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Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)

Time Out rating

Average user rating

15 reviews

Synopsis

An informant is unearthed and kidnapped by the IRA in this true story based on Martin McGartland’s autobiography. Stars Ben Kingsley as a British Services handler.

Movie review

From Time Out London

Kari Skogland’s conventional action-thriller of the life of late-’80s Belfast IRA volunteer and Special Branch informer (‘tout’) Martin McGartland would make for superior TV viewing. But its lack of political nous and cinematic ambition makes it seem small on the big screen.

Viewing events in flashback from an assassination attempt on an on-the-run McGartland in 1999, Skogland races around the streets of Catholic West Belfast tracing the induction and corruption of the cocky young fence and petty criminal (an impressive Jim Sturgess) as he’s nurtured by ageing, lonely Special Branch runner Fergus (an inappropriately effete Ben Kingsley), recruited by IRA squad leader Mikey (a fearsome Tom Collins) and wooed by local sweetheart Lara (Natalie Press in starry-eyed Sissy Spacek mode).

The title comes from a line in McGartland’s autobiography about the number of innocent lives from all sides of the divide his duplicity may have saved. It’s an isolating, crushing irony that Skogland’s movie seeks to exploit as an avenue of impartiality that in the event seems trivial or sophist. She does engineer an atmosphere of verismo – the locations, cultural accoutrements and accents seem accurate enough – but their credibility is undermined by the historical conflations and a seduction by the spectacle of violence. On the plus side is Sturgess’s sympathetic playing, a number of persuasive cameos and some well-mounted, tense widescreen action sequences.

Author: Wally Hammond

Time Out London Issue 2016, 9-15 April, 2009

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User reviews of this film

Northumbria Police Shooti said...

Posted on Jul 13 2010 19:48 Northumbria Police are killers and they almost got Marty McGartland killed in 1999.

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Lo, Leeds said...

Posted on Jul 13 2010 19:45 Northumbria Police shooting - Northumbria Police almost cost a very brave man his life. Martin McGartland saved many people from death and he lost everything in doing so. He did this for all of us and look how the British State, Northumbria Police, Mi5, RUC-PSNI repaid him. God forgive them.

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Simon King, Belfast said...

Posted on Jul 13 2010 19:37 Northumbria Police shooting that almost led to the killing of British Agent Martin McGartland. Northumbria Police have been behind so many dirty tricks and cover ups. It was Northumbria Police who got Martin shot after they exposed him during court case. Martin was shot 7 times by the IRA but Northumbria Police have covered up the entire case for over 11 years and in doing so have caused Martin McGartland so much damage.

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Molly, Blyth said...

Posted on Jul 13 2010 19:28 Northumbria Police Moat murder and Martin McGartland shooting. Northumbria Police the force that led the IRA to Martin McGartland's home address and covered up his shooting are once again involved in another cover up in the Moat shooting. Sue Sim is a very silly silly lady. How did she ever get to be an ACC? Northumbria Police will take anyone so long as they tow the Northumbria Police line, dirty tricks, lies, spin and cover up. Good luck to Martin McGartland

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Word of Advice said...

Posted on Jun 15 2010 13:06 So Word of Advice-
Kari Skogland
Northumbria Police
Do Not Mess With Martin McGartland or you will get you wee fingers burnt. Fair play to McGartland as he has earned it. He has balls of steel. The film was pure crap and was very poor. The book will still make a great film.

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Louise Newcastle said...

Posted on Jun 15 2010 13:02 100% correct about damages. I read that Martin McGartland was paid £550,000 in damages. I also know that he was paid £50,000.00 in damages by our local Newcastle evening newspaper. So its more than that, £600,000 to date. I loved the book, could not put it down. The film was a big let down.

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Jay said...

Posted on Jun 15 2010 12:54 I was one of Jim's top fans, until he said the IRA were some of the best people he has ever met, Rose McGowan also said she would have joined the IRA, how sick is it. I agree with McGartland the film is no where close to the true story as told in Fifty Dead Men Walking (The Book). I also read that the IRA had total control over how the film was made an edited.

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Max said...

Posted on Jun 15 2010 12:50 Martin McGartland is like a robot. He must never sleep lol. He also won £250,000 (plus legal costs) from newspapers who printed smear (off the record) comments by Northumbria Police who, on the morning of his shooting, were trying to hide IRA involvment in his shooting. Martin McGartland also won £100,000 from Northumbria Police for their damaging lies, smears on him. The film company also paid him £200,000. So Marty McGartland, that we know of, has been paid damages of £450,000.00, tax free.

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£200,000 Strap On Marty said...

Posted on Jun 02 2010 16:12 Martin McGartland has taken the IRA, film company, Kari Skogland, Northumbria Police for a ride. Fair Play to him. Don't mess with Martin McGartland or you will have to pay for it. Good Luck Marty x Kiss

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roger belfast said...

Posted on Jun 02 2010 16:07 kari skogland was paying everyone and anyone in belfast to get them involved with her film. the people did not trust her. its true that the ira were working with skogland. one ra (ira) man got too close to rose mcgowan, that being why she told press how much she loved ra and cause, wanted to join ra. it was a very bad film, nothing like the real mcgartland story, book. martin mcgartland took legal action against skogland and was paid £200,00.000 and won many changes to the film, disclimers stated it was not true story and that he was nothing to do with film, skogland.

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adam said...

Posted on Aug 29 2009 01:39 The film was very well made and I thought that the portrayal of each side was very fair. As for the cast, very well thought through, although Rose McGowen's accent needed a little more work.
Previous comments saying that there was no need for the film to be made in my opinion are bull for lack of a better word, this film is just as important as anything else that happened. It may not be completely accurate but it is close enough to the truth that it lets you see the BIG change that has taken place in N,Ireland.
yes there may still be paramilitries in force but is it as bad as it used to be?
sorry for my rant but I thought the film was well made, was well worth making and was as close to the truth than most of us will ever know.

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NIKKIBELFAST said...

Posted on Aug 07 2009 10:10 wALLY GOOD GRIEF WHATS WITH ALL THE BIG WORDS?????

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ARCHGATE said...

Posted on Apr 12 2009 20:36 Jim Sturgess gives a great performance in this film Unfortunately the relationship between his character and the Ben Kingsley character has no chemistry and this failing spoils the film.

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Madison said...

Posted on Apr 11 2009 21:46 Competent performances all round - just not an especially enjoyable film or one that feels like it had to be made,

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Steve said...

Posted on Apr 08 2009 20:04 This film is 100% lies. McGartland was in the Sun Newspaper last week saying the film is a near to the truth as earth is to pluto. Those who made the film have sided with the IRA. Steve North Belfast

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