Fox Searchlight Pictures

Directed by Kevin Macdonald

4.5 stars

Forget “helping people” and “making a difference”—these are Nicholas Garrigan’s (James McAvoy, “The Chronicles of Narnia”) vague, romanticized hopes when, fresh out of medical school, he sets off for Uganda in “The Last King of Scotland.” But Garrigan painfully learns that idealism is not so simple, not to mention potentially dangerous, in this grittily realistic thriller based on the actual political climate of 1970s Uganda. Garrigan finds himself as the personal doctor to dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) and is forced to find a new understanding of “making a difference.”

When Garrigan meets Amin, Amin is the glowing leader of the latest coup and the new hope for Uganda’s masses. Whitaker delivers a stunning performance as Amin, winning Garrigan over with his charm and luxurious taste. Only a hint of capriciousness foreshadows his insane dictatorship. Whitaker’s charistmatic portrayal never wavers, but his character fades from charming to terrifying.

McAvoy holds his own against Whitaker, solidly portraying an inherently weak character. Garrigan is an unheroic protagonist, who struggles as much to accept Amin’s evil as he does to act on his moral misgivings. Garrigan finds himself fallen into a world of moral relativism, highlighted by the character of Nigel Stone (Simon McBurney, “Friends With Money”), a British statesman. Stone is a slimy diplomat whose rhetoric is filled with political maneuverings, and Garrigan is quick to call him out on it. But once contrasted to Amin’s ruthless megalomania, Garrigan is forced to re-evaluate Stone and the lesser evils he stands for.

The story is gripping and clear, yet subtle—a balance often sought but rarely achieved by Hollywood’s political thrillers. The horrors of Amin’s regime are suggested more than seen, nearly excusing Garrigan’s blindness to them. The extent of Amin’s crimes is not revealed until late in the game, when gruesome images begin to pile up around the hapless doctor.

The film is brought to life by expert camerawork and Alex Heffes’ striking music. Upon Garrigan’s arrival, authentic African music from the 1970s captures the exotic flair of the new country. But as the story unfolds, darker orchestral music, the sort normally associated with Hollywood’s thrillers, slowly creeps in to parallel Garrigan’s revelations.

“The Last King of Scotland” is excellently crafted and directed (Kevin MacDonald), and it strikes an unexpectedly compelling chord.

BOTTOM LINE: Though seen through his eyes, “The Last King of Scotland” is not merely Garrigan’s story. As it tackles the universal issues of culpability and human strength, the film takes on epic qualities.

—Reviewer Melissa Quino McCreery can be reached mqmcr@fas.harvard.edu.