Gerald
Butler portrays the real life story of a Pennsylvanian drug dealer turned all
around good guy Sam Childers. The movie starts out the day Childers is set to
be released from prison. Sam’s wife Lynn picks him up and brings him to his
welcome home party, where he finds out that she had quit stripping for money
and has found the lord, he becomes enraged and starts screaming in front of his
daughter Paige. Sam storms off on his bike and heads to the local biker bar,
where he slips back into drug use. Refusing to change his ways Sam goes out and
commits a robbery. On the way home after doing more drugs, he and Donnie pick
up a hitchhiker. After the hitchhiker
threatens Donnie, Sam is forced to attack him in self-defense. Upon getting
home he realizes how he’s lived thus far and asks Lynn for help. Lynn brings
him to church where Sam is baptized and his outlook finally changes. He sells
his bike, and gets a job in construction. Most people would think that was
enough and ended it there, but not Sam.
He goes to the Sudan to help build homes for the devastated country.
When he returns home he decides he and his newly formed construction crew will
take on two jobs: one across from his home building a church for people who
want to reform their lives, and the other job he will take on himself building
a complex in the Sedan for the orphans. He buys land in the middle of a warzone
and starts building a church and buildings for them, but the LRA has another
plan burning down the complex and shooting up the area. Sam and the SPLA defend
the area and drive them back. Sam is reluctant to rebuild until his wife
encourages him to do what is right. However, not only does he rebuild, he
fights back. Does he have enough will and firepower to do what is right and
help the SPLA gain their freedom from the LPA?
“Machine
Gun Preacher” is a movie that will grip you from the beginning making even the
most cynical person pray to god that Sam can do it and help make the people
free from oppression. The movie moves slow, but because it is based on a true
story it will keep you interested. Gerald Butler who usually never plays a bad
guy in any sense of the word actually plays a quite convincing one in the
beginning, and at the same time he plays a convincing man with a cause.
“Machine Gun Preacher” does have its action packed moments as well. Viewers
will be heartbroken over the deaths of the Ugandan children and their fight for
freedom. In all “Machine Gun Preacher” is a good movie, slow moving, but with
good actors and a great plot you will not want the movie to end.
Good:
-Sam’s character development
-Good plot with complex characters
-When the action scenes come around they are good
Bad:
-Story is slow-placed
-More action scenes would be nice to pick up the pace
-A lot of children dying, so watch at your own risk
Scully Rating: 7 out
of 10
