Believers can benefit from a disbeliever, especially a smart one like Bill Maher. The stand-up comic and TV commentator (“Politically Incorrect” and “Real Time With Bill Maher”) makes his big-screen debut with a lacerating essay on the illogic of religion. Believers—especially those insisting there’s no plural of “religion”—ought to expose themselves to this sarcastic inquest as an inoculation. Maher vaccinates with Enlightenment-vintage skepticism. In most instances, he talks to believers in order to mock their logic. “Not having faith is a luxury,” Maher professes. As for the theme park Jesus in Orlando and the fundamentalist Senator from Arkansas, it’s their fault they open their mouths. Intellectually, they are less nimble and lack final cut. Cheap shots include zinger reaction shots edited one nasty beat after one of Maher’s jokey transgressions. Directed by Larry Charles (“Borat” and “Masked & Dangerous”), “Religulous” travels to Armageddon, Megiddo, Golgotha, the Vatican and a Truckers Chapel in Raleigh, North Carolina. Maher is freaked that insane believers of insane beliefs about the end of the world will fulfill their mass death wish. With tunes such as “Crazy” and “Road To Nowhere”. 101m. (Bill Stamets)
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