SummaryReligulous follows political humorist and author Bill Maher as he travels around the globe interviewing people about God and religion. Known for his astute analytical skills, irreverent wit and commitment to never pulling a punch, Maher brings his characteristic honesty to an unusual spiritual journey. (Lionsgate)
SummaryReligulous follows political humorist and author Bill Maher as he travels around the globe interviewing people about God and religion. Known for his astute analytical skills, irreverent wit and commitment to never pulling a punch, Maher brings his characteristic honesty to an unusual spiritual journey. (Lionsgate)
He's a bombs-away provocateur, and in Religulous, Maher's blasphemous detonation of all things holy and scriptural, he doesn't really pretend to play fair. He's like Lenny Bruce with an inquiring mind and a video camera.
Though fashioned as popular entertainment with laughs, light moments, and mostly humorous segments, Religulous is as serious as a disapproving Jehovah about its mission to upend our rote allegiance to blind religious faith.
It does what it says on the tin (make you laugh), well unless if you:
- are religious
- have no sense of humour-
- don't like documentaries
- don't like Bill Maher
- are armish and have no medium to view this on
- etc
p.s. This review isn't meant to be helpful.
Since the only logical stance on any religious belief is Agnosticism I think Bill Maher nailed the point perfectly. Nobody has the answers! Everybody who believes they know what is right and will happen (philosophically) is totally deluded. This "documentary" simply points these facts out to the general populous... If you are deluded you will not like the movie. If you have an open mind and are Agnostic most likely you will enjoy the film. If you are an Atheist you might like it as well. (By the way Atheists are just as committed to their beliefs as religolites (made up word lol)). This was a funny and thought provoking film (only if you have a mind and thoughts...which precludes people who let their thoughts be dictated to them by zealots).
OK you must get my drift by now...
The problem with the movie, whose title compresses "religious" and "ridiculous" into a single word, isn't that it milks more than one sacred cow but that it does so with minimal subtlety and intelligence.
His scattershot and ad hominem attacks against many different forms of religious hypocrisy don't add up to a coherent critique, and he's not qualified to provide one.
Enjoyed this film quite a bit. A good vessel to promote self consciousness (or perhaps ego boost personal agnosticism). Maher's ever present combination of sarcasm and self righteousness allows for continual humor in the face of serious topics, which ultimately affect all humanity. Throw in a few extremists and a powerful ending, and Bill has himself a film!
Bill made his point, and I thought it was funny and interesting at times. Not just what he was saying, but what everybody else had to offer. However, that montage at the end of the world in flames and destruction made me irritated. Making your point using fear mongering diminished the believability of this documentary.
I agree with the fundamental point of this documentary to question faith , I think it is important for people not to have blind faith in something because it encourages them to act in irrational and often hateful ways. The documentaries critique of the muslims as a culture is an expression of american xenophobic attitude, the muslim culture does not promote hate, and many American Ideals are also flawed and lack morality, promoting hate towards the muslim community something which is not at all equally spoken about in reagards to Christians and Jews, perhaps for fear of offending people. The film should not insult ideals that it knows nothing about there is extremist in every religion and there is christian terrorists all around the world and Christians who did horrible things all throughout history this is not equally mentioned in the film. What gives this film to criticize the muslim culture as being flawed based on the extreme views of some individuals, it is extremely ignorant. This point was also manifested through the attack montages shown after islamic symbols there are terrorists and extremists in any religion, the reason it falsely appears more prominent for muslims is because it is imposed onto the citizens by corrupt politics just as disgusting consumerism is imposed onto us in our society. I'm not against people having faith what I'm against is people using there faith too infringe on the rights of others or inspire hate and ignorance. Although the premise of the film was great I think it's message was somewhat biased as it did not examine instances where faith and science could work together, hating religion for imposing there beliefs on others then imposing your own atheism onto others is hypocritical. However people should have the right to examine religion if they so choose but in my opinion it is not meant to be interpreted literally something which was not well emphasized in the movie. Not to mention the difference between spirituality and religion which was not talked about all. Therefore although the film brought up some key points and interesting points ultimately I don't feel as though it's examination of religion was thorough and complete and was mostly directed towards a anti-religious message not taking much effort to understand the oposite side of the spectrum.
I can't in good conscious give this movie a positive review. It was funny at points and it brought up some discussion but in the end it wasn't funny when he was rude to some people he was interviewing and kept being it back to really being awful to some people.
I like the idea of tackling fundamentalism, that should be challenged and looked at. Some people in this weren't even fundamentalist on their beliefs and ideals, rather he used it as an additional mocking point.
The quick editing was off putting and taking me out of the movie at points when people are cut off and we go right away to the next point of the movie.
The user reviews for this also make it clear really why it is as high as it is,
1) It was funny,
I'll admit I got some laughs out of this movie even myself. There were points I found to be funny.
2) Because this movie is preaching to the choir.
This movie is made to make people who are Atheist or Agnostic and want to mock other people who think otherwise. In combination of the ending which shows bombs exploding with images of people praying shows that there is also a level of fundamentalism even in this film.
This movie only serves this demographic and really no one else. This movie isn't as hateful as something like God's Not Dead or some other religious films I've recently seen, but this is just as bad as those movies for preaching to the Choir.
Have good sense to understand and respect others, this movie and a lot of the positive reviews clearly don't.
Maher is witty and calls out some some "taken to the extreme" points, but he fails to use rigorous logic to make his case. Not worth the time to watch. Opinions are fine if supoorted by facts and logic. Maher fails on both counts.