The Book of Eli

6 more reviews

1. ›The Book of Eli (2010) | Nattosheru Review [ENG/SPA]@nattosenpai375d

   

   Hello, cinema fans. We continue with more science fiction and action movies featuring dystopian worlds and post-apocalyptic futures. This time, I'll talk about a film that not many people will know about, and with good reason, given how unpopular it was at the time. Even I can say that I hadn't considered reviewing it until I came across its name recently and remembered seeing it once in my life. This is one of those failed attempts to imitate the unmistakable style of Mad Max by showing us a chaotic, dark, and desert world. Directed by the Hughes brothers, this film stars Denzel Washington, Harry Oldman, and Mila Kunis. It's one of those films that you would only watch if you're a big fan of Denzel.

   SPANISH VERSION

   Hola, fanáticos del cine. Seguimos con más películas de ciencia ficción y acción con mundos distópicos y futuros post-apocalípticos. En esta ocasión les hablaré sobre una cinta que no muchos conocerán y con mucha razón debido a lo poco popular que llegó a ser en su momento. Incluso yo mismo puedo decir que no lo había tomado en cuenta antes para hacerle una reseña hasta que me topé con su nombre hace poco y recordé haberla visto siquiera una vez en mi vida. Este es uno de esos intentos fallidos de imitar el inconfundible estilo de Mad Max al mostrarnos un mundo caótico, oscuro y desértico. Dirigida por los hermanos Hughes, esta película está protagonizada por Denzel Washington, Harry Oldman y Mila Kunis. Conoce una de esas cintas que solo lo llegarías a ver si eres muy fan de Denzel, nomás.

   

   
   

   Source: FilmAffinity

   

   Plot

   The film begins by showing us what appears to be a forest at night and the body of a person lying on the ground with a weapon and a hairless cat slowly approaching. Then we see another person in the distance, camouflaged with a bow and arrow, aiming at the cat until he releases the arrow and strikes it. Then we see the man grabbing the dead body of the cat to take it away to eat later. On the way, we see our mysterious protagonist encounter a woman lying on the ground asking for help right in front of a tunnel with her damaged shopping cart. He approaches her, but doesn't move until she screams that she has smelled the looters hiding in the surrounding area. They are armed, but with only a huge knife—I don't know if it's a sword or a machete—our protagonist kills them all in an instant. Such is the dark, desolate, and dangerous world in which he lives.

   SPANISH VERSION

   Trama

   La película inicia mostrándonos lo que parece ser un bosque en la noche y el cuerpo de una persona tirada junto con un arma y un gato sin pelo acercándose lentamente. Luego vemos cómo a lo lejos está otra persona camuflada con un arco y una flecha apuntando al gato hasta que suelta y le asesta. Después vemos al tipo agarrando el cuerpo muerto del gato para llevárselo para comer más adelante. En el camino vemos cómo nuestro misterioso protagonista se encuentra con una mujer que está tirada en el suelo pidiendo ayuda justo enfrente de un túnel con su carrito de supermercado dañado. Él se acerca, pero no se mueve más hasta gritar que ha olfateado a los saqueadores que se encuentran escondidos en los alrededores. Estos están armados, pero con solo un enorme cuchillo -no sé si es una espada o un machete-, nuestro protagonista acaba con la vida de todos en un instante. Así es este oscuro, desolado y peligroso mundo en el que vive.

   Trailer & Review

   

   Here is the trailer for the film:

   By: Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers

   

   I'm not a huge fan of Denzel Washington's work as an actor in action movies, but I must admit that there are quite a few that I remember seeing and that have fascinated me. While it's true that when it comes down to it, drama may be his greatest strength, there's no denying that when it comes to action, we get to see a very special side of Denzel. Among the many science fiction and action films related to dystopian and post-apocalyptic worlds that exist today, only a few have managed to stand out above the rest due to their impact, production value, and narrative and historical quality. To mention just a few of those I have brought you previously, there are The Matrix, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Terminator. However, The Book of Eli is more like the failed attempt by another director (in this case, two brothers) to imitate George Miller's iconic work from the 1980s. That is why its moderate box office success was possibly only due to its technical and visual aspects, which is not bad.

   But before talking about that, I want to first mention what this movie is about. As you read above, we will be watching a mysterious man traveling through the desert and dark world in which we find ourselves from the beginning. This man is looking to head north to what was once the United States. On the way, he heads to a small, unpleasant town where he searches for resources such as water, energy, and food. However, he encounters a band of highway killers whom he saw committing atrocious acts in the distance before arriving here. As expected, he has problems with these people, which will lead him to have more problems with the leader of this group and this entire place. This is how we will see our protagonist try to escape from these armed killers as he heads north to deliver a mysterious book that we are all surely familiar with. In this world, there is no light, only darkness and clouds in the sky all the time. This is due to a nuclear catastrophe that occurred in this world thirty years ago.

