The Book of Eli

Rated: R

Directors: Albert Hughes

              Allen Hughes

Runtime: 118 min

A Fury of the Film Fan Review

One just needs to look at the devastation in Haiti to be reminded that everything we have can be taken away in seconds. The lifestyle we are accustomed to can come to an end before we even have time to realize what just happened. I guess that is why I have a special place for post apocalyptic movies. They act as a reminder of how quickly our society can change. People live their lives convinced that these things would never happen to them but for millions, it has.

Growing up there were two post apocalyptic movies that really stood out for me. Mad Max and the anime cult classic Fist of the North Star. Both films gave us a raw uncensored look into a future that could very well become a possibility. They showed how disgusting human nature can be when left to survive under its own devices. How desperation would lead people to dwell in evil as they steal, rape, murder and even cannibalize their fellow man just to survive.  Since those movies were released there has not been a solid post apocalyptic movie. The Book of Eli aims to change that.

 Denzel Washington plays Eli, a mysterious wanderer who is passing through barren wastelands which are the result of a nuclear holocaust. It’s been 30 years since the war and Eli has been headed to a single point while protecting a sacred book that holds the secret for saving mankind. Gary Oldman plays Carnegie, a leader of a town who has been searching for this book and wants to use it as a weapon. He believes the book will help him further his own agenda.  

 I walk a lonely road the only one that I have ever known

Let’s cut to the chase here, seeing two powerhouses like Gary Oldman and Denzel Washington face off sells itself doesn’t it? I mean if you’re like me you didn’t even let the trailer finish before you were convinced this was a movie you wanted to check out. Bottom line, this film does not disappoint when it comes to these two actors bringing the goods. Unlike other films that keep the main stars separate for most of the movie , The Hughes brothers made sure to have these two legendary actors share plenty of screen time, I like that. In fact each actor has their own time to shine throughout the movie including the supporting actors.

But it’s Denzel Washington who absolutely demands your attention as the silent but deadly Eli. The Hughes brothers give him more than enough situations to see his brutal unpredictability in action. They also give him enough time to open up and share his feelings which is ok when he’s sharing those feelings with Solara (Mila Kunis). Mila Kunis is a solid supporting character who not only shows that there’s hope after a nuclear holocaust and not all women will be freaky 4 finger mutants but that you can kick ass while still being a lady. There were times I felt Mila Kunis could have carried the film herself she is that damn good.  Speaking of supporting characters that kick ass, Ray Stevenson also does a solid job playing Redridge, Carnegie’s top soldier. Well, except when he drops a bomb and a car 5 feet away blows up instead. Oh you’ll see it too, trust me.

The Book of Eli? More like the Book of Holy Cow Mila is hot even after a nuclear holocaust!

These 4 characters make this film by delivering solid performances while bouncing off each other brilliantly. Coupled with a visually impressive wasteland and some excellent choreographed action sequences and you have a film that really deserves your attention. But…the movie is far from perfect.  Kudos goes to the Hughes brothers for having the balls to tell this story and shame on them for not delving deeper into it.

The Hughes Brothers did the one thing that has been lacking in all these action filled post apocalyptic movies.  What is the one main question that people ask when a tragedy strikes?

Where is God?

Touchy subject isn’t it? Where is God when an Earthquake killed thousands? Where is God when war breaks out and millions of innocent people die? These questions are rarely explored in film. The Hughes Brothers explore this ever so slightly but the movie begs for them to just go all the way with it. They flat out ignore the very premise they introduce and opt for an ending that looks to appease the masses hoping not to offend. Unacceptable!  One does not present an entire idea and ask the audience to take a leap of faith with you only to switch it on them and try to drive home a different message instead.  It’s called a cop out and it’s what seriously hurts this film. It could have been a classic, hell it could have been much more but in the end the fear of offending wins again and we the audience are cheated out of a solid story.

Nevertheless, it’s a future I still enjoyed visiting. Story aside the film is impressive. The Hughes Brothers have chosen a palette that perfectly captures the barren atmosphere of a post nuclear holocaust and give us a huge empty world that still manages to feel alive. For those seeking action, the choreography of the fight scenes is a thing of beauty and reminded me of the silhouette martial arts scenes typically found in old Shaw Brother films. A damn shame, the movie just needed a bigger story to be told and we could have had a classic here. 

OVERALL:

if you go in not expecting a solid story and all you want to do is see Denzel Washington kick some ass, you can’t go wrong with the Book of Eli. Unfortunately for me I can’t get passed the story or lack thereof. The film needed more Storytelling and less walking, it needed a deeper look into the society if we were to fully cheer for its main character and we needed a look at the result of what his book would accomplish to feel satisfied and fully appreciate the message the Hughes were trying to deliver at the end of this film.

** 1/2 (Bronze Fury Award)