The Book of Eli

The Book of Eli

The Hughes brothers attempt to bring a different edge to a post-apocalyptic America.  In doing so, they are going to have to rely heavily on their all-star cast:  Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, and Jennifer Beals.  The idea is captivating, but can they pull it all together to make the movie work?

The film begins with Eli (Washington) traversing the arid countryside.  We come to quickly realize that he is no ordinary man.  His fighting skills are quickly called into action as he is ambushed by an unsavory group.  He dispatches of them in no time and does so in a most gruesome way.

He continues on his journey and ends up in a town that is run by Carnege (Oldman).  Carnege runs the town with an iron fist and no one dares to challenge his power or authority without the fear of reprisal.  The two will eventually become enemies over the book that Eli treasures above all else. 

The book is The Bible, which Carnege desires more than anything.  He believes that simply possessing the book will draw followers to him.  He is so immersed in the concept of the book that he will go to any length to get it.  He sends Claudia’s (Beals) daughter, Solara (Kunis), to Eli to try and seduce and earn his trust.  As fate would have it, the two become friends and eventually find themselves on the run with Carnege giving chase.

Does Carnege get the book or does Eli deliver it safely to its destination?  The answer is both, but you’ll have to see the end of the movie to find out how that is possible.  The question is, “Do you want to spend your time watching this movie?”

This film did not impress me much other than the occasional fight scene that seemed too scattered throughout the film.  This film gets 2.5 stars.  The cinematography was very good, the acting ok, but the writing wondered all over the place.  The pace of the movie never seemed to find a groove and felt disjointed.  The other issue I had was with all the whispering…what the heck…talk up so we can hear the dialogue.  Overall, I really didn’t care for the film and probably wouldn’t recommend it.  The Book of Eli should probably remain on the shelf!

That’s How Matt Sees It!