Machine Gun Preacher

[a_person]

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Directed by Marc Forster
Starring: Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon

Plot: The story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers.

IMDB

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[Celini]

IMDB:5.8
Rotten Tomatoes:23%

decision... decision!

[soonforgotten]

Hmm, well I can hope that at the least it'll be fun to slate it.

[Diane65]

I thought that it was a fair portrayal of Sam Childers although doing good in Sudan not a character that I could warm to. I couldn't forget how he treated his family back home although he loved them deep down his temper made it seem quite shallow. Quite graphic in parts but did require it to bring to life the cruelty in Sudan. On a negative note the daughter Paige suddenly went from being about 8 to a 14ish year old who looked about 20, I know it was over time but the jump was a bit too much. 6.5/10

[Beate]

Oh dearie me. What was that?

If it was supposed to be a film about the crisis in Uganda and Sudan, it failed.
If it was supposed to be a film about a hero fighting for children in Uganda and Sudan, it failed.

Don't get me wrong, the situation in those African countries is horrible. War-torn countries, and children suffering the most. I would have liked to see that explored in depth. But it wasn't.

Instead we got a film about a deeply unlikeable man who went from a criminal to a saint in virtually a second. We see him come out of prison, angry at the world. He is also angry at his wife for having found God and consequently quit stripping. He then nearly beats a guy to death, and suddenly he is all contrite and begs his wife to help him find God. We then see him in a happy-clappy church getting baptized. And as so often, the former non-believer now not only is a believer, but becomes almost a fanatic. A missionary. He builds his own little church and starts preaching to people.

He also goes to Uganda on a Christian mission where he strays into Sudan and sees the many hungry and traumatised children, many of whom have no one after watching their families getting killed in a war over religion.

Funny, that. One moment, our man tells his church congregation how he was once in a situation where he would have used his gun had he had it on him, and used the bible instead, and all went well. The next moment, he is gunning down people in a foreign country. Because this is allowed of course, as it's for God and the children. The constant religious stuff was pretty hard to stomach anyway. It buried a decent story about someone trying to help the children of Africa, but going about it in a kind of Rambo way. The female aid worker was the only one really telling him what she (and I) thought of him. Unfortunately he later rescued her from the bad guys, so her opinion of course doesn't count.

Really, I don't get it. The blurb at the end told us how Sam Childers continues to fight for the children of Uganda and Sudan as if he is a hero. Why then would they prortray him in a way that makes you instantly dislike him? This guy just found something else to direct his anger towards. So many wars have been fought about religion. It really isn't cool showing someone joining the fight by becoming a "Machine Gun Preacher".

I was glad when it was over.

[ejwrank]

I thought this was dire.

[teddybear1]

i thought this film was ok but for the story it was about i thought they could have done a lot more with it in general dont think i would reccomend anyone to p*y to see it but if it was on tv maybe ok to pass the time x or if you get to see it for free then go but again wouldnt wanna p*y to see it . not as good a review as beates but that about as good as it gets for me im afraid lol x

[Yinster]

Back from 80% full Glasgow showcase. I actually disagree and can't say I enjoy it as enjoy it is not the appropriate word for this film but I touched and very thought provoking. Yeah there are plot holes like the time gaps - he suddenly becomes a born again christian and his daughter ages in a blink of an eye. However the first five minutes of the film were one of the powerful I seen all year. So who cares if people don't like him. First as a hell's biker and then as he abandons his family to save children halfway across the world. He was a man on a mission. Yeah he got lost along the way but he finds the path again. I think this is a film which will generate debate and discussion. 7/10 The real Sam Childers at the end looks nothing like Gerald Butler!

[ClareBarr]

My friends & I really enjoyed this, very thought provoking & some quite emotional scenes.

[tilly]

Sounds like I didn't miss much!