Movie Review: “The Book of Eli”

Seen on: January 16, 2010

The players: Directors: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes, Writer: Gary Whitta, Cast: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Beals

Facts of interest: First Hughes bros. film since "From Hell."

The plot: In a post-apocalyptic world, one man (Washington) travels cross-country to protect a book that apparently holds the hope for mankind.

Our thoughts: Albert and Allen Hughes’ post-apocalyptic action flick “The Book of Eli” boasts strong technical aspects but falls a bit short in the story department. It’s a movie with straightforward messages and lots of brainless action, and chances are many folks out there will enjoy watching Denzel Washington beat the heck out of bad guys.

In the near future, our world has come to an end, and pretty much all of humanity is gone. The struggle for survival has sucked the good out of the living, and most people have turned into savages robbing and killing everyone they encounter. Not so Washington’s character Eli, a tough loner who’s on a mission to save what’s left of mankind.  

More specifically, Eli is carrying a bible he swore to protect at all costs until he reaches his final destination, which as we learn at the beginning of the film is somewhere in the West. He believes the holy book he possesses is humanity’s only hope for surviving, and he’s more than willing to kill in order to complete his task.

Eli’s trip is going more or less smoothly until he clashes with Carnegie (Gary Oldman), a ruthless despot of a small town who heard of the precious book and would like to lay his hands on it so he can use its religious content to brainwash his followers and make them believe they fight on his side for the greater good…

I have to admit I personally didn’t get a big payoff out of “The Book of Eli” because I failed to connect with the characters and identify with the story, but then again, that’s just me. I’m not a religious guy and the whole concept of religion doesn’t mean anything to me, which explains why I found myself not caring all too much about the central story line.

That said, “The Book of Eli” gets its messages across in a clear way, and the Hughes brothers succeed in creating a fast-paced flick that flows well and looks intriguing enough. The majority of the film looks gray and blown out a bit, but I found it to be a quite exciting visual experience. The same goes for the Hughes’ direction and the film’s editing.

Even though the story remains rather thin throughout (after all, all Eli does is walk and fight), the lead characters are developed well enough. Eli is a determined character with a clear purpose he sticks to until the very end, and he doesn’t blow any smoke when it comes to explaining the reasons behind his cross-country traveling.

Oldman’s character is a solid villain who would like to abuse the power religion can have over people willing to believe in it, and I somehow enjoyed the contrast between him and Washington. Luckily, both actors really know what they’re doing, which is why the acting totally works in “The Book of Eli.” Even Mila Kunis surprised me yet again.

“The Book of Eli” also boasts several action sequences, and while most of them have just been slammed into the script to keep the plot moving along, they do boost the flick’s entertainment value in a positive way. The Hughes brothers know how to create visually interesting gun battles, and I’m sure you’ll have no trouble enjoying all the bang.

Freaky quote: "Put that hand on me again, you won't get it back." - Denzel Washington

The final word: I can’t say I loved “The Book of Eli,” but for a post-apocalyptic action flick with a thin story and great visuals, it’s relatively entertaining. However, if you’re looking for a film in this genre that looks a lot better and has tons more brain and purpose, make sure you watch “The Road” instead. It doesn’t have bazookas, but it’s twice as intriguing.

Article by Franck Tabouring