"Machine Gun Preacher" is an inspirational melodrama directed by Marc Forster and starring Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon. This film is based on the true story of Sam Childers a former gang biker who finds god, becomes a pastor and has dedicated his life and all his resources ever since to rescuing and protecting orphans in Sudan, Africa. Childers founded Angles of East Africa an orphanage located in South Sudan.

Marc Forster has under his belt an impressive resume with films like Quantum of Solace, The Kite Runner, Finding Neverland and Monster's Ball.

Reviewing this film has been very complicated because of its subject matter. The movie has a strong religious subject, addresses the civil conflict and severity of the crisis in Sudan, ideals, hypocrisy and religious fanaticism. This film will divide Christian audiences because of the redemptive arc of the tale.

This is one of those movies that will provoke both sympathy and aversion. Sam Childers (Butler) is not an ordinary preacher; he carries a machine gun and kills LRA rebels in self-defense looking at it as helping God's children. Sam had a troubled life, was a gang member, drug dealer, junkie, married a stripper, but his life dramatically changes around when he finds god or god finds him, as he states in the movie. He claims to be a soldier fighting for freedom and becomes a member of the SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army).

Mark Foster does a good job bringing such a complex and controversial story to the big screen utilizing his well-known visual skills. This movie has a lot of graphic and violent scenes, showing the horror caused by a civil war, torture, savage murders, and how entire villages are destroyed.

MPAA rating: R Runtime: 2:03 mins Production Co: Relativity Media, Virgin Produced, Apparatus Productions

Based on a true story, the movie opens with a brutal genocidal attack on a village, one where a child is being forced at gunpoint to smash his mother's head...but before that happens we flashback 2 weeks earlier. Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) is getting out of prison. He was quick sex with his wife (Michelle Monaghan) in the car before they make it home to the trailer park. He is upset that his wife is now packing mushrooms and has stopped stripping, but not as upset as I was.

Within 5 minutes, Sam reaches a point in his life where he will either die, go back to jail, or find the Jesus he dreads. He opts for the lesser of 3 evils and goes to church with his wife. He finds Jesus, a bar of soap, shampoo, and a shirt with sleeves. When Jesus sends a tornado through central Pa., it created a construction business for Sam, however the only way he can stop chasing the rabbit is to save his buddy. The next thing you know, he is off to Africa.

Combining his Christian belief and bad boy past (which, believe it or not the movie downplayed) Sam decides he can help in Sudan and save part of it by building an orphanage (target) in a war zone. He discovers things are not that easy, even with God on your side. Sam becomes obsessed with Sudan to the point it effects his home life. The scenes have low level intensity.

This is an excellent film. It is well acted with mediocre editing. This is not a "come to Jesus" film, but the story can not be told without showing that aspect of Sam's life. Indeed, at one point the violence causes Sam to question his faith. The closing credits shows actual film of Sam and his family.

F-bombs, brief car sex, no nudity.

From respected film director Marc Forster is this film that we are told is based on true events. In that case it leaves me with a bad feeling as we somehow have to cheer for some kind of cold blooded murderer.

Sam Childers is a bike gang member, a drinker, druggie and a criminal who spends time in jail. His wife finds religion and over time so does Childers. He gets into a successful construction business.

When he hears a sermon from a missionary from Sudan, Childers is inspired to go there and build an orphanage. He is driven into improving the life of the kids in South Sudan. He soon comes into conflict with Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army that operates from Uganda. Now Kony and his cronies are evil, turning boys into armed soldiers and selling girls into sex slavery.

Childers in no time returns to his violent instincts becomes a commander in the Sudan People's Liberation Army fighting against Kony's faction, hence the title Machine Gun Preacher.

Gerard Butler is left with a dilemma by the script. Childers is less a preacher and just another guy spraying bullets with a gun and worse still just looks like another white man from the western world here to rescue the black folks of Africa.

The film turns into a violent graphic novel rather than a man fighting his conscience. He even neglects his business and family back home for this zealous course he has undertaken.

Childers is just another mercenary and a cold blooded one. For his sake let us assume the film is not true because he should be charged with being an unlawful combatant.