Machine Gun Preacher

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Machine Gun Preacher

R

Released Sep 23, 2011

2h 7m

Drama

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

28%

Tomatometer

113 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Sam Childers (Gerard Butler), a former biker, decides to go to East Africa to help repair homes destroyed by civil war. Transformed by the horrors he sees, Sam ignores the warnings of more experienced aide workers and breaks ground for an orphanage in the heart of territory controlled by a brutal renegade militia. But establishing a shelter is not enough; determined to save as many lives as possible, Sam leads armed missions into enemy territory to rescue kidnapped children.

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Critics Consensus

There's a complex man at the center of Machine Gun Preacher but the movie is too shapeless and emotionally vacant to bring his story to life.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

It is an overblown, histrionic, cluttered and a nowhere near well enough developed mess, the erstwhile humanitarian a one-note caricature I knew little more about at the end than I did at the beginning.

Rated: 1.5/4

Jan 27, 2012

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Nov 4, 2011

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David Sexton

London Evening Standard

Gerard Butler is involving, even charismatic, always plausible as a man of contained and then uncontained violence...

Rated: 3/5

Nov 4, 2011

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Jack Fleischer

Battleship Pretension

There absolutely was a surface level enjoyment to this film, but it's ultimately just the tip of what appears to be a much more interesting iceberg.

Mar 24, 2021

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

The sight of a Kalashnikov-wielding white man swooping to the rescue of black children is awkward to say the least... But Butler brings a blazing intensity to his role.

Dec 6, 2020

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

A decent film based upon a compelling story, but you can't help but think it could have been so much more.

Rated: 2.5/4.0

Sep 15, 2020

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R. R

Maybe not what you want to see from your comfortable first world armchair, but an excellent depiction of the horror of child soldiers and terrorism in Africa. We who live here know what lurks beneath the surface.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/29/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Absolutely makes no sense whether the reviewers would give us a low star. Real, humane, genuine. Best I've seen in a while.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

Nancy A

Watch from beginning to end. Gerard Butler is amazing. The message to help these children needs to be heard by all through this truly inspiring film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/21/23

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Mitch G

I don't understand these scores. This movie is great, truly great. It's not a "Christian" movie… yes the main character finds god and religion becomes a focal point of his life, but this movie is about redemption, sacrifice, horror, struggle, sadness, joy, friendship… I could go on. Gerard Butler is great, and yes if you know the history of the reality in Sudan, the details of what is going on exactly, there are certainly plenty of holes to poke in the story. It is an action movie at times after all… but that's not the point. This isn't a history lesson, and regardless the fact is there are countless atrocities taking place in that part of the world and this movie certainly puts that front and center. Get if your high horses, what do you watch movies for? To be disappointed and not like them? Take a deep breath, not every movie is an Oscar winner, but that doesn't mean they can't be enjoyable and thought provoking, both of which this one is.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/23

Full Review

OKeegan

The movie itself is decent....the story...everyone loves a based on a true story....Let me say I LOVE Gerard Butlèr...for his looks...not because I think he's a great actor...300 & PS I love you ɓeing his best work....but the ting with this movie...he just does not pull off the Grice or acent necessary...you can tell he has never spent any time in the south & he can not pull it off....he's got the look...but when he speaks on camara...he doesn't do what this character needs

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/10/23

Full Review

John H

Tells the true story of Sam Childers, a common criminal who found God and went on to do amazing things. While liberties were taken for the movie (of course), it is extremely well done and really shows the impact one person can have. One of the (extremely) few movies that doesn't use the Hollywood template for Christians (evil and/or dumb). Very inspiring!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/23/23

Full Review

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Marc Forster

Director

Gerard Butler

Sam Childers

Michelle Monaghan

Lynn Childers

Michael Shannon

Donnie

Kathy Baker

Daisy

Souléymane Sy Savané

Deng

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Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Saving the Children

2:26

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Bridge Ambush

2:02

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Stealing Drugs & Money

1:30

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Don't Let Them Take Your Heart

1:22

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Rocket Launcher Attack

2:30

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Sudanese Sniper

2:30

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Harsh Decision

2:20

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Baptized

2:14

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Burning the Village

1:55

Machine Gun Preacher: Official Clip - Held at Knifepoint

1:34

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Synopsis

Sam Childers (Gerard Butler), a former biker, decides to go to East Africa to help repair homes destroyed by civil war. Transformed by the horrors he sees, Sam ignores the warnings of more experienced aide workers and breaks ground for an orphanage in the heart of territory controlled by a brutal renegade militia. But establishing a shelter is not enough; determined to save as many lives as possible, Sam leads armed missions into enemy territory to rescue kidnapped children.

Director: Marc Forster
Producer: Robbie Brenner, Gary Safady, Deborah Giarratana, Craig Chapman, Marc Forster
Screenwriter: Jason Keller
Distributor: Relativity Media
Production Co: Safady Entertainment, Relativity, GG Filmz, Apparatus
Rating: R (Disturbing Images|A Scene of Sexuality|Language|Some Drug Use|Violent Content)
Genre: Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 5, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $537.6K
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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