'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
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