Movie Review-- Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

Expelled: No Intelliegence Allowed

Genre: Documentary

Summary: Ben Stein explores the censoring of intelligent design in our society.

My Grade: 90%

Pros:

-Ben Stein approaches the issue from the Intelligent Design perspective (see cons below). This gives much credence to the science behind ID and Creationism, as it proves that one does not have to have a religious agenda to deny Darwin/Evolution.

-Ben reveals that the war between Evolution and ID is not the informed vs. the uniformed or facts vs. faith. The issue is the worldview with which one approaches the facts. He demonstrates, very well, that evolution is based on an humanistic, anti-supernaturalist worldview. He gets Richard Dawkins, a leading evolutionist, to admit this and other embarrassing-for-an-evolutionist things. See it just for that.

-Though disparaged by many, I enjoyed the lighthearted approach sometimes displayed throughout. The random clips of old movies added to the message and simultaneously avoided typical documentary format of long shots and boring monologues.

-He interviews a really interesting guy named David Berlinski. He's ridiculously intelligent and -has a bunch of sweet books I want to read.

-He interviews a guy from Iowa.

-Though not thouroughly academic, Ben publicly addresses an issue that has been repressed and one-sided. The minority (or majority?) is being heard.

Cons:

-The film only discusses the issue from an ID perspective. It misses the fact that science validates what "religious radicals" have been saying all along. Coversely, it gives a somewhat poor representation of Creationists. Surprising, because, though I know Ben Stein is not a Christian, he is a Jew and should be a Creationist himself.