Charles Darwin's belief-busting On The Origin Of Species has been hailed as "the most significant idea in the history of science."
Yet its genesis was fraught with doubt, scientific rivalry and the brutal destruction of devoted friendships. You can bet Jeffrey Archer never had this trouble.
Director Jon Amiel's calm, collected chronicle of the book's difficult birth focuses primarily on the all-consuming grief suffered by Darwin (Bettany) following the death of his cherished 10-year-old daughter Annie.
Everything he did or attempted to do following her untimely demise is coloured at best, unhinged at worst, by this single, life-wrenching tragedy.
Bettany plays Darwin as a loving father whose ravaged distractedness from his family threatens to drive a wedge between him and his wife Emma and Jeremy Northam's priest and lifelong friend.
A welcome respite from his melancholy are the frantic attentions of Toby Jones' staunch evolutionist, who tells Darwin he's "killed God" while viewing the publication of the creation de-bunking book as an essential blow for scientific truth.
Amiel makes judicious use of freeze-frame photography - the decay of a chick is like something out of a horror film, flashback and spectral appearances of the kindly Annie to convey the misery coursing through Darwin's mind.
Compounding his sorrow is the bitter knowledge that his life's work represents a direct challenge to his wife's Christian beliefs.
Yes, it all sounds a bit bleak. Yet Amiel has fashioned a quietly compelling story that brightens as a reinvigorated Darwin finds closure and the printing presses can begin rolling.
Tim Evans
Review
By Erene Stergiopoulos
You'd think that coming up with one of the most revolutionary ideas in science would be easy. Creation, by British director Jon Amiel, documents the life of Charles Darwin during the writing of On the Origin of Species in the mid 1800s. The book unveiled to the world his theory of evolution via natural selection, making him one of the most influential figures in the history of science.
But this wasn't just any old yellow brick road. Darwin (Paul Bettany) suffered from chronic poor health, which was worsened by stress and overworking. This made writing On the Origin of Species all the more difficult. While a good portion of Amiel's account of Darwin's life is accurate, he doesn't hesitate to add some of his own ornaments.
In the film, Darwin struggles against pressure from his God-fearing wife, Emma (Jennifer Connelly), and unresolved grief over his deceased young daughter, Annie. He suffers from delusional visions of Annie (Martha West), while avoiding his remaining four children and letting his relationship with his wife deteriorate.
Bettany is fitting in the role of Darwin, handling the back-and-forth flashes between the happy and the unhealthy Darwin with skill. West is a pleasant surprise and delivers a charming performance in the role of Annie. The only thing missing is a sense of emotion from Connelly's stone cold Emma. Despite being a married couple in the real world, Bettany and Connelly fail to produce any kind of spark on screen. Maybe it's the fact that Darwin and Emma were first cousins. After all, Darwin figured out evolution but didn't know about genes.
Creation is your classic biopic drama; it's also a tearjerker, so don't forget the tissues. Well-paced and with a more-or-less consistently engaging plot, it takes a look at the father of modern biology that most of us haven't seen before. It also reminds us of an important lesson: just because someone's a genius doesn't mean they don't have problems as well.
Further Information
- Official Site
- IMDB
- Creation Review by the Cobourg Atheist
- Trailer below