Fifty Dead Men Walking (2009)

87% of critics liked it
(47 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(3,479 ratings)

Loosely based on the remarkable true story of the British undercover agent who successfully infiltrated the IRA, writer/director Kari Skogland's thriller takes its title from author Martin McGartland's best-selling book of the same name. Set at the absolute height of the Irish civil conflict, Fifty… More Loosely based on the remarkable true story of the British undercover agent who successfully infiltrated the IRA, writer/director Kari Skogland's thriller takes its title from author Martin McGartland's best-selling book of the same name. Set at the absolute height of the Irish civil conflict, Fifty Dead Men Walking begins as 22-year-old Martin McGartland is recruited by the British police to infiltrate the IRA and report back with intelligence. It's an extremely dangerous job that could result in death or worse should his true identity be revealed, yet McGartland realizes that the information he's gathering will save countless lives. At first, the prospect of being discovered provides something of a rush for McGartland, though that initial buzz quickly wears off when his true identity is revealed and he's forced to attempt an impossible escape. Two decades later, McGartland is still on the run. Sir Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, and Rose McGowan star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Kari Skogland
Written By: Kari Skogland, Nicholas Davies
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Sep 10, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Jan 5, 2010
Studio: Phase 4 Films

Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
Jim Sturgess makes a believable cocky lad who signs on for the con; an oddly bewigged Ben Kingsley is fussier and too actorly as his handler.
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
Skogland is a crisp and efficient storyteller. She keeps the players vivid and relatively honest, and never shies away from the brutalities.
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News
Sturgess is solid and Kingsley predictably sneaky, but the atmosphere -- scurries through the Catholic/Protestant border, tense stand-offs, spontaneous riots -- is what's genuinely gripping.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
A streamlined, adrenalized thriller that is not as deep as it would like to appear, treads a retrospective political tightrope.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Fifty Dead Men Walking provides another example of what happens when mediocre moviemaking meets an interesting life.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
In this film, Skogland, as Kathryn Bigelow does in The Hurt Locker, demolishes the notion that women can't direct action.
Mike Edwards, What Culture
A 'war on terror' thriller set in Ireland? Surprisingly, it works.
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
Despite trying a little too hard to be cool and edgy, this is nevertheless an entertaining thriller with a decent twist.
Mike Scott, Times-Picayune
One of the more absorbing and riveting portraits of The Troubles since 1993's In the Name of the Father.
Ron Wilkinson, Monsters and Critics
Although the ranks of great IRA films are swelling rapidly this combination of political history and mystery suspense masterwork is one of the best.
Robert Levin, Film School Rejects
Conventional modes of representation hamper Fifty Dead Men Walking and its look at a subject that demands a fresher point of view.
Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
A viscerally intense, gripping and character-driven thriller filled with pulse-pounding action, strong performances and stylish, gritty cinematography.
James Verniere, Boston Herald
Move over Donnie Brasco. Fifty Dead Men Walking is going to put Jim Sturgess, best known for crooning in Across the Universe, on the acting map.
Nora Lee Mandel, Film-Forward.com
Suspenseful thriller about divided loyalties and tensions of a double agent in his own home, informing on those he has known since childhood, but without political context.
Steve Ramos, Boxoffice Magazine
An action packed adventure that grows more suspenseful with each sequence.
Ryan Stewart, Slant Magazine
Impressively compact in its storytelling and visually sumptuous despite a budget of pocket-change proportions.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
This is gritty storytelling where violence is a way of life and confrontation between Catholics and Protestants and police a daily occurrence.
Tasha Robinson, AV Club
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.
Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
...the filmmakers never really make us buy that this man was so averse to violence he was willing to sell out his friends - for profit mind you - to help save the British. And yet the film really works as a political thriller.

Read all 19 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dean !

