Review for Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed 


Movie: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

My Rating: 2 ½ stars

Release Date: 2008

Director: Nathan Frankowski

Cast: Ben Stein, (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) as himself

Rating: PG 


Premise: A thought provoking documentary, exploring the suppression of intelligent design in classrooms and universities across America, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed ventures into the ongoing debate between Evolutionists and Creationists. The film follows the debate, (or lack thereof,) between Evolution and Intelligent Design in the classroom of high schools and universities, displaying the role evolution had in Racism, the Nazi Holocaust, Planned Parenthood, Abortion and Eugenics.  


Production: Although I myself have a bias against evolution, the film comes across as being a little unfair.  While the interviews with the evolutionary scientists are amusing if not somewhat alarming, they spend very little time talking about why intelligent design is any better than evolution as a theory.  Instead its tone comes across as slightly patronizing, with Ben Stein’s relentless questions.  Essentially, you have to take this movie for what it is.  It is not an apologist documentary for intelligent design, but really a documentary questioning lack of freedom in the press and in academia regarding science.  If you come into viewing it with that perspective, than you will probably enjoy this film. 


Cautions: 

• Some scary images and mature themes
• Some brief, mild language

 
The film deals with the holocaust and with some other themes such as abortion and euthanasia.  However, besides those themes, there is very little here to cause a problem. 


Conclusion:  This is an enjoyable film, even if its main satisfaction comes from watching evolutionists squirm as Ben Stein slowly presses them to state what they believe.  It won’t prepare you to have an answer for evolutionists who question Intelligent Design, but it might inspire you to challenge the current system of exclusive Evolutionism present in academia and in the press.  For those not familiar with Intelligent Design, I would recommend they learn a little more about it first before watching this film.  For those already acquainted with the theory of Intelligent Design, this should prove an informational and interesting film to watch.