Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

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 CrimeActionBiographyCrimeDrama

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.

  • Director
    • Marc Forster
  • Writers
    • Jason Keller
    • Ian Urbina
  • Stars
    • Gerard Butler
    • Michelle Monaghan
    • Michael Shannon
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    70K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Marc Forster
    • Writers
      • Jason Keller
      • Ian Urbina
    • Stars
      • Gerard Butler
      • Michelle Monaghan
      • Michael Shannon
    STREAMING
    Watch on Plex
    RENT/BUY
    Watch on Prime Video
    from $2.40
    Search on Amazon
    search Amazon
    • 158User reviews
    • 133Critic reviews
    • 43Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos15

    Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:36
    Trailer #1
    Machine Gun Preacher: Build It Again (Uk)
    Clip 0:55
    Machine Gun Preacher: Build It Again (Uk)
    Machine Gun Preacher: Build It Again (Uk)
    Clip 0:55
    Machine Gun Preacher: Build It Again (Uk)
    Machine Gun Preacher: No Cheating
    Clip 0:45
    Machine Gun Preacher: No Cheating
    Machine Gun Preacher: I Miss Ya
    Clip 0:36
    Machine Gun Preacher: I Miss Ya
    Machine Gun Preacher: Bug You There?
    Clip 0:51
    Machine Gun Preacher: Bug You There?
    Machine Gun Preacher: You Can't Help Them All
    Clip 1:14
    Machine Gun Preacher: You Can't Help Them All

    Photos164

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 159
    View Poster

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Gerard Butler
    Gerard Butler
    • Sam Childers
    Michelle Monaghan
    Michelle Monaghan
    • Lynn Childers
    Michael Shannon
    Michael Shannon
    • Donnie
    Kathy Baker
    Kathy Baker
    • Daisy
    Ryann Campos
    • Paige #1
    Madeline Carroll
    Madeline Carroll
    • Paige #2
    Souleymane Sy Savane
    Souleymane Sy Savane
    • Deng
    Grant R. Krause
    • Billy
    • (as Grant Krause)
    • …
    Reavis Graham
    • Pastor Krause
    Peter Carey
    Peter Carey
    • Bill Wallace
    Barbara Coven
    • Shannon Wallace
    Misty Mills
    • Biker Chick
    Nicole Dupre Sobchack
    Nicole Dupre Sobchack
    • Bartender
    • (as Nicole Sobchack)
    Sidi Henderson
    Sidi Henderson
    • Shaved Head
    Mike Litaker
    • Drifter
    Judy Stepanian
    Judy Stepanian
    • Employment Woman
    Peter Tocco
    • Mechanic
    Inga R. Wilson
    • Mrs. Shields
    • (as Inga Wilson)
    • Director
      • Marc Forster
    • Writers
      • Jason Keller
      • Ian Urbina
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews158

    6.770.2K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7samabc-31952

    Gerald Butler shines. A vivid picture of horrific events..

    "If your child is abducted by a terrorist and you want me to find him and bring him home then does it matter to you how I do it?"
    • Sam Childers. He was a hillbilly drug addict, an ex-con who comes out of prison and finds his 'calling'. He then builds a church in his town and goes to Sudan to build homes and later an orphanage for the LRA victims. LRA - Lord's Resistance Army and its leader Joseph Kony the most notorious and evil warlord terrorized both the northern Uganda and southern Sudan for more than 3 decades. The pillaging LRA mutilated and killed almost half a million civilians and abducted over 60,000 children and tortured them, raped, sold them in sex slavery and forced them to kill people. Where was GOD!!


    Based on Sam Childers' autobiography. At times it feels like a hagiography but Gerald Butler delivers an intense performance. A nice mashup but somewhat stays on surface. A self righteous savior with machine gun seems somewhat indiscernible. However, it gives a vivid picture of the horrific events took place in Sudan. A good watch.
    8claudio_carvalho

    Fantastic but Unfortunately not Well Known Biography

    In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the addicted gang biker Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) is released from prison and learns that his wife Lynn Childers (Michelle Monaghan) is no longer a striper and has converted to Christianity. One night, Sam and his best friend Donnie (Michael Shannon) give a ride to a hitchhiker that threatens Donnie with a pocketknife; however Sam reacts and stabs the stranger and dumps him on the road.

