixes I've heard, is certainly dense, full of life and activity. The surround channels are activated frequently, called upon to broadcast place- establishing ambient noise, like birds singing and insects buzzing in the rural village, the cheers of the throng at a political rally, the coming and going of cars in Kampala, and the poolside splash and chatter outside Amin's lavish estate. There aren't many distinct channel movements, but the mix as a whole is enveloping, especially later in the film, when some more impressionistic sound editing techniques are used to sell Garrigan's descent into a political hell. There were a few moments when I felt the actors' voices could be slightly higher in the mix, but I had no trouble understanding any of the dialogue. The film's real audio highlight is the fantastic music. Alex Heffes score is great, but it's often overshadowed by all the wonderful Afro-pop used to set the mood. I have no real qualms about this track; it's engaging, detailed, and dynamically solid.
Commentary by Director Kevin Macdonald
Macdonald gives a quiet but wildly informative track that's loaded not only with lots of production
details and anecdotes, but also a striking amount of insight into the life and history of the real Idi
Amin. A great listen.
Do note that subtitles are available for the commentary in English, French, German, Italian,
Spanish, and Dutch.
Deleted Scenes (SD, 12:00)
Includes seven deleted and alternate scenes, available with optional commentary by director
Kevin Macdonald.
Capturing Idi Amin (SD, 29:04)
Part historical documentary and part "making of" featurette, Capturing Idi Amin is a substantial
look at both the real man and The Last King of Scotland, featuring interviews with the
cast and crew, as well as Ugandan citizens who survived Amin's regime. The highlight of the
bonus features.
Forest Whittaker - Idi Amin (SD, 5:59)
Whittaker and James McAvoy discuss Idi Amin as a character and a historical figure.
Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting Session (SD, 8:36)
Somewhat of a thematic extension of the above, the discussion is broadened to include the
director, the producer, and the film's casting director, who weigh in on the difficulty of finding an
actor who fit all of their requirements for the role.
Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:18)
If you can get past the fact that The Last King of Scotland is yet another film set in Africa that's told from a distinctly white perspective, you'll find a gripping political thriller and some terrific performances. Forest Whitaker, in particular, is simply brilliant, switching from deep belly laughs to fire-eyed fury with the turn of a mood. On Blu-ray, the movie is part of an excellent package, sporting a filmic, true to source transfer, a great lossless audio track, and a host of supplementary features, including an Idi Amin documentary and an insightful commentary track by director Kevin Macdonald. Recommended.
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