|
FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING Send This Review to a Friend
The Irish rebellion against British rule is the theme of “Fifty Dead Men Walking,” Writer-director Kari Skogland’s drama starring Ben Kingsley as a wily British intelligence operator who recruits Jim Sturgess as Martin to serve as an informer. Martin is squeezed into a difficult situation as his life and those of his family members are endangered. The story is based on a real case, and the real Martin is said to still be in hiding.
The story is set in Belfast in 1980 as the Irish Republican Army battles the British occupiers. The stakes are lethal, and Martin is in a trap. Once exposed as a traitor to the cause he is considered a “dead man walking.” But he is also beholden to his British handlers.
The film is rich in an atmosphere of terror and the sleaziness that goes with trying to play both sides. Skogland keeps up the suspense, and both Sturgess and Kingsley are devastatingly effective in their respective roles. The supporting cast members are also excellent, contributing to the overall picture of the times and human lives at stake.
There have been various films depicting the period. “Fifty Dead Men Walking” adds yet another perspective. A Phase 4 Films release.
|