h Bill Maher. You just love controversy and shit disturbing, don’t you? The man who was kicked off network television for a single statement after 9/11 has decided to bring his distinct brand of caustic humor to the big screen. The topic of his feature filmmaking debut is one that’s sure to rally up plenty of protesters and death threats: he’s talkin’ bout religion. Bill Maher is vocal atheist who has spent years attacking religion through standup, talk show appearances, his TV shows and to pretty well anyone who will listen to him for longer than 30 seconds. He has some good points and is an undeniably funny man, but he also backs his humor with an unyielding confidence and gleeful schoolboy desire to offend that upsets as many as it entertains. That’s just the Maher style and fans will be pleased to know that it appears in full force in Religulous.

Bill Maher’s partner in crime for this hellbound cinematic venture is director Larry Charles, a man who has proven himself to be adept at mocking middle American values through his work on Borat and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Together they make a satirically fearless pair and Religulous is nothing if not uncompromising in the way it brings down sacred cows.

Maher and Charles hit the road with a small documentary crew to visit major religious centers and interview any figures in the religious community who would talk to them. Maher conducts debates with these figures similar to the ones that he did on Pollitically Incorrect. He allows his subjects to say their piece, but always takes the last word. Some will call this technique imbalanced, but if Religulous was a researched essay, there would be no complaints. Maher is trying to make a point with this film, not present every view on the subject. It’s an essay documentary like Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 and while it is sure to have just as many naysayers as that film, there is no denying that Maher does succeed in making religion seem ridiculous.

During his merry journey, Maher speaks to a senator who says “you don’t have to pass an IQ test to be in the senate,” pops by a Christian theme park, has conversations with gay converters, visits the Vatican, and hits up other absurd centers of religion. He succeeds admirably in painting a portrait of religion that looks incredibly and has made quite a memorable film.