This is the first film I've seen by director Barbet Schroeder
Général Idi Amin Dada: Autoportrait (General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait)
Schroeder had the insight to know that turning control over to General Amin about what he wanted to say and do as the subject of this documentary would yield much more interesting results than trying to direct the way the film would go himself. The reason for this is that, as outrageous and offensive as Amin may seem to most of the rest of the world, Amin believed he was completely in the right. He had total confidence and no secrecy or shame.
Although the scope of his ambitions were laughably beyond his resources or abilities, they were still quite dangerous and evil. And although he never had the chance to enact anywhere near the level of destruction and oppression he had in mind, he still did manage to perpetrate quite a few atrocities in his own nation during his time.
It's both easy to stand back and be amused by his impotence and ignorance on a global scale, but just as easy to get sucked in by his charms and horrified by his atrociousness. I think the scene where he is racing everyone in the pool is one of the most telling. He goes completely sideways and is a horrible swimmer. It's a combination of a show of his lack of skill, yet getting to the top by intimidation and bullying mixed with a strange kind of charm.
I can't really say it's a new favorite of mine, but certainly a good study for anyone exploring the personality of evil dictators.
Rating: 7/10