Machine Gun Preacher (2011) User Reviews

Watch and weep.

[LloydBayer · 8/10 · 16 March 2012]

When a movie title sounds as corny as "Machine Gun Preacher", you would expect it to be another mindless action movie. Thinking the same, I recently watched this on a lazy afternoon with no good expectations whatsoever. Not half way through the movie and I was highly mistaken for underestimating this film. Somewhere between what I expected and what I experienced, is a fierce narration of human rights abuse that the 'free world' has chosen to ignore, just because it can be ignored.

Soon after his release from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) goes on a drug and alcohol fuelled rampage of violence. After a vicious attack on a drifter, Sam attends a church service with his wife Lynn (Michelle Monaghan) and comes home a changed man. Call it an epiphany- from a hardened biker outlaw, Sam is suddenly a model Christian and a respectable member of society. This is when he volunteers as a missionary to Uganda. What he finds there changes his life and opens his eyes to the atrocities of war-torn Southern Sudan. Armed with the Bible in one hand and an assault rifle in the other, Sam becomes a legend overnight but soon finds himself reverting to his former self when faced with mounting pressure and dwindling resources in saving Sudanese children from the evil clutches of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

As clichéd as it sounds, the context here – about a criminal who finds God, then goes on a crusade against child abduction and human genocide – seems contrived and done before. However, googling 'Sam Childers' will not only yield over two million links, it will throw light on one of the greatest atrocities involving under aged children. In fact, I highly recommend the 30 minute YouTube video titled "Invisible Children" as a mood setter, before watching "Machine Gun Preacher". If you are man enough to sit through this movie without as much as batting an eyelid, I dare you to not shed a tear as the end credits go up. Through monochromatic short takes, we are not only introduced to the real Sam Childers, we get to see the real victims; barely 10 year olds, whose crayon sketches are so shocking that it forms a stark contrast to their counterparts in other parts of the free world.

Acclaimed director of "Monster's Ball" and "The Kite Runner", Marc Forster fuses Sam Childers' memoirs of Another Man's War with Jason Keller's screenplay into this remarkable, not-to-be-missed movie. Forster's forte is in making an action-drama with a heart wrenching aftertaste, a unique feat not many directors have achieved since Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" or even Kevin Macdonald's "Last King of Scotland". What makes this movie all the more compelling is that every bit of it is true. On the other hand, there isn't much the audience can do except wallow in pity. Or is there? If one man, just one man, can fight for the lives of innocent children thousands of miles from the comfort and safety of his home, then Forster's true success is in allowing the audience to judge for themselves, whether looking the other way is the humane thing to do. Childers' arch nemesis and leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony, is never really shown in the movie, and deservingly so. In comparison, googling 'Joseph Kony' will yield just about 300,000 links. Evidently, Forster has given prime importance to Childers' heroics and in the process, vindicates our hero's gung-ho yet controversial modus operandi. If you think about it, war machines are scattered all over the planet in the defense of "peace", so why shouldn't one man shoot to kill, even if it costs 100 bullets to save the life of one abducted child?

Before I get to my 'must-see' conclusion, let me also add that Gerard Butler may not be half the man Sam Childers appears to be, but as the protagonist, Butler returns to form with the same intensity last seen in his portrayal as King Leonidas in "300". There is a connection between both these characters and Butler skillfully drives the message that freedom is a God given right and no human being should ever have to live or die in captivity. With lesser screen time but in easily her best role so far, Michelle Monaghan smolders as a brunette. Her captivating looks aside, Monaghan plays her part to perfection as Childers' wife and sole impetus when the going becomes relentlessly tough. Also worth mentioning are Michael Shannon as Childers' friend in Pennsylvania and Souleymane Savane as his trusted aid in Uganda.

Now, did I mention this is a must-see movie? You can either choose to watch it or not. Considering the butterfly effect, if you do watch this movie, there is a slim possibility that another child under Childers' care will receive a morsel of food.

Fantastic but Unfortunately not Well Known Biography

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 21 April 2012]

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the addicted gang biker Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) is released from prison and learns that his wife Lynn Childers (Michelle Monaghan) is no longer a striper and has converted to Christianity. One night, Sam and his best friend Donnie (Michael Shannon) give a ride to a hitchhiker that threatens Donnie with a pocketknife; however Sam reacts and stabs the stranger and dumps him on the road.

Sam is affected by the incident and is convinced by Lynn and his mother Daisy (Kathy Baker) to join their church and he is baptized. Sam finds a straight job in construction. He is well succeeded and when he meets a preacher from Africa, he decides to visit the continent. Sam travels to Northern Uganda and South Sudan many times and builds an orphanage for the victims of the cruel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Further, he fights whenever necessary and becomes a legend known as The Machine Gun Preacher.