   SPANISH VERSION

   No soy muy fan del trabajo de Denzel Washington como actor en películas de acción, pero debo admitir que no son pocas las que recuerdo haber visto y que me han fascinado. Si bien es cierto que al momento de la verdad, el drama puede llegar a ser su mayor fuerte, no hay que negar tampoco el hecho de que en cuanto a la acción podemos ver una faceta muy especial de Denzel. Entre tantas películas de ciencia ficción y acción relacionadas a mundos distópicos y post-apocalípticos que existen en la actualidad, solo pocas se han llegado a posicionarse por sobre todas debido a su impacto y nivel de producción y calidad narrativa e histórica. Con solo mencionar algunas de las que les he traído anteriormente se encuentran Matrix, Mad Max: Fury Road y Terminator. Sin embargo, The Book of Eli es más como el intento fallido de otro director (en este caso dos hermanos) de imitar la icónica obra de George Miller de los 80s. Es por eso que su moderado éxito en taquilla solo se debió posiblemente a su apartado técnico y visual, lo cual no está mal.

   Pero antes de hablar de eso, quiero mencionarles primero de qué va esta película en sí. Como ya leyeron arriba, estaremos viendo a un misterioso hombre que va recorriendo el desértico y oscuro mundo en el que nos encontramos desde el principio. Este hombre busca dirigirse al norte de lo que antes fue los Estados Unidos. En el camino se dirige a un pueblo pequeño y poco agradable en el que busca recursos como agua, energía y comida. Sin embargo, este se encuentra con una banda de asesinos de carretera que vió a la distancia cometer actos atroces en el camino antes de llegar acá. Como es de esperarse, tiene problemas con esta gente, lo cual lo llevará a tener más problemas con el líder de este grupo y de todo este lugar. Es así como veremos a nuestro protagonista intentar escapar de estos asesinos armados mientras se dirige hacia el norte a llevar un libro misterioso que seguramente todos conocemos. En este mundo, no hay luz, solo oscuridad y nubes en el cielo todo el tiempo. Esto es debido a una catástrofe nuclear que hubo en este mundo hace treinta años atrás.

   

   
   

   Source: Tenor

   

   There are several things I don't like about this movie, such as its story, which I feel lacks a little more context. What we know about this world and how it ended up this way is limited to what we hear from the protagonist. We don't know much about his past, nor about what caused the massive nuclear explosion. Although, it's true that it's not hard to imagine the reason with so many wars going on in the world. But what I understand least is the reason for putting the Bible at the center of everything. And mind you, I'm not saying that I'm against this, but I don't want to say anything about it either, so as not to get into any religious issues. I'll just say that using this famous book as the origin of the end is both ironic and absurd in a way. Just imagine if the world tried to destroy every existing copy of the Bible in the world and this ended in a nuclear catastrophe. But hey, while some may see some sense in this, I personally am not entirely convinced.

   Another detail worth mentioning, which is both remarkable and ironic, is the actions of the protagonist himself. With his habit of reading the Bible every day and all that, he ends up killing a lot of people along the way (he's like one of those "messengers of God", but with the ability to kill anyone without remorse). Of course, I understand that it's an action movie and that without this it wouldn't make sense. Also, with Denzel Washington in the lead role, we can't imagine anything other than him decapitating people left and right. But it's funny that the guy who recites biblical texts spends his time killing people. Anyway, I won't say anything more about this, really, let the irony speak for itself. Another detail about the protagonist is the way he makes certain decisions that don't make much sense in the end. And speaking of the end, the third act is another thing that doesn't quite convince me, like most of the things I've already mentioned about this movie. The "plot twist" we see at the end only reinforces the irony I mentioned at the beginning of all this.

   SPANISH VERSION

   Hay varias cosas que no me gustan de esta película, como por ejemplo su historia, la cual siento que le falta un poco más de contexto. Lo que sabemos de este mundo y cómo terminó así es poco contando solamente con lo que escuchamos del protagonista. No sabemos mucho de su pasado, ni de lo que originó dicho estallido nuclear masivo. Aunque, si bien es cierto que no es complicado imaginarse el motivo con tantas guerras que hay en el mundo. Pero lo que menos entiendo es el motivo de meter a la biblia como el centro de todo. Y ojo, no estoy diciendo que esté en contra de esto, pero tampoco quiero decir nada al respecto para no meterme en ningún tema religioso. Solo diré que usar este famoso libro como el origen del fin es tanto irónico como absurdo en cierto sentido. Solo imagínate que el mundo intentara destruir todo ejemplar existente de una biblia en el mundo y que esto termine en una catástrofe nuclear. Pero bueno, si bien para algunos le pueden ver algo de sentido a esto, yo en lo personal no estoy del todo convencido.