    Sam is affected by the incident and is convinced by Lynn and his mother Daisy (Kathy Baker) to join their church and he is baptized. Sam finds a straight job in construction. He is well succeeded and when he meets a preacher from Africa, he decides to visit the continent. Sam travels to Northern Uganda and South Sudan many times and builds an orphanage for the victims of the cruel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Further, he fights whenever necessary and becomes a legend known as The Machine Gun Preacher.

    "Machine Gun Preacher" is a film tailored to Gerard Buttler about the fantastic but unfortunately not well known biography of Sam Childers, an addicted troublemaker drug-dealer biker that changes totally his life and becomes the only hope for thousand of orphans in Africa.

    The story and the screenplay are engaging with a perfect combination of drama and action. The only thing that irritates me is douchbags that write that this film like is a Christian propaganda. This is a true story and can be found everywhere in Internet and has nothing to do with propaganda, but reality and redemption. My vote is eight.

    Title (Brazil): "Redenção" ("Redemption")
    10biztec

    Had to travel to Denver to see it, but it was worth it.

    The interesting observation after viewing this film at the historic Mayan Theater in downtown Denver was that every female was crying by the end and the men were poker-faced. Also of interest is that the negative reviews, which are often unnecessarily unkind to Gerard Butler, and unhelpful to the reader, often seem to have been posted by males. Sure, women around the world are crazy about Gerard Butler, but come on, this was an astounding performance about the life of an awe-inspiring man. If you didn't like the film, walked out, or wanted to punch Mr. Butler in the face, then donate the cost of your ticket to Angels of East Africa. My final comment is that Mr. Butler produced this film because it wouldn't have been made otherwise. This is a story that had to be told and he didn't accept his normal fee for his performance; in fact, although I obviously can't confirm it, I heard that he accepted a fraction of a fraction of his normal fee.
    6annliebe

    A very touchy movie

    "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
    9khan-behroz

    machine gun

    I m not a usual review writer of any kind but i especially register for IMDb to write about this movie. After watching the movie and checking the IMDb rate i must say it is highly underestimated and i was forced to make a statement.

    i would recommend this movie. it leaves you thinking not only about the characters itself but also about the issue of the movie. I myself spend hours of researching about the problems which are shown in the movie.

    i find the characters very appealing although at some point i thought it could be portrayed better than it was actually done.

    Overall it is a really good movie and worth a watch.

    More like this

    A Family Man
    6.5
    A Family Man
    Gamer
    5.7
    Gamer
    Law Abiding Citizen
    7.4
    Law Abiding Citizen
    Hunter Killer
    6.6
    Hunter Killer
    London Has Fallen
    5.9
    London Has Fallen
    Angel Has Fallen
    6.4
    Angel Has Fallen
    Copshop
    6.2
    Copshop
    Last Seen Alive
    5.7
    Last Seen Alive
    Coriolanus
    6.1
    Coriolanus
    Chasing Mavericks
    7.1
    Chasing Mavericks
    Kandahar
    6.1
    Kandahar
    Olympus Has Fallen
    6.5
    Olympus Has Fallen

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ19

    • How long is Machine Gun Preacher?Powered by Alexa
    • Why is Childs called the Machine Gun Preacher?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 2, 2011 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
      • Acholi
    • Also known as
      • Họng Súng Công Lý
    • Filming locations
      • South Africa
    • Production companies
      • Relativity Media
      • Virgin Produced
      • Apparatus Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $30,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $538,690
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $45,130
      • Sep 25, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,338,690
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Datasat
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Gerard Butler in Machine Gun Preacher (2011)
    Top Gap
    What was the official certification given to Machine Gun Preacher (2011) in India?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Production art
    Photos
    Hollywood Power Couples
    See the gallery
    Production art
    List
    The Best New and Upcoming Horror
    See our picks
    Production art
    List
    IMDb's Picks For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
    See the list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.