Machine Gun Preacher

Name: Machine Gun Preacher
Genre: Action, Biography
Released: September 23, 2011
Duration: 123 min
Rating: 43

2011

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 54 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 54 Ratings

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Machine Gun Preacher

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Movie Details & Credits

Relativity Media | Release Date: September 23, 2011 | R

Summary: When ex-biker-gang member Sam Childers makes the life-changing decision to go to East Africa to help repair homes destroyed by civil war, he is outraged by the unspeakable horrors faced by the region’s vulnerable populace, especially the children. Ignoring the warnings of more experienced aide workers, Sam breaks ground for an orphanageWhen ex-biker-gang member Sam Childers makes the life-changing decision to go to East Africa to help repair homes destroyed by civil war, he is outraged by the unspeakable horrors faced by the region’s vulnerable populace, especially the children. Ignoring the warnings of more experienced aide workers, Sam breaks ground for an orphanage where it’s most needed—in the middle of territory controlled by the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a renegade militia that forces youngsters to become soldiers before they even reach their teens. (Relativity Media)
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Director: Marc Forster

Genre(s): Action, Biography

Rating: R

Runtime: 123 min

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Critic Reviews

Boxoffice Magazine Pete Hammond

Sep 17, 2011

The exploitation title may not do it any favors, but this biopic based on the incredible life journey of Sam Childers is gripping, inspirational and well told. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Sep 30, 2011

The action sequences are energetic and suspenseful but they don't always mesh well with the dramatic material. Read full review

Melissa Anderson

Sep 20, 2011

Machine Gun Preacher is the umpteenth onscreen iteration of a white savior aiding the most desperate in Africa. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Sep 22, 2011

In movie terms, Mr. Childers's story is too true to be good. Machine Gun Preacher, directed by Marc Forster and starring Gerard Butler, illustrates some of the ways that a terrific story can turn into a bad film despite the best intentions of everyone involved. Read full review

Roger Moore

Oct 12, 2011

The movie never convinces us that Forster is convinced himself. The director lines up this bad good man in his sights, but he never quite has the nerve quite to pull the trigger. Read full review

Justin Chang

Sep 17, 2011

While the result is yet another story of African suffering told from a white do-gooder's perspective, this particular do-gooder is intrinsically fascinating enough to warrant attention, albeit more nuanced attention than he receives here. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Sep 21, 2011

The title, Machine Gun Preacher, makes it sound like a piece of grindhouse kitsch - and by the time it's over, you'll be thinking, ''If only!'' Read full review

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User Reviews

lachacz

Oct 8, 2011

I am not sure why this movie is rated so low. Absolutely incredible. very moving and varying degrees of emotion. I would call this a must see! Dont be fooled by the low ratings

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

Aedrone12

Apr 9, 2013

I don't see how this movie is rated so low, this movie was amazing yet sad and touching at the same time. Gerald Butler was a great actor chosen for this movie. This movie is actually a true story, they are still alive to this day. It's so hard to see good true movies now-a-days.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FadeBlack

Jul 8, 2018

I was expecting a by the numbers action flick, given the reviews.....but instead was utterly blown away by what I watched. First of all, it tackles a topic that is so important yet so very, very, very few mainstream movies want to touch, which is the atrocities of civil war going on in SudanI was expecting a by the numbers action flick, given the reviews.....but instead was utterly blown away by what I watched. First of all, it tackles a topic that is so important yet so very, very, very few mainstream movies want to touch, which is the atrocities of civil war going on in Sudan (and similar situations across Africa.) It doesn't shy away from displaying the soul-crushing horror of what is happening, and the dangerous insanity in which it drives its protagonist in. In many ways it's about the dangers of different types of radicalism. Radicalism of terror, on one hand; but also radicalism of thinking you need to or you must save the world, which can put you on a path of destruction of everything you supposedly cherish, if not evil. At the same time, the film also goes all out on the **** giving West, which claims that it knows and that it cares about this Hell, but in actions does next to nothing, while proudly waving its little human rights flag out of its ass.

It's an infuriating movie about an infuriating crisis and a furious man, played magnificently by Gerard Butler. It has no easy answers, and or any answers at all really, which is kind of the point. You question everything - religion, civilization, humanity - including yourself, and everything you are doing, and more importantly not doing. This is the very definition of courageous movie-making. What a criminally underrated film.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Sir_Brandon

Oct 13, 2011

In his best performance yet, Gerard Butler plays a troubled, complex guy who leaves his life of crime for God and becomes a real life hero in Sudan. Machine Gun Preacher is violent and, at times, hard to watch, but the story is inspirational and puts the spotlight on an ordinary man doingIn his best performance yet, Gerard Butler plays a troubled, complex guy who leaves his life of crime for God and becomes a real life hero in Sudan. Machine Gun Preacher is violent and, at times, hard to watch, but the story is inspirational and puts the spotlight on an ordinary man doing extraordinary things. But he is far from subtle and chooses to use a gun to get them done. The film can certainly be upsetting, especially when you see how kids in Sudan are treated and what happens if they disobey. But no matter how gruesome some parts may be, Machine Gun Preacher only shows the audience the brutal truth and the cause that Sam Childers is fighting for.

Based on a true story and directed by Marc Forster (Monsterâ… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Bruce722

Jul 10, 2013

Machine Gun Preacher was a fantastic movie with a plot that almost felt like a modern day version of Schindler's List. Now don't get me wrong. In no way am I saying that this film was anywhere near that level. I'm just saying that some of the emotions were similar due to the similarly tragicMachine Gun Preacher was a fantastic movie with a plot that almost felt like a modern day version of Schindler's List. Now don't get me wrong. In no way am I saying that this film was anywhere near that level. I'm just saying that some of the emotions were similar due to the similarly tragic nature of the true stories they tell. Gerard Butler leads a cast that provide great acting throughout the film and deliver on those emotions. The plot develops well and the reality of the story adds an additional layer of depth. The action sequences were a little weak and unfortunately the movie leans a little too heavily on those scenes. The constant varying perspectives makes you think and the drama is effective. I think the ending felt a bit rushed and the film lacked that climactic emotional sequence that sticks with you but overall, I think most people would really enjoy this movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

drone41

Feb 9, 2018

Nothing special, it was just good. It was a little boring from time to time.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

elvisheimer

Nov 18, 2014

Wow. This movie is quite simply unbearable to watch. While the story itself may harbor some interesting and compelling material, the script is so horribly mundane, cliche, and unbelievable that the film comes off as unintentionally comic material. Gerard Butler does the best with what he isWow. This movie is quite simply unbearable to watch. While the story itself may harbor some interesting and compelling material, the script is so horribly mundane, cliche, and unbelievable that the film comes off as unintentionally comic material. Gerard Butler does the best with what he is given; however, his character's arc goes from awful scoundrel to world saver literally overnight. Furthermore, not only is the entire film's premise a stretch of your imagination, the ending is extremely unrewarding and empty. Please, save yourself some brain cells and some time, and choose something else to watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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