Review of Creation (2009) by Brad G — 22 Jan 2010

A touching picture that provides a long overdue human portrait of Darwin. I actually knew quite bit about Chuck D going in, and the filmmakers really seemed to get it right, while making sure to explore the most dramatically interesting facets of the man and his family. From Darwin's anguish over the hammer-blow his work would inevitably deal to society's religion based world-view, to the tragic deaths of two of his children, to the great strain that his theory and emergent atheism would put on his marriage, the filmmakers capture all the very real heartbreak that surrounded this brilliant man.

It made we wonder why we haven't seen more in popular culture about Darwin, whose famous idea is quoted in the opening credits to be "the greatest in the history of thought". (as a side note, that's no exaggeration. Again, science is a favourite topic of mine and I've heard/read even hardcore physicists, usually considered to be at the foremost edge of the scientific endeavour, say the very same thing about Darwin's theory of natural selection).

Nonetheless, old ideas sometimes go down swinging, and Darwin has taken some unjustified lumps. It's a shame that such an important historical figure doesn't seem to enjoy the right 'kind' of fame, the fame that he deserves.

This movie takes a sad, thoughtful, and respectful step in that direction.