Review of Machine Gun Preacher (2011) by Chris H — 13 Apr 2012

I think this story could have produced a good/decent film; but Machine Gun Preacher isn't it. It is the story of Sam Childers (Gerard Butler - 300, Phantom of the Opera, PS I Love You), who as a reformed drunken biker-gang member decides to head to Africa and become a missionary of sorts (by mosting building shelters, schools, homes etc) to atone for his past like.

Encourged by his wife (Michelle Monaghan - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Trucker) and church family Sam heads to innermost Africa and finds purpose and meaning in life ... until rebels (the LRA ... who have much been in the news lately) continuously wreck havoc on their sites and destroy the progress threatening lives and property.

After witnessing this a few times, Childers decides to take action into his own hands -- a religious vigilante (!!!) -- and equips himself with guns of all sorts and turns the tables on the LRA. But .

.. it all becomes a mess. The story loses focus, Childers isn't overly convincing and it is just difficult to accept/buy as is. This is based on a true-ish story; but I am betting some edits cut the film down to something relatively unbelievable.

I had a hard time with this one ...