MOVIE REVIEW: Machine Gun Preacher

Machine Gun Preacher (2011)
Starring: Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan, Kathy Baker, Michael Shannon
Director: Marc Foster

When I first saw the trailer for this many months ago, I was excited to see Gerard in something that seemed to have a bit of depth to it instead of these wishy washy Hollywood RomComs that he's fallen for in recent years. I also really hate that for most of these Hollywood movies, he's lost his Scottish accent and is putting on an American one, but that's beside the point.

This movie only came out yesterday on DVD (19th April 2012), so I grabbed a copy as soon as I could as I was looking forward to seeing this.

This is the story of Sam Childers (Gerard Butler), a drug dealer, a bikie, a thug, a heroin addict and really, a pretty horrible person to be around. After a stint in gaol, Sam comes out, greeted by his wife Lynn (Michelle Monaghan) and within hours, he is back to his trailer trash ways, telling his wife she shouldn't have given up the stripping job for a job at a supermarket as the stripping job made more money. He throws a bit of a tanty and goes off to get drunk and high with his mate Donnie, who is also another low life scumbag biker who only cares about where his next hit is coming from. In the first half an hour, you get a real sense of what kind of person he was before he found God.

His wife convinces him to come to church where he is baptised and all his sins forgiven. This is the start of a new life for Sam who gets into construction and after listening to a preacher who has spent time in Uganda, he decides to go over and help them rebuild their houses.

Sam gets very involved after touring a clinic that takes in the victims of violent attacks by the LRA (Lords Resistance Army), led by the warlord, Joseph Kony (sound familiar?). He sees first hand the senseless violence and the aftermath of these attacks and decides to do something about it, spending more and more time in Southern Sudan building a church and a refuge for the children that are being abducted and turned into soldiers against their will.

This movie is based on a true story. It is based on the life of Sam Childers and his struggle to save 1000's of children from becomming victims of a civil war that is raging out of control. At times it is harrowing to see what these children have gone through, and even more harrowing to know that this is but a Hollywood version of what is really happening in a country where their children become their enemies. I sobbed a couple of times because of the reality of the situation.

Then I looked up Sam Childers on Wikipedia, which was probably a big mistake. A few months ago, a video on YouTube called Kony2012 went viral, exposing the plight of the Ugandan people who are being terrorised by this mans army made up of their own children. I have no doubt in my mind that this is really happening. I also have no doubt in my mind that there are people who live in Western countries like Australia and America who would want to take a stand and do something about it. But what aren't we being told? Where has the money gone that has supposedly been raised to help these people?

A powerful movie and a very thought provoking one. A great quote from the real Sam Childers at the end asking what we would do if it was our children being taken, our families being torn apart? I couldn't answer, can you?