6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Inspired by the true story of Martin McGartland who was recruited by the British Special Branch to work inside the IRA. He moved up the ranks and saved well over 50 lives, yet ended up being hunted by both sides. He had to leave his young girlfriend and child behind for their own protection and is still on the run today.
Starring: Jim Sturgess, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Zegers, Natalie Press, Rose McGowanCrime | 100% |
Thriller | 94% |
Drama | 63% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Looking back through the history of Northern Ireland and the conflict that ravaged a large portion of the nation for nearly a century, it’s difficult not to feel deeply saddened. Much like the great civil war of our nation’s history, the conflict in Ireland divided families and neighbors, resulting in ongoing bloodshed that often led to immense civilian casualties. From an outsider’s perspective, this ongoing violence between the occupying British and the Irish Republican Army seems like a tremendous waste of British resources and an exercise in futility for the Irish rebels, but until you stand firmly entrenched in the conflict, it remains impossible to put yourself in their shoes. To this day, historians stand divided over the IRA’s classification as freedom fighters or a terrorist organization. Thankfully, 50 Dead Men Walking doesn’t beg the question of which side you fall on. Instead, it provides viewers with a topical analysis of Irish life during the late 1980’s, and one man’s struggle to balance the demands of both warring factions.
That's the most hair I've seen on Ben Kingsley in years.
Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 20Mbps), 50 Dead Men Walking offers a largely proficient visual experience. Filmed entirely on location in Northern Ireland, the cinematography truly captures the feel of the war-torn environment, with bricks littering sidewalks, barbed-wire fencing around every corner, and the oppressively drab exteriors of the poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Studying distant or close-up shots, you'll find an excellent level of fine-object detail on display in the vast majority of scenes. There are still several shots that appear soft or slightly out of focus, but they don't occur with enough frequency to detract from the overall experience. From a coloring standpoint this is a highly stylized film, with indoor and outdoor filtering that washes the more vibrant colors from the palette. Some might find the lack of natural colors a bit off-putting, but I felt it adds to the gritty tone of the film and seemed entirely appropriate for the material. On the flipside, I'm a little less enthusiastic when it comes to the differentiation between darker shades in the transfer and the occasional loss of shadow detail. One scene that really stands out as a disappointment is a chase sequences in the final minutes of the film. Footage from inside the car of the pursuing IRA henchmen is so muddled and dark that it's difficult to make heads or tails of what is going on. Thankfully, the rest of the film remains far less troubling, but I still felt contrast could have been a little stronger (without resorting to oversaturation or boosting the brightness).
If the strengths and weaknesses in the transfer were placed on a scale, the positives would tip the scale with such force that the negatives would be thrown off. At a time when we're growing increasingly accustomed to the CGI-heavy action offerings of Hollywood, it's almost refreshing to take in a film with cinematography that generates its own sense of style, while still matching the intimate nature of the subject matter.
The lossless audio mix is reasonably strong thanks to a wonderful soundtrack and excellent use of the surround field, but the lack of consistent dialogue levels diminishes the overall score. Similar to films such as Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels or Bloody Sunday, you'll immediately find yourself straining to make out the differences in annunciation and tonal quality between the American-English dialect, and the accents used within the film. As your ears begin to adjust to an extent where you're able to easily process the nuances, you'll grow increasingly comfortable with the manner in which characters speak to one another. Unfortunately, as difficult as it may be to decipher the lines, it becomes entirely impossible when a conversation is further muddled by volume drops during scenes with rapid line delivery. The lack of consistency jumped out at me during a handful of sequences (typically when I worried about running the risk of missing a key piece of the plot), and posed enough of a problem that I grew frustrated with the constant need to replay certain scenes. If you toss the dialog out of the equation, the other elements in the mix offer a robust experience, with ample immersion in the sound field, plenty of separation between channels, and a wonderful level of clarity.
Deleted Scenes (1080i, DTS 2.0, 8:41 min): Most of the clips shown here are either extensions or alternate takes on scenes from the film. Regarding the presentation of the collection, the footage is window-boxed into a small central portion of your screen, and appears a bit rough.
Behind the Scenes (1080i, DTS 2.0, 32:47 min): In true "behind the scenes" fashion, this half-hour supplement is simply a collection of clips showing the actors and crew members on various sets. There are no narrative clips or interviews, and I doubt much editing was employed in the creation of this feature.
Rounding out the extras, we have a window-boxed trailer for the film that's encoded in high-definition.
If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat entertainment, I'd highly recommend 50 Dead Men Walking. I can't account for the historical accuracy of the conflict portrayed in the film, and I'd imagine this is a sensationalized portrayal of real life events, but if you're merely approaching the production with a desire to be entertained for two hours, you won't be disappointed. Purely from a technical standpoint, the disc offers a fantastic visual experience, and an audio mix that grows troublesome from time to time, but still offers enough proficiency to earn an average rating. Put together, you have a complete package that's well worth the low introductory price at our favorite online retailer, making this a no-brainer for most Blu-ray collectors.
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