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Machine Gun Preacher (2011)

Director: Marc Forster

Time Out rating

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2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Meet Sam Childers. He was a crack- smoking, wife-abusing, trailer-trash Hell’s Angel who embraced a life of uncurbed debauchery. Then he found himself a new wingman, a guy by the name of Jesus. He cleaned up his act, replaced the studded leather waistcoats with pastel leisurewear and erected a church. But he had too much love to spread, so shipped out to Sudan, got hold of some black-market firearms and vowed to save the children of war. Childers (brought to life by Gerard Butler in a manner which mistakes shouting for passion) makes for an intriguing subject, and his story throws up all manner of paradoxes about violent acts in the name of religion and the moral implications of charity work when it comes at the expense of your family, community and country. Alas, Marc Forster’s film settles for balmy, ‘Cry?Freedom’-style melodrama which refuses to take its slippery subject to task. And as storytelling, the need to cram in facts and events makes ‘Machine Gun Preacher’ feel too much like one large and needlessly glossy montage sequence.

Author: David Jenkins

Time Out London Issue 2150: 3 – 9 November, 2011

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User reviews of this film

scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Nov 15 2011 11:39 remarkable story unremarkably told. Gerard Butler was fine, so have to disagree there (and I really don't rate him) but the footage over the end credits suggest a documentary (or a more documentary approach) would have better served this fella and his work. 6/10

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Linny said...

Posted on Nov 10 2011 15:55 Interesting movie but unclear on why/how the sudden 'transfomation' by Sam. Apart from being a real life drama it was a thought provoking movie (though non church goers may not have appreciated how powerful these church meetings can be). It was very violent (to me), but I guess it was 'real' which does not always make comfortable viewing. Well worth seeing, though not encouraged by Cineworld who are only showing the movie at 2150 next week.

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