Formula 51 (The 51st State) (2002)

25% of critics liked it
(102 reviews)
60% of users liked it
(36,114 ratings)

First-time screenwriter Stelios Pavlou enjoyed a major success with this script that he wrote while working in an English liquor store by sending it to actor Samuel L. Jackson, who signed on for one of the lead roles. Jackson is Elmo McElroy, a kilt-wearing, golf club-wielding Los Angeles native who… More First-time screenwriter Stelios Pavlou enjoyed a major success with this script that he wrote while working in an English liquor store by sending it to actor Samuel L. Jackson, who signed on for one of the lead roles. Jackson is Elmo McElroy, a kilt-wearing, golf club-wielding Los Angeles native who has invented an illegal drug formula that he hopes will provide him with a last major score of 20 million dollars before he retires from a life of crime. He travels to Liverpool, England, where he hopes to find a buyer for his creation among the denizens of the city's rave scene, but his plans go awry when those who are in on the deal start turning up dead. Elmo's only protector is a chain-smoking, Yank-hating local hood named Felix De Souza (Robert Carlyle), who reluctantly partners with the violence-prone American to finish the deal and cash in, sparking a gang war between Elmo's vengeful one-time employer, The Lizard (Meat Loaf); Felix's boss, Durant (Ricky Tomlinson); crooked cop Virgil Kane (Sean Pertwee); a beautiful assassin, who also happens to be Felix's ex-girlfriend (Emily Mortimer); and an offbeat, yoga-practicing nightclub owner and mobster named Iki (Rhys Ifans). For its U.S. release, the title of The 51st State was changed to Formula 51. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Ronny Yu
Written By: Stel Pavlou
Genres: Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Oct 18, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Feb 4, 2003
Studio: Screen Gems

Critic Reviews

Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
It has the requisite flash and profane dialogue that movie audiences seem to like these days, but very little else.
Jeff Stark, Salon.com
Director Yu seems far more interested in gross-out humor than in showing us well-thought stunts or a car chase that we haven't seen 10,000 times.
Justine Elias, Village Voice
Dull-witted caper.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
This thing is just garbage.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Stars Samuel L. Jackson in the worst role of his career.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Ridiculous, dispiriting and ... coarse.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Missing: plot, dialogue, characters.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Overdirected, overacted, generally overwrought mess.
Todd Gilchrist, IGN Movies
After creating the most addictive drug known to man, Samuel Jackson and Robert Carlyle go on the run looking for a buyer in what turns out to be a joyride of a movie that takes its inspiration from similar films that have come before it.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Tenta desesperadamente ser um novo Jogo, Trapaças e Dois Canos Fumegantes, mas perde o jogo, trapaceia o espectador e é este quem entra pelo cano.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...starts out well enough, with its quirky directorial touches and even quirkier storyline, but finally becomes just too overwhelming.
Nick Rogers, State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)
Elmo touts his drug as being 51 times stronger than coke. If you're looking for a tale of Brits behaving badly, watch Snatch again. It's 51 times better than this.
Tyler Hanley, Palo Alto Weekly
Abnormal amounts of blood, bullets and wanton bodily functions could put the ill on some unsuspecting viewers.
Bryan Reesman, Citysearch
With an unusual protagonist (a kilt-wearing Jackson) and subject matter, the improbable "Formula 51" is somewhat entertaining, but it could have been much stronger.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
...Reeks of a studio trying to cut its losses and make a few bucks before the stiffer competition of Oscar season arrives.
Scott Von Doviak, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Excessive, profane, packed with cartoonish violence and comic-strip characters.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

xGary X

A kilt wearing American pharmacologist comes to Liverpool to sell the formula for a new kind of street drug, but his former employer sends a hitwoman after him to ensure he fails. The 51st state is very frustrating to watch as I couldn't help feeling that there was a decent film… More
A kilt wearing American pharmacologist comes to Liverpool to sell the formula for a new kind of street drug, but his former employer sends a hitwoman after him to ensure he fails. The 51st state is very frustrating to watch as I couldn't help feeling that there was a decent film in there somewhere trying to get out. The problem with it is its unbelievable lack of subtlety; it's over directed to the point where it feels like a clip show for CSI: Miami on crack, the constant, overly intrusive MTV soundtrack is abysmal and the constant stream of wacky comedy criminals made it feel like "Carry On Gangsters". Samuel L. Jackson is always watchable when he's allowed to strut his stuff and Robert Carlyle gets more tolerable as the film goes on, but its scattershot approach means that it misses the mark at least as often as it hits. In the end, one decent action sequence and a couple of mildly amusing gags is not enough to fill 90 minutes although Sam does make it watchable. Just. But I would never, ever sit through it again.
Anthony L

After reading the script I can safely say this is another example of a producer having absolutely no clue what he's doing and the hire of a poor casting director. A wasted opportunity!
Michael G

