Religulous (2008)
Bill Maher takes a pilgrimage across the globe on a mind-opening journey into the ultimate taboo: questioning religion. Meeting the high and low from different religions, Maher simply asks questions, like "Why is faith good?" "Why doesn't an all-powerful God speak to us directly?" and "How can otherwise rational people believe in a talking snake?" For anyone who's even a little spiritually curious, this divine entertainment will deepen your faith... in comedy!
The new documentary starring Bill Maher & directed by Larry Charles of Seinfeld fame. Maher does a very good job of combining religious & ridiculous. By joining the two, the filmmakers have come up with a nifty way to underline their preoccupation with the gullibility of true believers.
The movie they produced is a similiar mix of uneasy merged details. Though Maher is known as a comedian his presentiments about religion is no secret & very serious. But he wants to be amusing above all else, he takes his skepticism not to sober religious thinkers but to the assorted nuts & bolts that populate the fringes of faith just as they do the fringes of atheism.
The most entertaining thing about Religulous is the strong reservations Maher expresses about organized faith. When he talks about humanity figuring out nuclear weapons before we mastered how to be rational & peaceful. When he mentions religion's power to influence men to destructive courses, even when he moans & says it is so shamlessly invented. He raises issues for genuine thought.
It's similar to the movie Borat but about religion. It has some funny moments & Maher is in rare form throughout the ride. They go to some very religious states & sanctums but at the end you may ask yourself is this for challenging religion or just to get laughs either way it was entertaining.
Neal Damiano
Film Journalist
