Creation

Charles Darwin. Ring any bells? You know, the guy that came up with the theory of evolution and natural selection? The guy who the church wanted to burn at the stake for daring to question the Christian concept of creation?

Well, it turns out the revolutionary scientist didn’t set out to turn the world on its head and in fact struggled with his discoveries and theories on a very personal level. He even put off publishing his book On the Origins of Species for as long as possible to avoid the inevitable furore. What compelled Darwin to investigate his scientific hunches was the sudden death of his daughter. While it drove his wife further into the comforting arms of her faith, it drove him to science. This obviously created some tension between husband and wife, but the two managed to navigate their way through a marriage that lasted until he died in 1882.

Not surprisingly, this is what the film focuses on: the complex relationship between Darwin and his wife, which, in my opinion seems secondary to the mind-blowing discoveries the man made. Then again, this is the movies, where romance and drama take centre stage. If you’re looking for the doccie, you ‘re going to have to visit the DVD store.

Rating: 3 outta 5.