The Story of The Unbelievers
What does it mean to believe in nothing? The Unbelievers, a 77-minute documentary from 2013, follows two of the world's most prominent atheist intellectuals—evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss—as they embark on a global speaking tour. The film doesn't just chronicle their lectures; it captures something messier and more human: two men trying to convince audiences that reason, empiricism, and scientific method should be our compass when navigating questions about existence, morality, and meaning. The official tagline asks viewers directly: "What are you willing to believe?" It's a question that lingers long after the credits roll, whether you agree with their conclusions or not.
Behind the Making of The Unbelievers
Directed by Gus Holwerda and produced by Black Chalk Productions, The Unbelievers arrived in 2013 at a particular cultural moment—when the so-called "New Atheism" was still a fixture in mainstream discourse, and figures like Dawkins and Krauss commanded significant audiences. The film's modest box office of $14,400 tells you something important: this wasn't designed as a theatrical tentpole, but rather as a document for people already primed to engage with these arguments, and for those curious enough to peek into that world. What's striking is the roster of talking heads woven throughout—Stephen Hawking, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Sam Harris, Penn Jillette, Woody Allen, Cameron Diaz, and Ian McEwan all contribute brief reflections, lending the film a kind of intellectual celebrity sheen. It's not quite a lecture hall, not quite a concert film, but something in between: a portrait of public intellectualism at a particular historical moment. The film carries a Not Rated designation, which means it wasn't submitted to the MPAA for classification—a choice that underscores its independent, uncompromising spirit.
Why The Unbelievers Divides Audiences
Critical reception for The Unbelievers has been decidedly mixed, which itself is revealing. The film holds a 44% on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten), a Metascore of 32/100, and an IMDb rating of 6.9 from nearly 7,000 votes—numbers that suggest viewers either found it compelling or felt it preached to an already-converted choir. What critics and audiences seem to wrestle with isn't whether Dawkins and Krauss make intelligent points (they do) but whether the film's structure—essentially a globe-trotting montage of speeches and testimonials—amounts to genuine documentary filmmaking or just extended promotional material. The thing nobody mentions is that the film's real tension isn't between belief and non-belief, but between the filmmakers' desire to seem open-minded and their underlying certainty that they've already won the argument. Watching Krauss riff on physics or Dawkins dissect the evolutionary implausibility of certain religious claims is genuinely engaging, but the film rarely pauses to sit with genuine disagreement or explore why intelligent people might arrive at different conclusions. That said, there's something honest about its refusal to hedge—it doesn't pretend neutrality it doesn't feel, and that directness has its own kind of integrity.
Where to Stream The Unbelievers Online
The Unbelievers is currently available on major OTT platforms, making it accessible whether you're looking to revisit it or encounter these arguments for the first time. Check the "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page to see which streaming service has it in your region right now—availability shifts, and Movie OTT tracks current listings across all major platforms so you don't have to hunt. If you're the type who likes to have a rebuttal ready before pressing play, you might want to pair it with some reading; the film works best as a conversation-starter, not a final word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who directed The Unbelievers?
The film was directed by Gus Holwerda and produced by Black Chalk Productions. It's a relatively lean production that prioritizes the speakers and their ideas over elaborate filmmaking technique.
Q: Is The Unbelievers based on a true story?
No—it's a documentary, meaning it captures real events. The film follows actual speaking tours and public appearances by Dawkins and Krauss, along with genuine interviews with public figures and scientists.
Q: What's the runtime of The Unbelievers?
The documentary runs 77 minutes, making it a relatively compact film that moves briskly through multiple continents and arguments without lingering too long on any single point.
Q: Does The Unbelievers have famous people in it?
Yes. While Dawkins and Krauss are the primary focus, the film includes brief contributions from Stephen Hawking, Sam Harris, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Penn Jillette, Woody Allen, Cameron Diaz, and Ian McEwan, among others.
Q: Where can I watch The Unbelievers?
The film is available on major streaming platforms. Movie OTT's streaming guide will show you exactly which services carry it in your area.
Who Should Watch The Unbelievers
If you're drawn to documentaries that tackle big ideas—belief, science, reason, faith—and you don't mind a film that wears its perspective openly, The Unbelievers is worth your time. It won't convince anyone who doesn't want to be convinced, and it probably won't change many minds. But it's a genuine artifact of how a particular intellectual tradition approached these questions in 2013, and that historical value alone makes it worth examining. Watch it skeptically. That's exactly what it asks you to do.