"Machine Gun Preacher" is a film tailored to Gerard Buttler about the fantastic but unfortunately not well known biography of Sam Childers, an addicted troublemaker drug-dealer biker that changes totally his life and becomes the only hope for thousand of orphans in Africa.

The story and the screenplay are engaging with a perfect combination of drama and action. The only thing that irritates me is douchbags that write that this film like is a Christian propaganda. This is a true story and can be found everywhere in Internet and has nothing to do with propaganda, but reality and redemption. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Redenção" ("Redemption")

A very touchy movie

[annliebe · 6/10 · 21 September 2011]

"Machine Gun Preacher" is an inspirational melodrama directed by Marc Forster and starring Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon. This film is based on the true story of Sam Childers a former gang biker who finds god, becomes a pastor and has dedicated his life and all his resources ever since to rescuing and protecting orphans in Sudan, Africa. Childers founded Angles of East Africa an orphanage located in South Sudan.

Marc Forster has under his belt an impressive resume with films like Quantum of Solace, The Kite Runner, Finding Neverland and Monster's Ball.

Reviewing this film has been very complicated because of its subject matter. The movie has a strong religious subject, addresses the civil conflict and severity of the crisis in Sudan, ideals, hypocrisy and religious fanaticism. This film will divide Christian audiences because of the redemptive arc of the tale.

This is one of those movies that will provoke both sympathy and aversion. Sam Childers (Butler) is not an ordinary preacher; he carries a machine gun and kills LRA rebels in self-defense looking at it as helping God's children. Sam had a troubled life, was a gang member, drug dealer, junkie, married a stripper, but his life dramatically changes around when he finds god or god finds him, as he states in the movie. He claims to be a soldier fighting for freedom and becomes a member of the SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army).

Mark Foster does a good job bringing such a complex and controversial story to the big screen utilizing his well-known visual skills. This movie has a lot of graphic and violent scenes, showing the horror caused by a civil war, torture, savage murders, and how entire villages are destroyed.

MPAA rating: R Runtime: 2:03 mins Production Co: Relativity Media, Virgin Produced, Apparatus Productions

Powerful, graphic, unsettling movie with a profound message of hope and human courage shown in adversity

[jameslamont · 2 November 2011]

I went into this movie with no expectations. The title made it seem like it would be a typical action movie; all guns and brawn and little in the way of storyline but boy was I wrong. This movie, based on a true story, was powerful and touched me so much that it has prompted me to write my first film review on IMDb in over six years! This is a movie with a solid pedigree of cast behind it, it is based on the life of Sam Childers (Gerard Butler), who without giving much away, has a criminal past, finds God and embarks on undertaking missionary work in civil war-torn Sudan, leaving his loyal, loving wife Lynn Childers (Michelle Monaghan) and his young daughter Paige (Madeline Carrol) back home in Penslyvania. This movie follows Sam's juggling how his Christian faith inspires him at home and also in Sudan.

Gerard Butler has always been something of an enigma to me. In my opinion he can be hit and miss as an actor, but in this movie he gives a powerhouse performance as the emotionally conflicted and stunted Sam Cilders, someone who follows his faith and shows simple, sometimes primal humanity in inhumane foreign environments. I think this is Gerard Butlers best performance to date, he expertly immerses himself into Sam , he is so believable in this role, both emotionally, mentally and physically. The audience may find it hard to remember it is just a movie at some stages. Michael Shannon is amazing a Sam's childhood friend Donnie, a troubled soul who is another person loyal to Sam but ultimately flawed.

This is not a movie I feel will get the awards it richly deserves. Similar in tone to Hotel Rwanda, it is an inspiring story but with a sobering message. It reminded me a lot of Hotel Rwanda because it showed how one man alone with enough faith in simple humanity can make a difference. Sam Childers is not a saint; far from it, he is flawed and he has a violent and criminal side and this is evident in the movie. However he is also shown as having humanity and the fact that he decides to make a stand and do something away from the comfort of his armchair in America is testament to his character. Would the audience have the courage to do what Sam did? That is a question facing the audience as they leave the movie, along with the graphic images which will haunt the audience for a long time after seeing the movie.

There are so many powerful moments in this movie that it is hard to pin point any without spoiling the plot. This is not a movie that you should take a date along to; or anyone who is squeamish or unsettled by blood and guts. This is a movie that takes the audience in the palm of their hands and opens their eyes to the blunt reality and the truth of genocide. It is similar in that way to Hotel Rwanda but I found this movie even more graphic and unsettling in many ways. This is a movie you should watch at all costs although you may not want to see it again. It is hard hitting, powerful, emotional but most of all thought provoking.

