Raël: The Alien Prophet

As Episode 1 of "Raël The Alien Prophet" (2024 release from France; 4 episodes of about 45 min each) opens, it is "Mexico 2021" and a woman who has been a Raëlian since 1993 is being interviewed. We then go back in time to how Raël got his start, and slowly but surely is building a "movement" based on accepting that UFOs have sent extra-terrestrials to help humankind. At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is yet another documentary mini-series focusing on how a group becomes a cult. The parallels with prior instances are striking, but what makes this still worthwhile is that this movement started in France in the 1970s. There are some interesting "plot changes" along the way which I certainly will not spoil here. The film makers were able to interview quite a few of the cult members (present or past). It seems there are several reviewers here that cannot distinguish between the cult they disagree with and the documentary regarding that cult. To rate this mini-series 1/10 is simply preposterous.

"Raël: The Last Prophet" recently started streaming on Netfilx and I watched all 4 episodes last night in a single setting. As such not revolutionary is revealed but I simply enjoyed watching this. If you are in the mood for another serving of how cults become a cult, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Very odd series. Has all the trappings of an exposé but doesn't really seem to have much to actually expose. It never explains clearly what exactly the tenets of Raelism are or who Rael is, and then spends three episodes using a lot of scary music and visuals to imply that it's all very bad, but without really giving any clear examples. The main focus seems to be that the Raelians lied about having cloned a child - but if they did, who exactly did that harm? I have no doubt that Rael is a charlatan who has used his sway over people to access attractive young women and enjoy attention and a luxurious lifestyle - and it's hinted that worse stuff went on - but the series doesn't really make it very clear where exactly he differs in this from, say, any given rock star. Presumably there are disaffected Raelians, but we don't really hear from any. Yes, the ones we see all seem deluded, but they also seem fairly content and harmless spreading their message of peace and free love or whatever. But as there presumably is a darker side to all this - otherwise what's the point of the documentary - why isn't it really shown? The main draw is the old footage of Rael and the Raelians, and to be honest just an edited-together collection of that would probably have been more illuminating and interesting.

These voices made my head feel like it was going to explode. Constantly talking over each other in weird cartoon or AI sounding voices. I had to turn it off even though the information seemed interesting enough. I don't even think I can explain it. Hopefully I'm not the only one that feels this way.

It's almost like the backup voices are too loud and the audio is all mixed strangely.

I appreciate that it is more fast paced than a lot of these series and that it isn't set up like some true crime podcast.

I with they would release it with the original dialog and English subtitles. Time to find something else to watch.

OMG this so called documentary was so boring and uninteresting.

A couple of laconical interviews with mostly still practicing Raelians, one ex-Raelian, and an embittered French magistrate, this has to be one of the laziest bit of documentary making I've had the displeasure to watch in some time.

Part way through I thought - has this been made by a Raelian.

No expose on any damage the cult may have done to its members, with seemingly very little in the way of trying to track down and interview former cult members, or look into the finances of the cult, or look into breaches of laws e.g. Fraud over the human cloning claims.

Mainly just interviews with current, very old cult members.

Boring, biased, and just very poor documentary making.

"The highest truth of the universe has been revealed to me: it's that you should all worship me, have sex with me (but only if you're good looking) and give me all your money."

Fascinating and infuriating story about how even some very well educated people can fall prey to a self-absorbed cult leader and waste their lives covering up his lies.

In the style of Holy Hell (about the Buddhafield sect) and Wild,Wild Country (about the Bhagwan/Osho sect), Raël: The Last Prophet tells the story of a cult mainly through interviews with current and former members, mixed with old footage of the sect's often absurd activities.

Interestingly, the cult leader himself, Claude Vorilhon ("Raël"), who has managed to become venerated as a prophet by tens of thousands of followers globally, agreed to be interviewed for this production at his current home in Japan.