I've Been Expelled

I granted Scott Nehring an exclusive on my "Expelled" review. You can find it here. Short take: disappointment.

Many are hyping this film as a skirmish in the culture wars and are therefore tracking theatre attendance closely. For what it's worth, the 7:20pm showing in Oakdale, MN was nearly sold out last night.

Reservations for Expelled

The title's a cheap pun. I fully intend to be at a theatre on opening and it won't be for Harold and Kumar, as much as those two lovable mugs warm my heart, lift my spirits, and tickle my funny bone.* But from what little I know of "Expelled", I'm a little uneasy. I understand that at least some of the film will take up the issue of academic censorship of Intelligent Design.

I believe that whining about persecution is a weak kind of persuasion. I hope the film concentrates on the science and avoids trying to gin up sympathy. This argument will be won on its merits, and appeals to "fairness" are going to play right into the Scientismists** hands.

Whatever the content, this movie is an utterly polarizing Rorschach test. The reactions I've read have been either "Sleazy but ameteurish propaganda" or "Even better than The King of Kong". My promise to you: my review will be honest, even brutally honest. Because brutality and honesty are two great tastes that taste great together.

* Cheap sarcasm.
** Cheap neologism.