497th Review: Powerful but way too melodramatic to really shine

[intelearts · 7/10 · 23 March 2012]

MGP is a terrific plot, that is a good watch in some respects - the story is earnest, necessary, and vital - but the delivery is way too melodramatic - it's kind of preachy in a revival sense, and we get little or no real maturity - it opts instead for action and heightened emotions at every step.

The plot of the true story of Sam Childers, the ex-biker criminal and,frankly, low-life, who finds Jesus and then Africa is gripping in so many ways - but with a full throttled approach at every step we're not really getting insights to the real man, we just the highlights, and that's pretty crude film- making.

I wouldn't want to put people off watching this - it tries to highlight earnestly the horrific mess that Sudan is in - but it does so as an all out action film and that really doesn't do more than entertain - and that's the biggest fault of all.

Childers Story Holds Great Potential -- Lead Role Sadly Miscast -- Inconsistent Script

[Unbilled_Role · 6/10 · 3 October 2011]

"Machine Gun Preacher" is produced by Gerard Butler, who by no small accident has absorbed the lead role, which is based on the real-life story of Sam Childers. Sam is a reformed ex-con, whose former life was dangerously reckless, until he turned his life around and began to do the Lord's work. I was inspired by the core storyline, which concerns itself with themes of transformation.

There were some missing puzzle pieces in the script. One example is just after Childers comes to Jesus. After a mandatory church scene, the period of time when he truly changes his life is not addressed. If the film had shown this difficult transition of what it really means to leave "the old world behind", then the plot would have benefited by a reality-shot to the arm.

Some of the African scenes were moving, like where Childers has built an orphanage and becomes a freedom fighter who rescues war-torn children. And that's why I felt that I had to give this film a rating of 6 stars, rather than a mediocre 5.

Kathy Baker and Michael Shannon, both very fine actors, should have been given more lines and more screen time. Savane did a fine turn as the African comrade. I'm not as convinced as some of the pro critics about the casting of Monaghan as his wife. She played it with a quiet sincerity, but what I hoped for was a stirring undertone, revealing fragments of her former hard-scrabble life. Who could have done this role real justice? How about Melissa Leo?

At the end of the film, the rolling credits reveal the real-life Sam Childers. It was at this moment in seeing and hearing the burly, earthy-looking biker man that I was further convinced that Childers himself was miscast. Gerard Butler's handsome looks are distracting. He does a fair enough job, but the role does not shine. In the church scenes when he was preaching, the credibility was sorely lacking. It felt like Butler was going through the motions.

Can Gerard Butler get an Amen, brother and sisters?

Sadly, not from this viewer.

So, who could carry the mantle of Childers with sufficient gravitas? Several actors come to mind: Billy Bob Thornton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, or Michael Shannon. Each of these gentlemen have the chops to tackle a difficult role like this.

I'm grateful that this story has come to light in this film. But after going online to find out more about Sam Childers, I see that his personal web site is polished and fairly commercial. This slick branding is the opposite of Childers, who is a gruff rebel rouser, and also happens to save children. Similarly, this film seems to try too hard to be accepted into the fame-driven flock of Hollywood.

And that, dear brethren, could be the weak link in this film. While the movie is clearly faithful to the commercial demands of Movietown, the genuine story of Sam Childers has been watered down and compromised. My hope is that 10 years from now, some indie filmmaker will re-develop this story, and infuse it with all the complex, gritty glory which it deserves.

machine gun

[khan-behroz · 9/10 · 2 March 2012]

I m not a usual review writer of any kind but i especially register for IMDb to write about this movie. After watching the movie and checking the IMDb rate i must say it is highly underestimated and i was forced to make a statement.

i would recommend this movie. it leaves you thinking not only about the characters itself but also about the issue of the movie. I myself spend hours of researching about the problems which are shown in the movie.

i find the characters very appealing although at some point i thought it could be portrayed better than it was actually done.

Overall it is a really good movie and worth a watch.

Truth is it isn't a Great movie or a Bad one either

[alex-b-katzmann · 6/10 · 27 February 2012]

The movie stars Gerald Butler and his life transformation from a pitiless biker to a church builder avenger.

A lot of criticism of this movie comes from people crying out against white superiority or religious propaganda, in my opinion this movie does neither and anyone that have read books and documentaries about Africa knows that the situation over there does require occidental involvement in any form to help those countries until they can manage their own states by themselves, of course dependency on foreign aid is another issue but let's no get into that.

My problem with the movie that is said to be based on a 'true' story comes from the script itself. I did not believe Gerard Butler's transformation from a ruthless bandit that forces his wife to go back to stripping instead of working in a mall, not saying that this is impossible in real life, but that the way they presented it was lacking realism.

The rest of the movie sends a good message about people implicating in Africa's civil wars, and especially Sudan although the situation has since changed with South Sudan's new sovereign state. A good way to this at home is perhaps to visit and give support to African based groups advocating for a united Africa with real bureaucracies, laws, corruption-free police.

