Fifty Dead Men Walking (15)

Film

Thrillers

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Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>5/5
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Time Out says

Tue Apr 7 2009

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

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Release details

Rated:

15

UK release:

Fri Apr 10 2009

Cast and crew

Director:

Kari Skogland

Cast:

Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers, Natalie Press, Rose McGowan

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 5/5 (3 ratings)

  • Northumbria Police are killers and they almost got Marty McGartland killed in 1999.

    Northumbria Police Shooti Tue Jul 13 2010
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  • 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.

    Lo, Leeds Tue Jul 13 2010
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  • 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.

    Simon King, Belfast Tue Jul 13 2010
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  • 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

    Molly, Blyth Tue Jul 13 2010
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  • 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.

    Word of Advice Tue Jun 15 2010
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  • 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.

    Louise Newcastle Tue Jun 15 2010
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  • 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.

    Jay Tue Jun 15 2010
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  • 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.

    Max Tue Jun 15 2010
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  • 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

    £200,000 Strap On Marty Wed Jun 2 2010
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  • 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.

    roger belfast Wed Jun 2 2010
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