Movie Review: The Book of Eli

by Justin Velasquez

February 13, 2010

What do you need to know about The Book of Eli?  First, it stars Academy Award winner Denzel Washington (Training Day).  It also stars well-respected veteran actor Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) and beautiful young actress Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall).  It is the Hughes Brothers' first feature since directing 2001's tauntingly good From Hell.  Oh yeah, and the film's good.

The Book of Eli is an action movie that takes place in the near future.  It's a desolate time, one where Earth has been ravaged by a major apocalyptic event and its survivors are left scrambling.  Water is the number one resource and people will kill for it.  Meanwhile there's Eli (Washington), a loner looking to do more than just survive.  He is on a mission and it is clear that he won't allow anyone to get in his way.  Eli packs plenty of weapons: guns, sword, bow and arrows, and early on the viewer knows that Eli can more than take care of himself.  The proof is in the pudding when Eli sniffs out an ambush, and before one can blink, dispatches (er, flat out kills) six armed men.

But his most prized possession is not something as life-sustaining as water or as life-taking as a gun.  This object, as the story reveals, is something that will be able to possibly resurrect society to what it once was before the apocalypse.  What it is - I'm not going to say.  But it's easy to pick it out from the trailers and it's easy to know that people, especially Eli, will be fighting for it.

Carnegie (played maliciously and comfortably by Oldman) is the bad guy leader of a desolate town and he, like Eli, knows the importance of what he has.  Carnegie witnesses Eli in action and tries to charm the loner into joining him.  During these lean times, charming means offering food, water and companionship (in the form of Kunis' Solara).  Solara is practically Carnegie's slave since she does whatever she's told in an effort to keep him from hurting her mother, Claudia (Jennifer Beals, Flashdance).  All the charming and schmoozing cease when Carnegie realizes what Eli has - he quickly changes his personality and picks a fight with him to get that prize.  More action ensues and Eli escapes Carnegie and his men to continue his westward journey, this time with Solara following.

With all of the action that The Book of Eli contains it's easy to forget that it's very much a spiritual film.  Eli is very pious and places all of his faith in the success of his journey.  His Zen-like approach to any situation is noble and welcome in a time where patience, loyalty and honor are rarer than food and water.  Washington's approach to the role is a memorable one and can be seen as even more impressive (or more frustrating) when the movie arrives at its conclusion.

Overall, The Book of Eli is very entertaining.  Even though nothing here is new or groundbreaking, Albert and Allen Hughes' presentation feels fresh and exciting.  The Hughes Brothers, for whatever reason, took their time in deciding on a follow-up project after From Hell.  But their choice here is impeccable and they do a very good job conveying a world in ruin.  Muted colors and dark, cloudy tones prevail visually and only serve to heighten what the characters are seeing. 

If you haven't already seen The Book of Eli and are looking for two hours of entertainment, then look no further than this offering.

Three out of Four Stars