For a movie that talks about Africa The Machine Gun Preacher is less than stellar compared to many others, not because of it's message but because of it's content and I didn't think it portrayed white superiority in any kind and I don't think supporting white Christian churches for their actions in Africa is a bad message anyone saying the contrary should ask themselves what are they doing that those churches aren't.

An amazing story.. An amazing movie!!!

[yude201119 · 10/10 · 9 November 2011]

I saw this movie and was simply left speechless. It was amazing!! The story of Sam Childers is amazing. It really makes you think and wonder how can one person have so much willpower and stamina to keep doing what he has been doing all these years for these children. I was shocked by what the LRA has been doing to these children but unfortunately this is the truth and history keeps repeating itself especially in African countries. I have lived in Africa for many years and seeing somebody doing something about these atrocities does mean a lot (even though he is a "white savior"). If this is what it takes, so be it. Let's not denigrate it as I have seen so many do in their reviews. It is a very moving story and although it is extremely violent at times (let us not forget this is a true story and these things happened), it can be very touching and emotional. Gerard Butler's performance is Oscar worthy and Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon were also great even though their roles were short but then again the story is about Sam Childers. However, what I would really like to know is why some of the critics trashed this movie?? !! Most of the people who saw it found it excellent as I did. And why was it not widely distributed??? I think people should see this movie and be more awake and aware!! Was it too controversial for some?? It leaves me wondering !!!

Gerald Butler shines. A vivid picture of horrific events..

[samabc-31952 · 7/10 · 4 December 2022]

"If your child is abducted by a terrorist and you want me to find him and bring him home then does it matter to you how I do it?"

• Sam Childers. He was a hillbilly drug addict, an ex-con who comes out of prison and finds his 'calling'. He then builds a church in his town and goes to Sudan to build homes and later an orphanage for the LRA victims. LRA - Lord's Resistance Army and its leader Joseph Kony the most notorious and evil warlord terrorized both the northern Uganda and southern Sudan for more than 3 decades. The pillaging LRA mutilated and killed almost half a million civilians and abducted over 60,000 children and tortured them, raped, sold them in sex slavery and forced them to kill people. Where was GOD!!

Based on Sam Childers' autobiography. At times it feels like a hagiography but Gerald Butler delivers an intense performance. A nice mashup but somewhat stays on surface. A self righteous savior with machine gun seems somewhat indiscernible. However, it gives a vivid picture of the horrific events took place in Sudan. A good watch.

Still Unknown

[wtmerrett · 5/10 · 30 March 2018]

I can't begin to imagine how hard it must be for the people who were born in these regions and have had to try to survive in the situations this film depicts. I applaud Sam Childers for his work and feel this film is a fairly accurate depiction of his work. I understand the Director Marc Forster has many credits to his name and is highly respected. I just don't like his work on this film very much. The wide shots and medium shots seem to be all he used in this picture and as such we didn't get drawn into the characters at all. I did not really care enough about anyone as I didn't get to see who they were. A story that needed telling but a film that could have been much better.

Had to travel to Denver to see it, but it was worth it.

[biztec · 10/10 · 31 October 2011]

The interesting observation after viewing this film at the historic Mayan Theater in downtown Denver was that every female was crying by the end and the men were poker-faced. Also of interest is that the negative reviews, which are often unnecessarily unkind to Gerard Butler, and unhelpful to the reader, often seem to have been posted by males. Sure, women around the world are crazy about Gerard Butler, but come on, this was an astounding performance about the life of an awe-inspiring man. If you didn't like the film, walked out, or wanted to punch Mr. Butler in the face, then donate the cost of your ticket to Angels of East Africa. My final comment is that Mr. Butler produced this film because it wouldn't have been made otherwise. This is a story that had to be told and he didn't accept his normal fee for his performance; in fact, although I obviously can't confirm it, I heard that he accepted a fraction of a fraction of his normal fee.

I hate this movie

[zooz898 · 6/10 · 2 September 2012]

OK, first of all, I'm Sudanese, lived my hall life (23years) in Sudan. Second, this movie is everything that's bad with the media, I mean the movie is all talking about Sudanese Muslims killing Christians like it's a religious war or something!. I accept the fact that there is a war going in Sudan, but it have nothing to do with religion, it started 25 years ago, and was really for some injustice going on in Sudan, and turned into a civil war in south Sudan. And what about this dude, leaving America to work in Africa? like American people don't need any help! what about Katrina and the fluid victims? aren't they christens too? or is it just Africa that is accepted to help?

Again people, just get your facts strait before watching a movie and believing it!.

