Watch it on video. Edit out the bias. Watch it for the sci-fi.

Rating: 3/10 (11 June 2009)

While the sci-fi elements are outstanding (if ultimately dissatisfying) the painful religious bias in Contact really puts in on the 'Don't Bother' list despite the gushing opinions here.
Why? In a movie pretending to discuss faith, science and evidence, failing to portray ***one single person*** as having real, beneficial faith in God is a terrible and telling omission.
Let me explain. Doubters are portrayed, intolerant 'right wingers' are portrayed, evil murdering preachers are portrayed, atheists are portrayed, free thinkers are portrayed, dedicated scientists are portrayed, manipulative scheming people are portrayed (of course Drumlin fakes his belief in God to get the machine seat). All manner of interesting human characteristics are depicted except one. If you don't see it right away, the despicably pejorative characterization of Ralph Reed leaves it impossible to miss the producers hatred of religious people. Religious faith, in Contact's estimation, only leads to confusion, murderous fanaticism or hypocrisy, which is amusing in a way, as the driven but direction-less Ellie is given a compass by an equally direction-less Palmer. He scuppers her bid for the seat by saying that most humans believe in God, while having no such convictions himself. Poor Ellie has to tell the committee she does not believe. Atheism is thus shown to be honesty, while Drumlin's God references are false and hypocritical. Worse, after unrelentingly disparaging faith for almost two hours, the movie's moral is summed up in Ellie's rebuttal to the stereotypically antagonistic Kitz in the final hearing: Ellie saw and experienced her Vega trip, and as nobody else did, she asks the world to accept it *on faith*!
Hollywood is so narrow-minded it's amazing. They must have immutable laws: Hollywood movies can never show married couples enjoying sex, despite the fact that this is common in the real world. Hollywood movies can never show religious faith as being honest and beneficial, despite the fact that this is also common in the real world.
Contact is well made but it's a disappointing contradiction.