A decent thriller based on a true story of a member of the IRA who passed information on the the British special service. I don't think it helped that I didn't know what the film was about and it took about 20mins into the film to get a good idea of what was going on.… More
A decent thriller based on a true story of a member of the IRA who passed information on the the British special service. I don't think it helped that I didn't know what the film was about and it took about 20mins into the film to get a good idea of what was going on. It's well acted and an interesting story especially as based on real events. However the isn't a great deal of action and it is a little long as well. ok but not great.
♥˩ƳИИ &

Cast: Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Rose McGowan, Kevin Zegers, Nathalie Press, Nick Dunning, William Houston, Gavin O'Connor, Nathan Hughes, Kris Edlund Director: Kari Skogland Summary: Belfast hood Martin (Jim Sturgess) is recruited by a British agent (Ben Kingsley) to… More
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Rose McGowan, Kevin Zegers, Nathalie Press, Nick Dunning, William Houston, Gavin O'Connor, Nathan Hughes, Kris Edlund Director: Kari Skogland Summary: Belfast hood Martin (Jim Sturgess) is recruited by a British agent (Ben Kingsley) to infiltrate the IRA during the height of the Northern Irish conflict and quickly becomes embroiled in a dangerous game that could cost him his life if his secret is found out. As other informers are brutally murdered, Martin starts to look for a way out, but his handler urges him to stay undercover in this taut political thriller based on a true story. My Thoughts: "This is a very well done film, with a great cast and script. Having it based on true events is what makes this story that much more compelling. Jim Sturgess, did a great job and held his own with Mr. Ben Kingsley, who without having to say it but I will, was brilliant. I love Kevin Zegers as well and thought he pulled off the Irish accent very well. It's a very gritty film and with the way it begins, it definitely catches you and holds to the end. You know it comes to a bloody ending from the beginning. So that was a smart way to hold the audiences attention til the end. The story is just sad on both sides. Being American, I don't have a full understanding of the Northern Irish conflict with the British. But I do know that, from the film, Martin McGartland, was just trying to save lives on both ends. He made a great sacrifice with not only his life, but of his families too. *SPOILER* The scene where he's sitting in the car and watching his girlfriend and son knowing it will be his last time seeing them, well that was just heartbreaking. *END OF SPOILER* It's definitely an interesting watch. So see it if you haven't."
Al S

It's The Departed meets Spy Game. A first-rate, stylish and adrenaline-charged edge of your seat thriller. It packs pure powerhouse thrills and suspense from beginning to end. A masterpiece. A heart-pounding, shocking, spellbinding and absolutely breathtaking movie that you just… More
It's The Departed meets Spy Game. A first-rate, stylish and adrenaline-charged edge of your seat thriller. It packs pure powerhouse thrills and suspense from beginning to end. A masterpiece. A heart-pounding, shocking, spellbinding and absolutely breathtaking movie that you just have to see. An unforgettable and darkly realistic thriller of the finest kind. A highly stylized and explosively well-made film. Jim Sturgess and Ben Kingsley give electrifying performances, they have raw and exciting chemistry. Sturgess gives a breakout performance that shines of movie star caliber. Kingsley is brilliant, showing why he is one of the most professional and commanding actors around.
Cynthia S

Boy, that IRA business is nasty. They did a really good job on this film. Fine acting. Fine production. I really enjoyed this, even though I couldnt understand half of what they were saying...lol.
Bannan i

Amazing story, great cast and a well thought-out way to show how it all went down. A bit slow to get into at first and then WHAM....shit happens and you don't know what's going on. Hey all you Eire lot, how was Zegers irish accent? xD
Jeff "

Fifty Dead men walk is the story of Martin McGartland and his successful attempt at infiltrating the Provisional Irish Republican Army. The film is an itimate look at the Irish struggle for independence and you ultimately understand why the IRA has committed such acts of terrorism.… More
Fifty Dead men walk is the story of Martin McGartland and his successful attempt at infiltrating the Provisional Irish Republican Army. The film is an itimate look at the Irish struggle for independence and you ultimately understand why the IRA has committed such acts of terrorism. Ultimately violence is not the answer, and by the IRA cease fire of 1994 3,700 victims had been claimed by IRA terrorism. Fifty Dead Men Walking is a chilling account on the IRA and its a terrific thriller from start to finish. This will definitely make understand the why behind the IRA'S course of action, but you will ultimately disagree with the IRA struggle.
Jake .

