The Reviews Are In!

Expelled, the hick-flick about the much-alleged, still unproven academic conspiracy to keep the (un-)scientific theory of Intelligent Design out of science, was released today among much evangelical hype. And finally, the reviews are in. Here is a sampling of critics' quotes from on Rotten Tomatoes (each by a different reviewer):

"One of the sleaziest documentaries to arrive in a very long time, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed is a conspiracy-theory rant masquerading as investigative inquiry."

"Surely the film's greatest offense is the utter shamelessness with which it exploits the Holocaust."

"No intelligence allowed, indeed, as Ben Stein misguidedly crusades against what he perceives as the science community’s slavish devotion to natural selection."

"It shows us bogus security files, as if some cabal is spying on everyone. It shirks the facts. And it madly edits images to equate Darwin with Hitler, and Ben Stein with -- yes -- Ronald Reagan. Typical of all propaganda, it also distorts language."

"Stein's credibility is blown on this poorly constructed diatribe, and you'd be smart to save your bucks."

"The movie itself is an example of design by faith and emotion rather than intelligence, defined as rationality grounded in proof."

"Expelled may prove to be as controversial as the producers hope, but the reactions will be more entertaining and elucidating than the film itself."

And, my favorites:

"Stein claims to denounce the tyranny of dogma, then browbeats us with his own."

"For a film about American freedom of expression and the necessity for open dialogue, it's hard to imagine Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed being more one-sided, narrow-minded, and intellectually dishonest."

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see the dishonesty in the hick-flick.