Director: Jon Amiel
Starring: Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly & Martha West
A well told drama that explores the humanity behind Charles Darwin, the man who came up with the Theory of Evolution and how his relationship with his wife and children shaped, and helped shape, his view of the world.
Already creating controversy through difficulties in acquiring a US distributer to the religious criticism of the film and of Darwin and his theories, Creation is not quite the damning criticism of religion such protesters believe it to be and neither is it the pro-Atheism tale that others might hope it to be either. Instead, Creation is a carefully told tale about Darwin and how he came to lose his faith, not just because of his research but also through tragic events experienced be he and his family during the period and how those and Darwin’s book effected and was effected by his wife and children and their beliefs too.
Covering the period of 1841 (the birth of Darwin’s daughter Anne) and 1859 (the publication of Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species), Charles Darwin (Bettany) continues his research on the evolutionary development of various species of animal life following his research trip on the U.S.S. Beagle. As he continues to catalogue the many different evolutionary adaptations species have developed over millions of years, the massive natural imbalance of death to support life and spurred on by his loving and inquisitive daughter Anne (West), Darwin slowly comes to the conclusion that life on Earth developed naturally through evolution and species’ need to survive rather than having been created in six days by a loving deity. His growing acceptance of his theory conflicting with his religious belief and especially those of his devout wife Emma (Connelly) faces further division when their daughter Anne dies from illness pushing Charles down the path of science and non-belief and Emma further towards her faith culminating in a struggle for Charles over whether to complete his book, On the Origin of Species, and what it would mean to his wife and her own grieving process as well as how the world at large will react.
Rather than explaining the science or how Darwin came to develop his theory of evolution through natural selection, Creation instead focuses on the emotional effects this period and his theory had upon his life and that of those closest to him, in particular his wife Emma and his children. The decision to do so, basing the film upon the biography Annie’s Box by Darwin’s great-great grandson Randal Keynes, is a good one as the story of Darwin’s relationship with his daughter and the effect of her death had upon him and upon his wife and his research humanises Darwin in a manner that those in opposition to his theories may usually dismiss. Rather than portray Darwin as a man committed to disproving the existence of God or the Creationist belief behind the creation of life, Creation shows the very real doubts and anguish Darwin faced as his own research convinces him of his theories and adds to his loss of faith in an understandable, sympathetic manner whilst showing also the effects it had upon those close to him who kept their faith. Creation also avoids wholly demonising Christians or glorifying Atheists. Whilst the local priest is generally portrayed as unsympathetic, willing to punish a child for asking questions that question the teachings of Christianity, Darwin’s wife Emma is portrayed far better. She is complex, committed to her beliefs but any anger felt towards her husband is out of concern rather than hate or pity. Most touching though is the relationship between Darwin and his daughter told through flashback through the years she was alive and via ghosts haunting Darwin after her death. She is a well written character acting in part as Darwin’s conscience. Scenes of natural processes are also included too such as the life and death cycle of a bird that shows the wonder of nature and the life of an Orang-utan called Jenny that Darwin studied highlighting our similarities with our ancestors.
Paul Bettany delivers a very impressive performance as Charles Darwin. Believably demonstrating the man’s intellect, it is Bettany’s ability to make the man sympathetic showing the emotional turmoil the man experienced as his faith dwindled and his grief following the death of his daughter grew. Darwin’s acceptance of what his theory means for his beliefs occurs gradually and believably leaving its outcome acceptable. Jennifer Connelly is good as Darwin’s wife Emma, with her own grief and her fears of losing her husband as he loses his faith portrayed well yet with her own commitment to her beliefs also understandable and Martha West is excellent as their daughter Annie who makes her smart, mature and loveable. Toby Jones makes a memorable cameo as the gloating Thomas Huxley whilst Benedict Cumberbatch is very likeable as Darwin’s friend Joseph Hooker who adds another sympathetic voice to the pro-evolution side.
Overall, while not the scandalous portrayal of Charles Darwin that the film’s critics and supporters had hoped or feared it to be, Creation is still a well-made and meaningful drama that shows Darwin’s humanity and the real struggle he had with his own faith and his relationship with his family as he wrote On the Origin of Species and features an excellent performance from Paul Bettany.
Rating: 4/5
