Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
In this two-part Channel 4 series, Professor Richard Dawkins challenges what he describes as 'a process of non-thinking called faith'. He describes his astonishment that, at the start of the 21st century, religious faith is gaining ground in the face of rational, scientific truth. Science, based on scepticism, investigation and evidence, must continuously test its own concepts and claims. Faith, by definition, defies evidence: it is untested and unshakeable, and is therefore in direct contradiction with science. In addition, though religions preach morality, peace and hope, in fact, says Dawkins, they bring intolerance, violence and destruction. The growth of extreme fundamentalism in so many religions across the world not only endangers humanity but, he argues, is in conflict with the trend over thousands of years of history for humanity to progress to become more enlightened and more tolerant.
Root of All Evil? is a competent and passionate polemic from Richard Dawkins, presenting his case against religious faith with characteristic directness. The 'plot' or argumentative structure is coherent but fairly linear, moving through familiar Dawkins territory—fundamentalism, faith vs. science, morality—without deep nuance. Dawkins himself is compelling but polarizing as a presenter, and the documentary relies heavily on his one-sided confrontational interviews, which limits the intellectual depth. Cinematography is standard TV documentary fare with nothing visually distinctive. While the subject was timely and the series sparked significant public debate, the format and arguments weren't particularly novel for a Dawkins production—it covers ground he'd long occupied. The ending offers no real resolution, which is consistent with the series' intent but leaves the viewer without a satisfying conclusion.