‘Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed’ (Ben Stein monkeys with evolution)
‘Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed’ (Ben Stein monkeys with evolution)
Droning funnyman Ben Stein monkeys around with evolution with the new documentary, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” a cynical attempt to sucker Christian conservatives into thinking they’re losing the “intelligent design” debate because of academic “prejudice.”
“Expelled” is a full-on, amply budgeted Michael Moore-styled mockery of evolution, a film that dresses creationist crackpottery in an “intelligent design” leisure suit and tries to make the fact that it’s not given credence in schools a matter of “academic freedom.”
Using loaded language and loaded imagery, Stein and Co. (Nathan Frankowski is the credited director) equate evolution with atheism, lay responsibility for the Holocaust at the feet of Charles Darwin, interview and creatively edit biologists and others (scientists “cast” for their eccentric appearance) to make them look foolish for insisting that science, not religion, can explain creation.
Stein and friends use animation (shades of “Bowling for Columbine”), amusing chunks of B-movies and even “The Wizard of Oz” and classic propaganda techniques to undercut 150 years of peer-tested research. Their goal? Create just a sliver of doubt about evolution. It’s a classic Big Tobacco/”Inconvenient Truth” denial tactic.
Apr 18, 2008 @ 11:23:24
This movie is such a joke. Usually I’m interested in seeing something I disagree with for the sake of argument, but this is just plain ridiculous.
Apr 20, 2008 @ 15:09:05
I love it. Stein was getting ripped on even before the movie was released. No educated person will ever take him seriously again.
Apr 20, 2008 @ 23:37:24
I dunno if they ever did. He was a former Reaganite and a B actor.
Apr 21, 2008 @ 08:36:14
It really doesn’t matter if educated people take him seriously or not. The great unwashed masses will, and they’ll believe it because their pastors will tell them to see the movie and believe what Stein says to be gospel (pun intended). We’re losing ground because they’re more coordinated and more focused on winning than we are.
Apr 21, 2008 @ 23:56:36
This guy was out just to make money, I don’t think he really believes the BS in his movie, he is a business person and knows that sooo many Americans consider “god” as their maker, etc; He knows there is a huge market for those that need comfort and reassurance of their religious dogma. I never imagine he was a fundamentalist but either way, I am not watching that stupid movie regardless of his intention.