Hillbilly from Penn

[ferguson-6 · 5/10 · 2 October 2011]

Greetings again from the darkness. Movies based on true stories and real people tend to receive the benefit of the doubt from me when they exaggerate those truths and characters. The real life Sam Childers at the beginning of the movie is an ex-con, druggie, gun-loving drug dealer, thug, lousy dad, worse husband, and overall man of failed character. When he finds God, he loses the drug labels but the only other thing that really changes is his postal address.

Sam Childers sees himself as a modern day crusader working to make a better life for the war orphans in Sudan. It's impossible to argue that he hasn't had an impact on lives. The real question is, at what cost and by what methods? Over the closing credits, we even get a clip of the real Sam asking us "does it matter how?".

You will find no debate here for whether or not this man has made a difference or whether his methods should be judged. This space is merely for analyzing the movie which is telling a story. Gerard Butler does an admirable job making Sam a somewhat sympathetic character. Re-read my first paragraph if you think that's easy! Michelle Monaghan plays Lynn, his incredibly supportive wife who actually helped Sam find God, rather than continue his criminal, drug-addled ways with friend Donnie (Michael Shannon).

While I found the story of the Sudanese children to be heart-breaking, the choppy and fragmented manner in which it's presented was quite annoying. The story began in 1998 but we never really knew what year it was or how much time had passed between Sam's trips home. Many of the gun battle scenes came across very staged and set-up for a cool shot of Butler brandishing a weapon and bandanna.

So while I found the story to be quite interesting, I found the delivery to be less than adequate. This despite fine performances from Butler, Monaghan, Shannon, Kathy Baker and Madeline Carroll. There are numerous magazine articles about Sam Childers and I believe you will find those more accurate and informative.

God, Me and Africa

[YohjiArmstrong · 2 November 2011]

Plot: An American biker criminal finds God which leads him to go to the Sudan and start an orphanage which, in the face of attacks by the LRA, he begins to defend with armed force.

This is a biopic and, like so many biopics before, it can't make up its mind where the story is. Instead you get a "and then and then and..." narrative, like reading a Wikipedia article. So, is this a redemption story about a violent drug-abusing criminal who gets God and turns his life around? Is it a faith story about the trials and tribulations of a Christian trying to do what he thinks is God's work in Africa? Or is it a Heart of Darkness story about a Westerner who is almost destroyed by Africa? As a result of this indecision the story is repetitive and over-long. By the second half it seems to consist entirely of watching Gerard Butler travel to Africa and then back to America. There is an interesting spin on the usual Western "Save Africa" sort of film. Aware that such films usually lack popular appeal, this film tries to broaden its audience with lots of modern shaky-came combat and an appeal to fellow (especially in the US) Christians to help their brothers in Africa. It doesn't really work. Partly because the battles are repetitive (the same stunt involving an RPG and a jeep is used three times) but mostly because they are disconnected from most of the rest of the story. They make great trailer fodder, but little else. Whilst the Christian aspects never seem to quite work, partly, I suspect, because the Director isn't a theist. I did however appreciate the treatment of the American Midwesterners. As one of the few groups you're still allowed to hate (see "Red State"), it was nice to see them treated with a little respect rather than just as redneck, hillbilly, Bible-bashin' racists with guns.

Good story, acceptable translation to the screen

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 14 January 2015]

If ever there were a true story ripe for cinematic adaptation, this is the one. MACHINE GUN PREACHER tells the true-life story of Sam Childers, a biker turned born-again Christian who travelled to Africa to set up a church, save the children and kill a whole bunch of rebel terrorists in the process.

It's a film you have to watch with a certain amount of tongue-in-cheek - after all, this is another spin on Hollywood's favoured 'white saviour' sub-genre - but the narrative is engaging enough for it to work as a movie. There are also strengths in the casting of Gerard Butler as the volatile, foul-mouthed Christian hero, while the supporting cast and African backdrop work well together.

The only downside is that they picked Marc Forster to direct, and as anyone who's seen QUANTUM OF SOLACE will tell you, this guy's not terribly skilled behind the camera. Thus his action sequences are acceptable rather than spectacular, and when it's real people being killed it's kind of difficult to cheer the hero on. An interesting film then, but not exactly a favourite.

Documentary-lite but High on Energy

[Simon_Says_Movies · 7/10 · 15 September 2012]

Religion and violence are far more synonymous than most people of faith would care to admit, and with Machine Gun Preacher Gerard Butler's criminal-turned-man-of-god certainly embraces that twisted mantra with a fervor. Despite adding a little too much "story-of-the-week" flavor, what allows this African-set, wartime drama/actioner to distinguish itself from your typical "one man against evil" archetype is Butler's charisma and instances of character arc complexity that do not play out as you might expect.

Directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace), Machine Gun Preacher chronicles select chapters from the life of Sam Childers (Butler) and his crusades against the genocide in Sudan by constructing an orphanage for the casualties of the conflict – the ones who are still alive. When we start out, Childers has just been released from prison and wastes no time returning to his biker bar, reuniting with his bad influence of a best friend (Michael Shannon) and setting up a tidy drug score. After an unforeseen complication (and an attempted murder) leaves the man shaken, he turns to his religious wife (Michelle Monaghan) for salvation.

What he finds while on a missionary outing to Sudan are the orphans, whose cause he initially addresses by allowing the majority of a wandering pack of young children to cram themselves in his tiny motel room. From there, it becomes an obsession – an addiction – as much as a cause. It is from this point where the fable deviates favorably (if not flawlessly) from its traditionally constructed roots, when Childers realizes simply constructing a modest orphanage (and the presence of a "white man") is not enough to keep the rebels at bay.

Hence, the "machine gun preacher" is born, allying himself with revolutionists and carrying out attacks, raids and ambushes with the apparent end goal to protect "his" children. What we actually see, unequivocally, is his sociopathic side slipping through his soft veneer and his addiction swelling to an all-out overdose of righteousness. To make matters worse, he alienates his actual family back in the States, drives them close to financial ruin with his self-funding efforts and refuses to quit because of his own broken logic. This makes Childers a somewhat unlikable individual in that respect, but also makes him all the more intriguing.

I still fail to see Butler ever rising to the plane of an awards- garnering thespian, but he is consistently larger-than-life and rarely uninteresting to watch on screen. He infuses Childers with a bravado and intensity that is enough to compensate for unevenness in the screenplay. Also of note is that while the film is about a preacher and his godly crusade, "Machine Gun" ironically rarely preaches and lets the story and the horrible situation speak for itself. There are instances of manipulation when it comes to the orphans, but things are kept refreshingly low key.

Machine Gun Preacher tells an interesting story (if a familiar one thanks to an amplitude of entirely fictitious and melodramatic Hollywood fare available) about a man, who still to this day champions orphans in Africa. Crisp action, punctuations of graphic violence and solid performances throughout convey the proper message despite never really offering up of an enough impact to make anything click in the minds of the average individual. Essentially, this is documentary lite with just enough energy to warrant the big-screen treatment.

WOAH! Incredible in every manner

[drfraud-1 · 10/10 · 29 February 2012]

This film deserves a MUCH higher score. It's one of the best movies I've seen in years.

Very well developed characters and storyline and amazing acting/plot.

I was a little upset in the beginning and thought the movie will turn out to be cheesy, but it really takes hold on you after a few initial disappointments and doesn't let go until the end.

Buttler fits the unstable "born again, dead again" character extremely well and delivers an extremely believable performance.

What really makes this movie stand out is its non-stop change of pace. It goes from slow and peaceful to hardcore Rambo action, but does so in a very creative way.

Definitely a must see and definitely a masterpiece!

One Man's Heart and the Violence Around Him

[billygoat1071 · 7/10 · 14 April 2012]

Machine Gun Preacher is based on a true story of Sam Childers when he became a born-again Christian and goes to Sudan, Africa to save children from an evil rebel army. The film fulfills its promise for being a decent action drama. The drama is effective and compelling enough. The action is easily watchable. It's a solid film though the pacing is quick in the slow moments while the gunfights and explosions has more interest. Machine Gun Preacher is not as bad as most people said. The film may not be a masterpiece or an Oscar worthy gold but it's good enough as a biography of Sam Childers.

It's quite an inspiring story about a bad man who became a hero. The film tells it well but it suffers with jumpy quick pacing. Like when Childers was planning to go to Africa, it immediately jumps to the scene when he's already there. It's not a bad thing but it feels kinda rushed. The drama is good at its best. There are plenty of emotional and heartbreaking moments. But most of the sad moments are the violent deaths of these children. The action scenes are watchable but sometimes it didn't quite fit to the drama. Like I said, the film tells the story well despite from its jumpy pace.

This may not be Gerard Butler's acting nuance but his performance is pretty good. Everybody knows that he's better in holding guns but here it's always about portraying Sam Childers and he does it well. Michael Shannon, Michelle Monaghan, and Souleymane Sy Savane also did a good job to their roles.

Nothing too much to say about the filmmaking. It's just decent. It's strange that a lot of people didn't liked it, but hey, it's their opinion. The film has its flaws. It's quite entertaining but what matters here the most is the story of one man who struggles with his beliefs and wanted to save lives. Though, the saddest moments relies too much to the violence and some of the action seems out of place. These things are necessary to the story but I think they embraces it too much. It's still a pretty good drama and it's best if you are here to see this man's story. It's flawed but heartwarming.

