Review of Machine Gun Preacher (2011) by Douglas J — 28 Feb 2012

First of all, this is based on a true story. I didn't know that going in.

The common criticism is that it's preachy. I didn't find it to be preachy, but it did have a bit too much of a religious theme for me (note: I'm agnostic).

The film itself doesn't pull itself together until near the end. It's a bit drama, hero-inspirational, and action... but it doesn't mesh them together well.

Gerard Butler is... well... Gerard Butler. He's pretty much the same in every movie, but he usually does a decent job. This abides by the general rule. His character is the spotlight. Butler does a decent-to-good job.

And what poor use of a score. It is effective towards the end, but most of the movie under utilizes a good score.