I don’t get very many of these as they don’t hold screenings in Po Dunk, MO (Springfield for those who don’t know). So, only screeners I receive allow me to review upcoming releases. And three hours to drive to the nearest potential city with screenings is not economically or temporally feasible. So, whenever I have the opportunity (and the time), I take it. So, here’s my review for The Nature of Existence.

THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE

Rating

Director
Roger Nygard
Length
94 min.
Review
We have struggled for centuries to discover what our purposes in life are. Philosophers, theologians, academicians, scientists. None has been immune to the most important quandary man could ever puzzle over. The Nature of Existence attempts to explore that very idea without forcing one specific set of beliefs on the audience.

Roger Nygard’s acclaimed documentary Trekkies set him up as a pop culture icon exploring and cataloguing the nature of existence for a legion of Star Trek fans. One might expect such a transition to be a bit bizarre, shifting from fandom to religious/philosophical inquiry, but it’s not as big a jump as you might expect.

One of the core philosophical elements of the original Star Trek series and its subsequent spin-offs, is how human beings interact with each other when science, technology and belief separate each new race they come in contact with. The original U.S.S. Enterprise brought together a crew of multi-ethnic backgrounds and even multi-racial. Mr. Spock is a perfect example of a new method of philosophy and pondering being injected into a series of humans, his Vulcan heritage allowing the creators to explore areas that science fiction itself has often excelled at.

So, when you move from one philosophical enterprise to another, the switch is not as jolting as you might believe.

But what question does the author (or in this case, the filmmaker) attempt to answer? There are many, but most hinge on the title of his documentary, what is the nature of existence? Why do we exist? What is morality? Is there an afterlife? These are all questions that are answered not by Nygard himself, but by the over one hundred interview subjects he speaks with along the way. Everyone has a different take on why we exist. Some believe we exist simply to serve god others believe we exist to please ourselves.

There is no right answer as each individual must learn his own path, but what this documentary does is displays a wide array of differing styles of beliefs from the devout to the comedic and everywhere in between. Very few religious beliefs aren’t explored here from Judaism and Christianity to Taoism and Confucianism. There are Hindis, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics, Pan-Theologians and every possible combination there of.

Embarrassingly few of these religions value the role of women as leaders, but the documentary gives a voice to several female perspectives. And dramatically, the large majority of these interviewees provide some of the most valuable insights the film has.

Of these voices, viewers should pay close attention to the commentary of comedienne Julia Sweeney, Reverend Dr. Jo Hudson of Cathedral of Hope, and Ann Druyan, widow of the late Carl Sagan. Yet, despite the wisdom presented by these three, the most observant female voice in the production comes from high school student Chloe Revery, the daughter of one of Nygard’s neighbors. She speaks as if she had decades of experience in philosophical examination. Although she is the youngest contributor to the documentary, she gives one hope for the future.

When watching this kind of documentary, you’re likely to take from it the premises of existence that make the most sense to you. As John Atack, ex-Scientologist and cult expert, says in the film, if you are presented with ten arguments and five of them support your beliefs, then when asked an hour later to revisit those ten points, the ones you can remember will be the ones you agreed with. So, it’s no surprise that I took more out of what evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins said than self-proclaimed confrontational evangelist Brother Jed Smock had to say.

The ideas presented in this documentary aren’t for everyone. Those who do watch the film are just as likely to become aggravated and frustrated by it as they are to be entertained and educated by it. It’s an easy, conversational structure that could help some not accustomed to this type of endeavor make their way through, but many of those may be turned aside by the more radical views expressed in the film. The film doesn’t have an anti-religious slant, but with anti-religious views expressed, it shouldn’t be unexpected if the film ends up protested heavily by religious groups claiming it to be a work intended to dismantle religion. Yet, anyone who watches it and actually understands what it’s trying to say should find themselves shaking their heads at these protestations.

Without putting his own impression on his story, Nygard has made The Nature of Existence both a broad, far-reaching exploration of the concept of existence and an affirmation of the individual possession of belief. If you go in expecting to find your purpose, the only thing you’re bound to discover is that everyone has an answer for you, but which one is ultimately left to you to choose. The only truth you can come out of this documentary with is that no one knows the truth and no one can tell you what truth is right for you or even if there is a truth outside of what they themselves believe.
Review Written
June 11, 2010
Review Archive
The Nature of Existence