Best movie of this year hands down!

Just what I expected

Highly Overrated But Still Good

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Based on a true story, the movie opens with a brutal genocidal attack on a village, one where a child is being forced at gunpoint to smash his mother's head...but before that happens we flashback 2 weeks earlier. Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) is getting out of prison. He was quick sex with his wife (Michelle Monaghan) in the car before they make it home to the trailer park. He is upset that his wife is now packing mushrooms and has stopped stripping, but not as upset as I was.Within 5 minutes, Sam reaches a point in his life where he will either die, go back to jail, or find the Jesus he dreads. He opts for the lesser of 3 evils and goes to church with his wife. He finds Jesus, a bar of soap, shampoo, and a shirt with sleeves. When Jesus sends a tornado through central Pa., it created a construction business for Sam, however the only way he can stop chasing the rabbit is to save his buddy. The next thing you know, he is off to Africa.Combining his Christian belief and bad boy past (which, believe it or not the movie downplayed) Sam decides he can help in Sudan and save part of it by building an orphanage (target) in a war zone. He discovers things are not that easy, even with God on your side. Sam becomes obsessed with Sudan to the point it effects his home life. The scenes have low level intensity.This is an excellent film. It is well acted with mediocre editing. This is not a "come to Jesus" film, but the story can not be told without showing that aspect of Sam's life. Indeed, at one point the violence causes Sam to question his faith. The closing credits shows actual film of Sam and his family.F-bombs, brief car sex, no nudity.

"Machine Gun Preacher" tries to tap into the sympathy of the audience with a real life story, but the movie ended up being entertaining for what it was, but it was a mediocre experience at best.The story is about Sam Childers, a reformed criminal and substance abuser, who finds God, builds a church and then goes to Sudan to help the needy in a war-torn country.Personally, I found the story a bit too sappy and too much of a goodie-two-shoes, but then again, I don't buy into the whole Christian concept. But that is a personal preference, of course.Gerard Butler put on a good performance, although it was a bit out of his usual area of acting. But it is nice to see actors branch out to new things and genres.This movie is not the type of movie that you watch more than once. While the work that Sam Childers have done is commendable and commendable, the story in the movie just doesn't have enough weight to support multiple viewings. For me, this movie just didn't pack enough punch to really be a great movie, despite of however larger-than-life compassion for life and selflessness it tried to tell.

This poignant masterpiece achieved exactly what it intended to do by leaving us emotionally distressed by injustice across the world and being a catalyst for action. Most of the critics of this film are disappointed by the religious themes and reflect on the film poorly because of it. Firstly, the religious themes was not the focus of the film, secondly the director of this film does not make "Christian movies" as he directed Quantum of Solace and World War Z, thirdly, provided this was a Christian film, it did not negatively affect the acting, cinematography or writing in this film. Unfortunately, the number of "F" words in the film was not even enough to prove to ignorant critics that this is a brilliant film regardless of ideology about a Christian man who struggled with morality and the pain of the universe. This film asks some very important questions and delivers controversial answers. Above all, it is a story of a man and not a Christian propagandist film. There was no resolution to this film, but that is only because there has been no resolution for Sam Childers and the Children of Uganda and Sudan.

The true story of violent drug dealer Sam Childers is documented in an original and stylish way with a gritty and soulful performance by the perfectly casted Gerard Butler. Childers once being a violent drug dealer wanted something more in life and wanted to feel the ultimate redemption experience. Instead of hurting other gangs and doing drugs, he went off to Sudan to help the sick and poor and do something good in his life. However, Sudan being a rebel war zone, Sam was in for a rough experience causing him to use violence on the evil rebels in order to help innocent civilians. This interesting true story is documented in a form in which we see all aspects of Sam's adventure We get a perfectly timed situation of his life before he changed and how his bad actions shaped his life in prison. Then we see his transformation that isn't rushed or fake. He doesn't go to Africa right away or anything, instead we see some powerful adjustment. When we see Sam in Africa, we get a great representation of all aspects of his journey there. The orphanage he built, the children he meets, the protection required in order to save people, and many different emotions. Director Marc Foster gives a great visual appeal to making this film by using realistic settings and actors and a genius outline of this mans incredible journey. Not an overdoes of action sequences or making the sad scenes involving rebels like a "Rambo' film at all. Instead you get powerful war scenes that feel like something out of "Saving Private Ryan." This ultimate adventure is a story of redemption and the hard decisions faced when dealing with morality and saving others. Overcoming guilt is another theme i found extremely relevant, because most films involving redemption ignore the fact that the people probably feel horrible about themselves! This film has all the aspects of an action film with a powerful message and is the ultimate tale of redemption.