38. 49; movie review

49

Cert 15

122 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence, threat, injury detail

Where are the lines blurred between fact and fiction in Hakan Inan's 49?

I know that this was the number of Turkish consulate staff who were held hostage by the terrorists of ISIS after they capture the Iraqi city of Mosul.

And I know they were eventually released unscathed after nearly three months.

But I cannot find any report on what actually happened. So does Inan know the truth or has he simply filled the gaps through his imagination?

His film begins with the order being given by Turkish officials to consult staff to surrender as their compound is being overrun by ISIS.

The terrorist leader (Sinan Tuzcu) then makes unfulfillable ransom demands on video.

Consequently, an undercover Turkish military team sets about rescuing their countrymen. 

On the one hand, it has to be said that there is plenty to keep an audience engaged in 49 thanks to an engaging battle of weapons and wit.

On the other, the resolutions are too quick and there are too many stereotypes.

Therefore, the ISIS characters aren't just ruthless but are also big, ugly and stupid. Meanwhile, the Turkish team, led by Ismail Hacioglu, are attractive, lithe and fiendishly clever.

The result is that the Turks easily can out-think and out-fight their enemy. Indeed, it scarcely seems a fair match-up.

There are some exciting fight scenes and we were on tenterhooks during its finale but, let's be frank, 49 doesn't capture either the true horror of being a captive or the extreme difficulty of releasing the hostages.

It even dissolves into an unnecessary romance during its denouement.

The most disappointing element was that I was left wanting to know more about the 49 rather than feeling as if I was up to speed on a slice of history.

Reasons to watch: Tense slice of history

Reasons to avoid: Resolutions too easy

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? According to the International Organisation for Migration, more than one million people—out of a pre-Islamic State population of close to four million—had fled Mosul by August 2017 when the city was liberated. 

The final word. Ismail Hacıoğlu said: "'It was our pleasure to portray this story. The real heroes of the event watched the movie and appreciated it." Daily Sabah

 

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