Heart Wrenching and Poignant

[angeltriggs · 10/10 · 21 September 2011]

I saw a screening last night at the DGA, and wasn't prepared for what I was about to witness. I was in tears several times during the film. It was something that will stick with me forever. I think the fact that this was a true story made it even more powerful.

The whole cast was really wonderful, but Michelle Monaghan stands out in my mind. That girl is a true talent, and hearing her speak after the movie made me realize how invested she is, not only in the film part of the project, but in the charity with Sam Childers as well. Such impressive work, both in front of and behind the camera.

The movie made me want to help. It made me angry that our military, government, and governments across the planet have neglected these people.

I am still reeling from seeing this. Brilliant, moving, and absolutely gut wrenching.

Did someone say Oscar?

Okay, not great though

[BeneCumb · 6/10 · 14 February 2013]

Although the topic is serious and the plot is based on real events, there is something short... Shift of scenes is not smooth, some things let you shrug your shoulders, e.g. the selection of actors: Gerald Butler does not resemble Sam Childers (who is shorter and with belly), and most of actors (apart from Michael Shannon) are not catchy. Moreover, Butler has totally different image as actor and, in my opinion, he did not show versatility in depicting Childers' character.

There are far more interesting and profound similar movies out there in the movie world, e.g. In a Better World (a Danish Academy Award winner). And as I see, most of critics and viewers have found the same - Machine Gun Preacher was a total flop in theaters.

I've got mixed feelings for this movie.

[honorhorror · 5/10 · 6 May 2012]

It's no secret that as a young Christian, someone like me would be drawn into the story of "Machine Gun Preacher", which according to its Facebook tag line, is "a great story of human and redemption". However, my admiration for this real-life saint, this living legend wasn't enough to cushion the disappointment and confusion after seeing the movie.

On one hand, Mr. Childers' vision in saving children from battlefields is inspiring, especially worth a mention to Christians in peaceful countries who took peace and life prosperity for granted. The movie depicts him as being driven by this vision almost into the abyss of madness, which is beyond reasoning, beyond family commitments and even beyond his own faith in God. You can taste that the movie makers are tough and brave enough to show you the dark sides of a modern-day saint, which is kinda like the point of modern storytelling. It's as if they were totally expecting (or maybe even aiming for) controversy in the first place, that the depiction of Childers' religion reaches new heights of theatrical unconventional-ism. This is not a man who reach out to unfriendly fellow human-beings with a "turn the other cheek" attitude, but rather a man who strike out like a wolf without any fear to hold him back from executing an enemy. When Gerald Butler roared with AK-47 in hands, he was not shouting to the evil rebels who like to grab kids and brainwash them into killing machines, he was literally shouting out to people who are disconnected from the real cruelty which is happening every minute. If Childers ever want to laugh at us for being fat and useless, I would say he has every right to say so because

trying to defend yourself whether with mental cleanliness which you call "pacifism" or smart argument that we are too little too feeble to do anything substantial for those kids, there are those risking their lives on the front line for them.

On the other hand, the Christianity I know may not work like what the movie depicts. I know some dedicated Christians who work in rehab centers here in Thailand, who has to witness the addicts getting clean only by the grace of Jesus. That certain process is extremely painful, challenging and no less difficult than being born all over again. However the movie, to my disappointment, took the transformation for granted. In a way, I also wish this kind of "montage cleansing methodology" can be applied in real life, which would save so much time and strength. Unfortunately, I don't believe so. It seems to me that, as far as Childers' motivational sermons(speeches) go, he may have turned his church from a place of healing into a shooting gallery, with bullets made of religious terms. Although it seems more dramatic and scary on the big screen, but one has to confess that Christians can often do so without ever realizing it is exactly what Jesus hated so much about religious people in the 1st century. The movie itself also acknowledged this issue lightly, but indifferently marched on with Childers at the center of righteousness. Childers' donation collecting approach is more like "call yourself a bastard if you don't care", which is amusing since it reminds me of some Chinese advertisements and viral marketing methodology in which a curse is landed onto you if you don't act as required. I am also pretty sure that's not how Jesus preached in the Bible.

Whether it's for artistic reason or not, the story development in this movie, as some reviewers pointed out, is a bit inconsistent. Potentially it can cause many unnecessary confusions to those not familiar with Christian faith, in my opinion. For example, there was a scene in which Childers made a bad decision to leave dozens kids behind when there weren't enough room to move them back all at once. This led to those kids being slaughtered and burnt, which made Childers questioning his God, commenting that Mr. Almighty doesn't care or doesn't exist. So the scenario is, you did your best calculations and pulled out a long shot, which the "God Insurance Co.Ltd" didn't choose to cover, and you're so angry that you call God a fraud. How smart is that? Still, Jonas in the Bible did something similar, but Jonas' story ended on the note of God's reassuring words, unlike Mr. Childers' story which ended on Childers being "redeemed" by the little kid who was forced to kill his family, when the kid told him not to lose himself in catastrophes. So I guess the inconsistency of the story comes with the problem of redemption. Who was redeemed by whom from what? How's redemption ever possible? The movie started off establishing the power of the God's love as the ultimate answer, but gradually skewed towards humanism which finally sees Childers as the fleshed out hero, who's maybe one step away from claiming higher moral ground than God (which I surely hope the real-life Childers won't do).

