FOOD, INC.

FOOD, INC. is well made and likely to generate discussion. Its charts and graphs communicate data effectively, and its examination of food production, big business, regulation, and consumer choices can prompt serious questions about what you buy and eat.

But the documentary presents its case unevenly. It promotes organic and locally grown food while offering little opposing evidence. It also contains strong depictions of chickens and chicks being killed and cows being slaughtered, along with considerable attention to animal feces. Its references to evolution further strengthen its humanist worldview.

The film has enough value for discerning adults who want to discuss its arguments, but its content and one-sidedness make a theater outing unwise. Watch it at home, if at all, where you can control the experience.

This documentary examines how food is produced in modern America and investigates the relationship between agriculture, big business, government regulation, and consumers.

It considers fast food, mass production, corn subsidies, food safety, animal processing, and the movement toward organic and locally grown products. The film ultimately argues that consumers can influence the food system through what they choose to buy.

Two stars means FOOD, INC. is worth discussing but falls short as a balanced documentary. Its production values are high, and its charts and graphs work well to communicate the information being presented. The film is also eye-opening in the subjects it examines.

Its central weakness is its lopsided approach. It never seriously offers an opposing viewpoint, and its arguments about regulation, government involvement, and food production are somewhat contradictory. The documentary raises important questions, but it does not fully test its own conclusions.

FOOD, INC. presents a humanist worldview strengthened by at least five references to evolution. On-camera experts describe what animals are supposed to eat, but the film attributes that system to a mindless process rather than to a personal, divine Creator. The documentary also includes politically correct elements that criticize capitalism and favor increased government regulation, while ending with a free-market solution based on consumer demand.

The film exalts local and organic food production, consumer influence, and closer scrutiny of the food industry. It criticizes the fast food industry, agricultural business practices, and alleged conflicts of interest involving government regulatory agencies. However, it does not seriously present opposing viewpoints, including arguments about modern food production or the effects of regulation.

A biblical view can share concern for wise stewardship, truthful business practices, and care for what people consume. But Scripture identifies God—not evolution—as the Creator of humanity and the world: “So God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27).

FOOD, INC. is an eye-opening but one-sided documentary with strong depictions of animals being processed for food and a humanist worldview. Its production values and discussion potential are best experienced at home, by discerning adults—not children or young teens. Our answer is WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For other choices, see.