Starring Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Simon McBurney, and Gillian Anderson Practically "Training Day," with Africa instead of the ghetto, a young white doctor (James McAvoy of "Narnia") instead of a young white cop, and bloodthirsty dictator Idi Amin (sad-eyed Forest Whitaker) instead of Denzel Washington. At first, the white guy is charmed by the boyish and masculine freedom fighter, then gradually realizes, hey, this dude’s nuts. "The Last King" is Forest Whitaker’s "Capote," in which an eternally-capable character actor rides a real-life eccentric to well-deserved Oscar gold. Despite that Oscar, he might technically be a supporting character; it’s not inside his head that we get and he isn’t so much dynamic as he is gradually revealed. We’re inside the head of McAvoy’s white doctor, which limits the movie’s perspective. He changes and learns a lesson, even if he lacks Whitaker’s flamboyance and often fades into a set of eyes for us to look through. Whitaker’s Amin is like a giant, out-of-control child – he does horrible things, but because he’s played by a giant droopy-eyed teddy bear we’re never sure what to make of him. McAvoy’s doctor is equally slippery. Like Ewan McGregor but with less personality, he is often just a jaunty young punk out to get laid, and we’re never sure if we want to love or hate this dashing clod. Compared to the drag-out style of Oscar time, "The Last King" is a raw, intense, and tightly-bundled ride, not a prestige picture but a thriller, with oodles of local color crammed into its quick two hours. At once vibrant, faded, and washed-out, like it’s really from the ‘70s, director Kevin Macdonald ("Touching the Void") keeps his camera restless and subjective – as if we know to be nervous even before our protagonist does. Finished Sunday, January 28, 2007 Copyright © 2007 Friday & Saturday Night
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