Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Kari Skogland

Writers:

Nicholas Davies (book)
Martin McGartland (book)

Release Date:

10 April 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Plot:

Based on Martin McGartland's shocking real life story, Martin is a young lad from west Belfast in the...

Plot Keywords:

IRA | 80s | Bag Over Head | Held At Gunpoint | Shot To Death

Awards:

5 wins

Cast

Ben Kingsley	...	Fergus
Jim Sturgess	...	Martin
Kevin Zegers	...	Sean
Natalie Press	...	Lara
Rose McGowan	...	Grace
Tom Collins	...	Mikey
William Houston	...	Ray
Michael McElhatton	...	Robbie
Laura Hughes	...	Mary
Gerard Jordan	...	Kieran
David Pearse	...	Donovan
Joe Doyle	...	Quinn
Conor MacNeill	...	Frankie
Ewan Harts	...	Little Patrick (as Ewan & Oscar Harts)
Oscar Harts	...	Little Patrick (as Ewan & Oscar Harts)

Also Known As:

Man on the Run (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

UK | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Ardglass, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK

Company:

Brightlight Pictures

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Marty is driving the taxi at night in the early part of the film a car can clearly be seen in front of his. This is supposed to be set in 1988 yet the car in front is a Ford which dates 2006 at least.

Soundtrack:

Hit the Ground Running

NOT a masterpiece but a damn fine film

I read the book going by the same name many years ago when it first came out and it left quite an impression on me. I felt very sympathetic to Mr McGartland's predicament, so I for one am glad that his story can largely be told in this medium. Read the book to iron out the odd discrepancy and to get the time-line correct. The director of this film bravely attempted to show 'The Troubles' as viewed from both sides in the short time the film allows. Although not all of the events are true, the film does realistically portray the truly chilling times. It is violent, nasty and tense, and I congratulate the director on not pulling any punches and showing the sort of menace that haunted the streets in the province. The makers of the film did state: 'The screenplay to the film is INSPIRED by the book. Although many aspects and characters have been changed the screenplay was not written or approved by the writers of the book and is not a reproduction or adaptation of the book or any substantial part of it' at the end of the film. I would suggest that wording was inserted to cover themselves. Certainly, Mr McGartland was not happy with the film to begin with as it showed him to be present at deaths that took place, to which he claimed he was not. Obviously, there are faults with the film then. But the main thrust of the book/film for me was that Mr McGartland was young, naive but also courageous, he was used by both sides and yet eventually couldn't trust either side. Although the peace treaty has been signed and to 'all intents and purposes' the Troubles are over 'as we knew them', it is a well known fact that the IRA never forget those that cross them. So the film is a reminder to many that this man gave up his life as he knew it for very little in return and to be forever on the run. This is not your typical Hollywood fare and is all the better for it. A job well done!