God's Army

I have seen this movie about three times. I consider it one of the best movies made by LDS. The movie portrays reality of LDS missionaries. I am a convert to the church (I was raised catholic), so I can relate to the scene with the dad and the two daughters. The movie is interesting all the way. I could not think of one dull moment. I like the fact that prayers were expressed throughout the movie in complete form. I was moved by the scene when the elder was ill. The reaction of the "greeny" was real: a nineteen-year old that did not know what to do in such a situation. I was also impressed by the other missionaries who quickly reacted by doing the proper procedures to prevent the ill missionary from getting hurt while having a seizure. I loved the eloquence with which the missionaries taught.

Some of the reviewers seem to have expected a movie that preaches mormonism. That is not what this movie appears to be. It is simply a snapshot of people's lives, living in a very unusual way in modern times. The characters seem real, the situations mostly non-contrived, and the writing is good.

This is just as much a movie about Mormons as Witness was a movie about the Amish. You get a glimpse into their lives and a small taste of what they believe and do, but the story is the important part.

Dutcher has stated that his purpose was to make movies for the mormon market, and if other people enjoyed them then that was ok. While it can be a little rough around the edges, it is a fine piece of independent cinema, and a joy to watch.

I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to Dutcher's next effort, The Prophet, the story of the mormon prophet Joseph Smith. He is an interesting character and lived an interesting life, whether you believe he was a prophet or not.

If there was ever a movie that accurately described LDS missionary life, it's this one. One of the reasons that I liked this movie, is because I could identify with a lot of the experiences, i.e. The pictures on the toilet, the cockroach family tree, etc. I could also identify with the times that he didn't want to be on his mission. There were plenty of those times for me. As an LDS missionary I definitely could appreciate the attitude of the movie. Some people say that it offends them, and it doesn't accurately portray LDS missionaries, but having been on one myself, It does.

LDS missionaries aren't all about being strict and serious 24/7. They are out to share their beliefs with others who want to know, because they believe it as well. I admire Richard Dutcher for taking a stand and being the first to produce a movie that tells the public what missionaries do, and what they go through. He's opened a whole new world to movie-goers.

Considering that 95% of all movies are the same old crap, it's a nice breath of fresh air when something new comes along. God's Army is the story of a Mormon missionary as he begins his mission in Los Angeles. Elder Brandon Allen (Matthew Brown) is from Kansas and a little unsure of what he is doing as a missionary. His companion is Elder Dalton (Richard Dutcher) who is teaching him the ropes. The two elders have to learn how to work together, and how to work with God, in order to help share the salvation that Jesus Christ offers his children. Some of the stuff that happens to them is pretty common, and some of it isn't. For the most part, it is generally accurate in its depictions of the Mormon missionaries, but some of it is a bit drawn out for the dramatic interest.

God's Army was marketed mainly to the LDS markets in the Western United States, so if you don't live there, you might have a hard time locating a copy of this one. If you have any interest in learning more about the Mormon missionaries or what they do, then this isn't a terrible movie. If you are a member of the LDS church, then this will be a pretty enjoyable movie. However, if you don't belong in either of those two categories, then you probably aren't going to like this movie very much. It deals with some highly spiritual topics in a fashion suited towards the LDS religion, and is all about sharing that gospel with the people in Los Angeles. It doesn't contain anything offensive to other religions, but it probably won't be too enjoyable to someone who isn't interested in learning more about the Mormon Religion. If you don't mind learning about other religions or just want to watch something different, anything different, then it's not a bad one to check out; but while the movie wasn't produced or sanctioned by the LDS Church, it does have quite a bit of that propaganda feel to it, so consider yourselves warned.

Most people don't know who this Richard Dutcher is nor do they know the real personal beliefs of the LDS church, AKA Mormons. Some say they're gay haters and others say they've neglected blacks and woman rights and privileges.

Richard Dutcher does not have to prove anything to anyone. He is himself and does what he feels and wants just like the rest of us. While he stays peacefull about his work, others critic and show thier anger. Some LDS and non LDS members are against what he does but my personal opinion is this. Gods army is a film that helped him put his own missionary experiences on film. Stuff that might have happened in his life and I know he is proud to see it put up on screen. He doesn't have to be contraversial like all this art house cinema garbage. Bad language nudity, and politics dont have to be a part of every film. This movie explained the things he wanted to explain and helped me understand more about the LDS community. Not all of them are the same and not all of them are strong in the faith. The movie does let us know that some how these young men can change the lives of many for Good. Ive seen more Reverence,happiness, and success in this religion than any other in my life. I believe after seeing this film it would be important for me to be a part of it. I dont hate anyone no mater how extreme or different they are. Their all Gods children. This movie lets us know that some need a little more help than others. This is my review and I suggest the next time someone critics without knowing how to make a film or without having made one ever, they should keep to themselves or show us they can do better Smile everyone, Life is beautiful Jeffrey