Review of Creation (2009) by Laura K — 19 Nov 2009
From director Jon Amiel, Master and Commander screenwriter John Collee and Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas, comes this low-key but quite engaging biopic of a significant part of the life of Charles Darwin.
Renowned naturalist whose theories on evolution in his book On the Origin of Species changed the world of science and how people thought about it forever. Based on Annie's Box by Randal Keynes, it begins with Darwin (Paul Bettany), who lives with his wife Emma (Jennifer Connelly) and 4 children.
Tragedy strikes in 1851 when their eldest daughter Annie (Martha West) dies from scarlet fever, and Darwin sinks into a state of denial, struggling to finish his work on evolution which he has worked on for 20 years.
His friends Joseph Dalton Hooker (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Thomas Henry Huxley (Toby Jones) encourage him to finish it, but Darwin is struggling to finish it, he still hasn't come to terms with the death of Annie.
It's a very old fashioned biopic, done in a quite delicate manner, although it's structure is juxtaposed and a little off-centre, a bit like Darwin himself. Bettany does a good portrayal of the great man, and Connelly is engaging as ever.
It's well made for a low-budget film, and proves you don't need loads of money to make a good film, with appearances from Jeremy Northam, Jim Carter and Bill Paterson. This is an engaging and beautiful drama in the same league as Finding Neverland.
This review of Creation (2009) was written by Laura K on 19 Nov 2009.
Creation has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
