Machine Gun Preacher

2011
R
2h 9m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

70K

YOUR RATING

Gerard Butler in Machine Gun Preacher (2011)

The story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers.

Play trailer2:36

15 Videos

99+ Photos

True Crime Action Biography Crime Drama

Sam Childers is a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers.Sam Childers is a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers.Sam Childers is a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

70K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations total

Trivia
The photos that Sam shows the banker while trying to get the loan are actual photos taken by the real Sam Childers in Sudan. They can also be seen during the closing credits.

Goofs
On one of Sam's final trips to Sudan shown in the film, his wife, daughter, and friend go with him as far as the boarding gate at the airport. For security reasons, after the September 11 terrorist attacks this was no longer permitted.

Quotes
William: If we allow ourselves to be full of hate, then they've won. We must not let them take our hearts.

Crazy credits
During the end credit roll, clips and pictures of original main characters (Sam Childers, Lynn, Paige & SPLA Soldier, Deng) are shown.

Connections
Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #20.2 (2011)

Soundtracks
Saturday Night Special
Written by Edward King (as Edward C. King), Ronnie Van Zant (as Ronald Van Zant)
Performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Courtesy of Geffen Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User reviews155

Review

Featured review

7/10

497th Review: Powerful but way too melodramatic to really shine

MGP is a terrific plot, that is a good watch in some respects - the story is earnest, necessary, and vital - but the delivery is way too melodramatic - it's kind of preachy in a revival sense, and we get little or no real maturity - it opts instead for action and heightened emotions at every step.

The plot of the true story of Sam Childers, the ex-biker criminal and,frankly, low-life, who finds Jesus and then Africa is gripping in so many ways - but with a full throttled approach at every step we're not really getting insights to the real man, we just the highlights, and that's pretty crude film- making.

I wouldn't want to put people off watching this - it tries to highlight earnestly the horrific mess that Sudan is in - but it does so as an all out action film and that really doesn't do more than entertain - and that's the biggest fault of all.