With this review, I hope that some bottom-line can be given to my fellow movie-goers who walked out of the theater confused, or even offended by the Christianity depicted in the movie. Also, I hope to know Mr. Childers in real life better, and will look forward to be inspired by his account of faith and redemption.

Incredible

[hayley-meadows · 10/10 · 15 October 2011]

The film I saw was not the film I was expecting.

I spent half the film in tears, it was emotional, heart breaking and one of the best films I have seen.

The life changing story of Sam is one of inspiration that I will never forget.

Totally amazing and one that was told well and had to be told.

The journey his wife and child take with him and without him shows strength and courage, it can't be easy to deal with your husband/father constantly gone yet they manage to do it, live through it and remain strong.

The hope Sam gives to those children is something that can never be forgotten.

An action film with a heart that's also informative!

[Hellmant · 7/10 · 15 April 2012]

'MACHINE GUN PREACHER': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

An action biopic about an ex-drug dealing biker turned preacher named Sam Childers who made it his life crusade to combat the Lord's Resistance Army in Africa and save the orphans turned slaves held captive by them. The LRA and it's leader Joseph Kony were also the subject of the recent widely seen internet documentary 'KONY 2012', by filmmaker Jason Russell and the group Invisible Children Inc. This movie, although panned by critics (as was 'KONY 2012'), is effective in getting it's message across and the real Sam Childers has said that he was satisfied with it despite it having a "slight Hollywood spin to it". Childers shows screenings of an edited version of the movie to churches throughout the world in order to raise awareness and money for his campaign. If nothing else the movie is at least educational (to those who don't know much about the subject) as well as entertaining.

Gerard Butler plays Childers and Michelle Monaghan co-stars as his wife Lynn. The movie opens with Childers being released from prison to find out that Lynn has 'found God' and given up her job as a stripper. He at first continues on with his alcoholic drug dealing biker ways, alongside his best friend Donnie (Michael Shannon), but after almost killing a man he finds God as well. He heads to East Africa in order to aid in the rebuilding of homes there that were ruined in the ongoing civil war. He then becomes driven with a passion for helping the orphans turned soldier slaves there and builds an orphanage for them. He joins forces with the Sudan People's Liberation Army and begins going on armed missions to save the children from their captors.

The film was directed by Marc Forster (who's also directed such popular films as 'QUANTUM OF SOLACE', 'STRANGER THAN FICTION', 'MONSTER'S BALL' and 'FINDING NEVERLAND'). It was written by Jason Keller and based on Childers' memoir 'Another Man's War'. The movie is basically an action film with a heart that's also informative and a good current history lesson. Like 'KONY 2012' it does raise awareness to a very important issue and for that you have to give it credit. As far as it's action goes it's decent but there's nothing really too intense or thrilling going on (at least that's depicted that way to the viewer) and as far as it's emotional drama goes perhaps the characters could have been fleshed out a little more. It's definitely not a perfect film but for the most part it does what it sets out to do and is definitely worth a viewing.

Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKNLyy6lGng

Just another Religiously filled movie

[aymarei · 2/10 · 5 March 2012]

While the idea of the movie is not that bad, as an idea, the way it is presented is absolutely horrible in all scales. The whole idea surrounds around the church and how it affects people in a good way. The problem is that the whole movie is filled with unbelievable turns of actions, and not in a good way. The idea of 'turning from evil to angel' is taken word to word from a religious point in this movie and there is no decency in the the way things take action. I just cannot believe this movie has such a high rating with the amount of bullshit it contains.

Another negative point is the 'facts' this movie is trying to show. At one point it started promoted Christianity as the right way of life, and I do not say that is completely wrong as I am open minded, but when it does that in a very explicit way it just kills the movie. Another horrible turn of the movie is a sentence that made me sad because it is being taken for granted. It is a part of the dialog in the first half of the movie where a man says "The Muslim north has been killing the Christians in the south for over 30 years." From a political view that is pure bullshit and there is no other way to describe it. If they were trying to be informative they should have brought the facts in a right way, the way it was said, very carelessly, indicates a very wrong fact about the situation between Southern and Northern parts of Sudan.

I am completely disappointed with this movie and I sincerely hope I never ever heard of it.