Thanks, Sammy, for your opinion. I've got quite a lot of films waiting on my shelf so I'll first watch those with a bit more of Benedict in them  .

There's more Benedict than in The Whistleblower but less than in, e.g Wreckers. :D

Yeah, this movie was good, but it could have been better. I liked Darwin's struggle with his theory, especially given his wife's faith. I think having a real husband and wife play out the struggle helped and I thought they handled it well. His illness should have been a bit more defined and I also didn't get a very clear view of his work or how it evolved. (no pun intended  )

Benedict playing a biologist  +++
The movie is nice, also gotta say I was expecting more of science.
Jenny's storie is the best part (my humble opinion).

I just saw Creation. Finished watching it about 2 hours ago and I have to say that it was brilliant. The struggle with his theories verses his faith is what made Darwin's story so human and gave the viewer a real ability to identify with it. The science is fine, but it's the human story that drew me in so completely. 

This story managed to fulfill both sides of the argument God vs No God. That is the discovery within Darwin's struggle and the acceptance his wife gave him when she had the option to destroy his work. To me it confirmed both sides of the argument.

Darwin's wifes acceptance through love as well as respect supports her belief in God and the fact that everything happens by his design. She could have burned the book, but she chose instead to support her husband and wrapped it for delivery to the publisher.

I think it is wonderful that Charles Darwin was a devout Christian before he developed this theory and the fact that the struggle with his faith or his loss of faith makes him so much more credible. He didn't write his book to spite the church or even to spite God himself. He wrote it to save himself and his faith, albeit a faith in truth and fact over organized religion. It saved his marriage and allowed him to become a father to his other children. How can that not be a part of God's plan? Maybe that is what his wife saw and why she didn't burn the book.

Either way it was an absolutely splendid work that I throughly enjoyed and will share with my children. Oh yes and to keep this on topic, even though Benedict had a small role he played it extremely well. I loved the scene with him and the children going fishing. 

"Children! Now which of the four of you would be the first to like to learn how to hook a worm?"

Last edited by AliceI (February 25, 2013 11:58 pm)

I'm a bit late to this but I watched this film yesterday and have to say I was a little disappointed - there was much more about Darwin that I'd have liked to know but the film focussed on one - albeit tragic - event in his life and his reaction to that, and to do that, left out, or took poetic license with, other areas.
Another very small role for Benedict - he's certainly paid his dues as far as Movie making goes; no one could resent him if he starts getting bigger parts now - he's earned them, imo.
As always you don't see him as an actor but as the person he's playing - and it was very telling to me that in one small scene he has with Toby Jones (who is another Actor that I actually really admire), Jones does something to pull the scene back towards himself, as though he's aware that Benedict has the charisma to dominate a scene....just an observation I made.
Overall though, I found it a little disappointing.

Yes, he was very good. And I like it how they show this one crucial point in his career where he has to decide between religion (represented by his wife) and science. 

Last edited by SusiGo (April 24, 2014 8:56 am)

I watched Creation this week and enjoyed the story, although I agree that it could have shown more of Darwin's work. It was more about Darwin's personal life, the state of his marriage and his grief. Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly are both actors I admire, and played their troubled husband and wife relationship perfectly (I had forgotten they are married in real life. Love them in Master and Commander and Labyrinth respectively). The girl who played Annie Darwin was well cast too. The family interactions on the beach and in the fields and woods were lovely. The horrible parts were the medical treatments, and the scenes of Darwin's madness. The story of Jenny was very poignant, and the tragedy of Annie's death had me in tears.

Benedict's scenes were brief, but he was very good as usual. I just wish he didn't sport such icky, whispy facial hair in this one 

Last edited by ukaunz (March 27, 2015 3:56 am)