In this post, we will examine “The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin,” a movie oddity that breaks from conventional genres but proves to be surprisingly good and worthy of discussion. Neither a documentary, biography, nor memoir, its screenplay is not based on the words of either a real or fictitious person close to Amin, unlike “The Last King of Scotland.” Strangely enough, the plot stays accurate to facts and provides a narrative on the atrocities of Amin during his tumultuous reign. The movie is often incorrectly classified as a Blaxploitation movie but approximately fits into the Historical genre.

For its part, the screenplay by Wade Huiesomehow manages to maintain flow and has smooth transitions as it travels from event to event without any abrupt jumps. “The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin” was written and directed by Sharad Patel. With Joseph Olita playing the villainous Amin, the movie features Thomas Baptiste, Leonard Trolley, and Denis Hills in its supporting cast.

The movie opens with a group of hospital staff operating on a patient being interrupted by a series of explosions around the hospital. A petrified nurse informs them that Idi Amin has seized control of Uganda in a coup. The scene then shifts to Amin addressing a doting crowd.

As a compelling and charismatic leader, Amin wins over the audience, which includes some foreign dignitaries. Amin takes control of Uganda using fear, murder, and intimidation. He is not beyond butchering his critics, be they rebels, physicians, or judges. He forces a surgeon to be his own personal physician.

The British and French look the other way as Amin continues his brutal rule, content that a firm, strong leader will keep the African nation under control. Amin further extends his atrocities by imprisoning journalists, even foreign ones. Interestingly, Denis Hills, a journalist imprisoned in Kenya during Amin’s reign, plays himself in the movie.

Amin is not beyond taking women from the citizenry to satisfy his lust, even if it means murdering their partners. On one occasion, he picks up and seduces a teenager and then makes her his wife. Amin savors snake meat and even exhibits cannibalistic tendencies.

On a whim, he asks all Indians residing in Uganda to leave the country within 90 days and refuses to provide any foreign exchange to assist them in leaving. He then redistributes their abandoned shops and businesses to those loyal to him.

Soon, Uganda becomes bankrupt under Amin’s rule. In response, he orders his treasury to print more money. On another occasion, he publicly debases three of his wives and orders their execution. Amin’s autocratic rule triggers a rebellion that allies with Tanzania.

The movie also depicts Israel’s famous Entebbe operation, which rescued passengers from an Air France flight hijacked and parked in Uganda with Amin’s blessing. The film ends with Amin’s escape from Uganda as Tanzania invades his country.

Joseph Olita’s performance is closer to Amin than Forest Whitaker’s in “The Last King of Scotland,” which was modeled after Macbeth rather than Amin. His performance did not go unnoticed by Mira Nair. Thanks to her, he reprised his role as Amin for the second time in her film “Mississippi Masala.”

Indeed, “The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin” is a well-made, unapologetic, violent, and grisly movie with a good screenplay and smooth cinematography. It was filmed less than a year after Amin fled the country and received many awards at the Las Vegas International Film Festival.

It is an important movie that should not be overlooked or forgotten. It will be well appreciated by history buffs and movie fans who can view unconventional films with an open mind.