Formula 51 is a forgettable Guy Ritchie knockoff that seems to get more painful to watch as it gets closer to the end credits. The performances for the most part are tolerable with the exception of Meat Loaf, who seemed to be channeling a retarded Bob Dole on cheap speed. Emily… More
Formula 51 is a forgettable Guy Ritchie knockoff that seems to get more painful to watch as it gets closer to the end credits. The performances for the most part are tolerable with the exception of Meat Loaf, who seemed to be channeling a retarded Bob Dole on cheap speed. Emily Mortimer was foxy but not comely enough to make me sit through Formula 51 again.This movie was full of embarrassing moments (namely Sam Jackson's speech at the rave...and the rave in general) but the thing that bugged me the most about Formula 51 was the direction. If I want to watch a 90-minute music video I'll turn on MTV and open a few arteries. And speaking of music, this movie was like going on a date with a friend of a friend you're kind of interested in--you've got a good idea as to what you're getting into, but she won't shut the fuck up. This movie seemed to have no moments of silence. It was drowned in a background soundtrack generally crappy music. There were a few decent moments like the Robert Carlyle scene in the pub and Formula 51 could've been worse. I'm just not sure how much worse.
A B

Some good performances and funny moments.
Jani H

Came out at a time when Guy Ritchie was The Coolest director (not the director here though) and Sam Jackson and Robert Carlyle were The Coolest actors. So we should be waiting for a 'muthafuckin' cool movie' (me sounding like Sam) but the result is more like 'a… More
Came out at a time when Guy Ritchie was The Coolest director (not the director here though) and Sam Jackson and Robert Carlyle were The Coolest actors. So we should be waiting for a 'muthafuckin' cool movie' (me sounding like Sam) but the result is more like 'a shite flick that looks and sounds like arse' (me as Robbie). Okay, obviously I failed to be humorous but the truth is that this film just ain't that good. And if Meatloaf is in it? Arse? (With the exception of 'Fight Club'). Witty dialogue that ain't so funny with a dumb soundtrack? Not my kind of film.
Ross C

Around the turn of the millennium there were a whole host of action flicks trying to out cool each other. They seem dated now, but at least this story of a kilt-wearing American chemist selling a wonder drug to a bunch of Scousers is full of the typical British gangster flick humour.… More
Around the turn of the millennium there were a whole host of action flicks trying to out cool each other. They seem dated now, but at least this story of a kilt-wearing American chemist selling a wonder drug to a bunch of Scousers is full of the typical British gangster flick humour. It does try to oversell the Britishness at times though.
Lady D

I think this one will be more appealing to the British Audience because of the cast being mainly made up of British tv stars. Certainly a watchable films, but nothing too spectacular.
Curtis L

Pretty lame. They took every chance they could to point out that England is different that the U.S. Meatloaf gets blown up, and Sam Jackson wears a kilt. Eh.
Lafe F

A messy plot, violent characters and a dangerous drug.
Candy R

Strange plot and very violent.
Jason S

Funny.
Emily A

The cast is what really drove this movie, and everyone in it was great. It could have been better, but there was a lot to like about it, like the animosity that all the Brits had toward Americans, the skinheads that kept getting thier asses kicked, or the finale at the soccer game. It… More
The cast is what really drove this movie, and everyone in it was great. It could have been better, but there was a lot to like about it, like the animosity that all the Brits had toward Americans, the skinheads that kept getting thier asses kicked, or the finale at the soccer game. It was fun to watch.
Deb S

Elmo (Samuel L. Jackson) is a loudmouthed pharmacist who gets busted on graduation day for marijuana possession and loses his license. We catch up with Elmo in the current day where he's a master chemist for a drug lord producing state of the art recreational drugs and the genius… More
Elmo (Samuel L. Jackson) is a loudmouthed pharmacist who gets busted on graduation day for marijuana possession and loses his license. We catch up with Elmo in the current day where he's a master chemist for a drug lord producing state of the art recreational drugs and the genius behind a designer 'wonder' drug P.O.S. 51 which is supposed to be 51 times as powerful as cocaine, heroin and any other drug you can name, worth a cool $20 million. More importantly it can be made using substances that are readily available over the counter worldwide. After ceremoniously blowing up his lab (and bosses) in Los Angeles, he heads to Liverpool, England, in a kilt, no less in search of a buyer for his new party favor. But in between dodging an assassin's bullets and trying to stay one step ahead of the law, Elmo finds an unlikely partner in a small-time gangster (Robert Carlyle) and a lovely Emily Mortimer who has a soft spot for Carlyle. Hang on tight for an action-packed thrill ride that you'll never forget! Being set mostly in England, the movie also has a very British style to it and an interesting cross between action and comedy. Formula 51 is loud, mindless, illogical, but full of style, fast paced action and one liners. Its escapism, so suffice to say I enjoyed it.
Duncan R

Well, now we know that Emily Mortimer can be a badass. A shame that she had to pick such a bland movie to showcase that fact, and a shame that the rest of the excellent cast had to waste their talents on it along with her. It was worth a rent I guess, but it's not too memorable.
Kevin L

Not as good as I would have hoped it would be.
Chris M

Actually quite boring.