Looking back upon 50 Dead Man Walking the only thing that really sticks out is that the whole thing is incredibly edgy. Seriously, it is as if every aspect of it was presented in such a way as to make it off-color or shocking. The problem is that, besides that, there really is not… More
Looking back upon 50 Dead Man Walking the only thing that really sticks out is that the whole thing is incredibly edgy. Seriously, it is as if every aspect of it was presented in such a way as to make it off-color or shocking. The problem is that, besides that, there really is not anything notable about it. It isn't even as much that the film is bad, as much as it just does not do anything to be particuarly good. It really is engagin and interesting enough to watch; but it is not going to stick with you. I realize this is a fairly worthless review, but I just do not have anything else to say about 50 Dead Men Walking. Its an edgy film spectacular, and worth a watching, just do not expect to remember a thing about a week later.
Derek D

Only spanish subtitles?!? Are you kidding? The way these micks talk you can barely undertand a word, but I tried and thus missed a large portion of this movie. But Jim Sturgess was pretty good and Sir Ben Kingsley just doesn't know how not to act. Maybe after watching this film… More
Only spanish subtitles?!? Are you kidding? The way these micks talk you can barely undertand a word, but I tried and thus missed a large portion of this movie. But Jim Sturgess was pretty good and Sir Ben Kingsley just doesn't know how not to act. Maybe after watching this film again I might actually be able to translate at least half their lines?
Walter M

"Fifty Dead Men Walking" starts with Martin(Jim Sturgess) looking underneath his car in Canada for a bomb, thereby missing the gunman who shoots him multiple times. That might have something to do with events in Belfast, starting 11 years previously with him selling stolen… More
"Fifty Dead Men Walking" starts with Martin(Jim Sturgess) looking underneath his car in Canada for a bomb, thereby missing the gunman who shoots him multiple times. That might have something to do with events in Belfast, starting 11 years previously with him selling stolen goods, primarily lingerie, which is against strict IRA rules that get his pal Frankie(Connor McNeill) kneecapped. Admittedly, Martin really has no choice since Catholic, he cannot work a legit job since they all go to the Protestants. Fergus(Ben Kingsley, almost unrecognizable) might have a job for him. The bad news is Fergus is special branch. So, taken is he with Martin's fearlessness(bordering on recklessness/stupidity, actually) that he wants him to inform on the IRA for him. Based on a true story, "Fifty Dead Men Walking" might seem a little familiar to anybody who has seen more than a few movies about the conflict in Northern Ireland. The movie is shot in a gritty realistic style that gives the viewer a very good idea of what it was like to live in such a tumultuous time and place, where a simple incident could start a riot. That sets up the suspenseful story told through the eyes of an informer, explaining thoughtfully without sentimenality why such a person should be thought of as a hero due to the amount of lives Martin saved(hence the movie's title), even with money changing hands. Because when it comes to terrorism, there are no sides, just lives lost.
Chris B

A story based on real events in Ireland's history, 50 Dead Men Walking is a brutal and gritty tale of Martin McGartland and his heroic actions that led to saving dozens of lives. The film is rather bleak and void of bright colors, which suit the film but it is still wonderfully… More
A story based on real events in Ireland's history, 50 Dead Men Walking is a brutal and gritty tale of Martin McGartland and his heroic actions that led to saving dozens of lives. The film is rather bleak and void of bright colors, which suit the film but it is still wonderfully lensed. There are some moments that you may wonder what is happening and the story tries to implant several events quickly, but overall it is an all around well paced film. Recommended only if you can handle torture and other violent acts for the good of a country at war.
Stephen E

The only other outing I've seen from Kari Skogland is the reprehensible "Men With Guns" and "Fifty Dead Men Walking" is the better of the two. Skogland is good at directing action and even though "Fifty Dead Men Walking" may sometimes be messy and… More
The only other outing I've seen from Kari Skogland is the reprehensible "Men With Guns" and "Fifty Dead Men Walking" is the better of the two. Skogland is good at directing action and even though "Fifty Dead Men Walking" may sometimes be messy and uneven in terms of storyline, it's always visceral and entertaining. Plus, Jim Sturgess is very good.
Adam M

Brilliant Brit thriller set in the 80's. A charismatic young man gets recruited by the British Special Branch to go undercover in the IRA with the obvious dangers of being killed if found out. This is based on a true story and is an explosive thriller, well worth checking out.
deb .

<b>"In war, truth is the first casualty. Information is as powerful as bullets."</b> This gripping story inspired by true events was supported with strong performances by Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess.