Review by Peter Ricci – Flix|Critic

Let’s just start from the top. This is one of Denzel’s best all around performances. The movie is filled with religious under –tones, insightful metaphors, true and relative scriptures. The Hughes Brothers are amazing. Though, “The Book of Eli” may slightly predictable, the movie makes its point. It’s strong, forceful and really makes you think of what if. It shows you what society has become. And depicts society’s inner-creature, the ugly truth of western civilizations fall continued after a post –apocalyptic war. A war over religion is what is said in the beginning, briefly touched upon. This movie focuses on the aftermath; it’s a grim vision of the world, after the apocalypse. The movie is superb and the performance top notch.

“The Book of Eli” is dismal, gloomy and vastly empty. It gives a sense of loneliness, but within a quick minute the film shows you just that. Your worst fears seem to be confirmed: Denzel Washington is seen, loping/trudging in his distinctive way, across a bleak, blasted landscape. There are burned-out cars and human skeletons everywhere, but not a sign of life. The Hughes brothers gritty and disturbing vision get us ready for a wallow in post-apocalyptic gloom, but the film doesn’t stay bleak and meditative, it explores the mind set of the survivors and how ugly it’s become with flashes of violence. The movie is real thought out; it has a dynamic storyline, sprinkled with some interesting ideas about the preciousness of culture

There is no elder left except for Denzel Washington aka Eli and Gary Oldman; Carnegie is the corruption, the evil that still lives. He is giving us a certain type of wily, middle-American sleaze, but his portrait goes so beyond imitation – into the realm of thought and worldview and attitude and its past historical flaws. The rest of “Eli” sets itself up as a clash between a good man’s single-minded sense of mission and an evil man’s single-minded pursuit of power. Mila Kunis is the new generation, born after the world’s demise; she can’t read, has no knowledge of history before the war and becomes Eli’s apprentice’s o to speak. She’s the hope for a future in the film. She’s the unknowing, learning the worlds history through the eye’s of Eli, what he remembers, which is everything. Eli remembers a voice which told him to go west and bring the only copy of The Bible to safety. It’s symbolic of what holds man’s belief in himself, life, the world and life, his faith in God.

The idea at the heart of “The Book of Eli” is that big ideas rebuild society, it’s a modern twist on the old cowboy movies with religious undertones and a subconscious look at societies minds in today’s world but thrown in a post-apocalyptic style the basic fight between who will over come – humanitarians or dictators?  The movie depicts that cycle and struggle beginning all over again – good vs. bad.

The idea at the heart of “The Book of Eli” is that big ideas rebuild society, but who will own those ideas, humanitarians or dictators? The clash between Eli and Carnegie is, one might say, a mini-version of the clash that produced the flash. The movie depicts that cycle and struggle beginning all over again, with time reserved for action scenes and for gazing on post-apocalyptic chic: As the prettiest girl in what passes for town, Mila Kunis wears skinny jeans and lots of layers.

Bottom line, Eli makes you think, makes you weary and questions ones believe in God. Over all, the entire movie is great, highly recommended to see.

  • Release Date: January 15th, 2010 (wide)
  • Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
  • Producer: Jim Piddock, Jason Blum, Mark Ciardi
  • Stars: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals
  • Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
  • Genre: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Western
  • MPAA Rating: R for some brutal violence and language.
  • Year: 2010

Recommendation: One of Denzel’s best, Outstanding, Interesting and ingenious well written storyline, basic, but convincing: B-

See what the critics are saying around the Nation:                   Overall Rating: B-

New York Times – Manohla Dargis – “…Allen and Albert Hughes have created a plausible post-apocalyptic world.” more…

Reelviews – James Berardinelli – “The script feels like it’s an iteration or two short of a final draft.” more…

San Francisco Chronicle – Mick LaSalle – “…a dynamic story, sprinkled with some interesting ideas about the preciousness of culture and how societies might rebuild themselves.” more…

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