SummaryIn the 1980s when the Irish civil conflict was at its most treacherous, 22 year old Martin McGartland was recruited by the British police to infiltrate and spy on the IRA. He lived his life under constant threat of exposure and subsequent guaranteed torture and death yet he continued because his information saved many lives. He enjoyed the buzz u... Read More
Directed By:Kari Skogland
Written By:Martin McGartland, Nicholas Davies, Kari Skogland
Fifty Dead Men Walking
Metascore
Mixed or Average
57
User score
Generally Favorable
7.0
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
57
56% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
31% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
13% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
90
The decibels, energy and overall quality are high in writer-director Kari Skogland's Fifty Dead Men Walking, her supremely well-made, highly stylized, graphic tale of Northern Ireland's "Troubles" in the late 1980s.
75
What makes Fifty Dead Men work is the story’s sheer moral complexity, which dares viewers to sympathize with anyone onscreen for more than a few minutes at a time.
75
It's a pretty fine film, thanks largely to the performances (and look) of its crackerjack cast, as well as Jonathan Freeman's restless, gritty cinematography and a lickety-split script.
70
A classic about the Irish "troubles." Despite the unavoidably convoluted facts of the real-life story, pic boasts plausibly written, solidly acted characters and a conflict that pushes the viewer's righteous-indignation buttons.
60
Think Donnie Brasco, with the IRA instead of the Mafia. Jim Sturgess dominates with a star-making turn, although some stylistic slip-ups let him down a little.
40
The unfitting flashiness and clunky segues between thriller and melodrama kill any real sense of tension, making this a poor man's "Donnie Brasco"--that is, if its self-congratulation and failure to contextualize the values on both sides of the ethno-political struggle didn't already make it the poor man's "Hunger."
20
Kari Skogland’s flashy yet dead-on-arrival drama turns Belfast’s backstreet battlefields into music-video backgrounds.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.0
67% Positive
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
33% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Nov 25, 2021
7
This is quite a gritty film, based on a true story. It features some moderate violence, including scenes of torture and so it might be an upsetting watch for some. It features good performances, although the (at times) jerky camerawork may frustrate some. If the story particularly interests you then it may be worth a watch but I wouldn't personally recommend it as such, no.
Feb 23, 2011
6
First Off The Acting Is VERY Good, But The Writing And Plot Are Really Really Bad, And Uncreative..
I Didnt Find This Even "Cool"
The Acting Makes Up The Higher Point Of The Review...
Thats All I Can Say...
Production Company:
- Handmade International
- Future Films
- Brightlight Pictures
- Future Films Production Services
- Altitude Entertainment
- SBK Pictures
- Skogland Films
- Téléfilm Canada
- Northern Ireland Screen
- Grove Media Finance
- Horizon Media Fund
- Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC)
Release Date:Aug 21, 2009
Duration:1 h 57 m
Rating:R
Tagline:When you cross the line there's no going back.
Awards
Genie Awards
• 2 Wins & 7 Nominations
Leo Awards
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Vancouver Film Critics Circle
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