   Otro detalle a mencionar y que es tan notable e irónico a la vez son los actos del mismo protagonista. Este con su hábito de leer la Biblia todos los días y todo eso para que al final termine acabando con la vida de un montón de personas en el camino (es como unos de esos “mensajeros de Dios”, pero con la capacidad de matar a cualquiera sin remordimiento). Claro, entiendo que es una película de acción y que sin esto no tendría sentido que lo sea. También que al ser Denzel Washington no podemos imaginarnos otra cosa que no sea a él decapitando gente a diestra y siniestra. Pero es gracioso que el que recita textos bíblicos se la pase matando gente. En fin, no diré más nada sobre esto, la verdad, que la ironía hable por sí sola. Otro detalle del protagonista es su forma de tomar ciertas decisiones que no tienen mucho sentido al final. Y hablando del final, más bien su tercer acto es otra cosa que tampoco me termina de convencer del todo, como casi la mayoría de cosas que ya les hablé de esta película. Y es que dicho “Plot Twist” que vemos al final solo refuerza la ironía que les mencioné al principio de todo esto.

   

   
   

   Source: Make A Gif

   

   On the other hand, let's talk a little about the villain or antagonist of this film, who is played by Gary Oldman, an actor who I assume has very good acting talent. However, in this film, that talent is not fully appreciated. I don't deny that his attempt at playing an evil and obsessive leader seeking total control works well at first, but there are certain moments when I'm not entirely convinced, especially the ending they give him. And it's normal when you think about his obsession with that "mystery" book he's been searching for all this time. In the end, this obsession becomes a strong dependency for him that causes him to make decisions that take away everything he has been building up to this point. His case can serve as a clear example of how the great fall by themselves, but nothing more. There are also other details in the film that caught my attention, such as the theme of cannibals and how people detect them in this world.

   Last but not least, let's talk about the technical and visual aspects of this film. It can be said that this is the only redeeming feature, as from the beginning we notice a level of quality and production style that is quite attractive. The way the cameras move, the shots they take, the fight and shooting scenes have both a cold and bloody tone and a very well-done level of quality. The dark color palette, the shadow-filled settings, and the Western style that characterizes this type of dystopian film are also details to take into account. There is also the makeup and the use of practical effects and computer-generated effects, which, incidentally, are few and far between. The most notable feature could be a long action sequence in this film that appears to have been shot in a single take, something that is not often seen in films of this type. The sound effects and soundtrack are also quite remarkable. In short, with all this in mind, if you're just looking for raw action in a dystopian world starring Denzel Washington, then you can watch this movie.

   Personally, I give it a 7/10 rating in terms of the action and science fiction genre.

   SPANISH VERSION

   Por otro lado, hablemos un poco sobre el villano o antagonista de esta película, quien es interpretado por Gary Oldman, un actor que asumo tiene muy buen talento actoral. Pero que en esta cinta no se puede apreciar dicho talento del todo. No niego que su intento de líder malvado y obsesivo en busca del control total le sale bien al principio, pero hay ciertos momentos en los que no me termina de convencer, sobre todo el final que le dan. Y es normal al pensar en su obsesión con ese libro “misterio” que ha estado buscando todo este tiempo. Al final, esta obsesión se convierte en una dependencia fuerte para él que lo hace tomar decisiones que le quitan todo lo que ha estado construyendo hasta este momento. Su caso puede servir como un ejemplo claro de cómo los grandes caen por sí solos, pero nada más. También hay otros detalles de la película que me llamaron la atención, como es el tema de los caníbales y cómo la gente los detecta en este mundo.

   Por último, pero no menos importante, hablemos ahora sí del apartado técnico y visual de esta película. Se puede decir que lo único rescatable que tiene es esto, ya que desde el principio notamos un nivel de calidad y estilo de producción que es bastante atractivo. La forma en la que se mueven las cámaras, las tomas que hacen, las escenas de peleas y disparos tienen tanto un tinte frío y sanguinario como a su vez un nivel de calidad muy bien realizado. La paleta de colores oscuros, los escenarios repletos de sombras y el estilo wéstern que tanto caracteriza este tipo de películas distópicas son también detalles a tomar en cuenta. También está el maquillaje y el uso de los efectos prácticos y los efectos hechos a computadora, que por cierto son pocos. Lo más resaltante podría ser una secuencia de acción larga que tiene esta cinta que se nota ha sido hecha completa en una sola toma, algo que no se ve mucho en películas de este tipo. Los efectos de sonido y la banda sonora que tiene también resaltan bastante. En fin, con todo esto en cuenta es seguro que si solo buscas acción cruda en un mundo distópico con Denzel Washington de protagonista, entonces puedes ver esta película.

   Personalmente, le doy una calificación de 7/10 en lo que respecta al género de acción y ciencia ficción.

   

   Tell me, have you seen the movie yet? What did you think of it? You can leave me your answer in a comment.

   ---

   Dime, ¿ya has visto la película? ¿Qué te ha parecido? Puedes dejarme tu respuesta en un comentario.

   

   GIF Editing: GIF Maker & Editor. Cover Image & Banners: Canva. Traslated by: DeepL Translate. Character Source: Bing Image Generator.

   

   

   All the best.

   By: Nattosheru.

   Posted Using INLEO

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2. ›The Book of Eli - Surviving in a Scorched World@cute-cactus836d

   Denzel Washington is one of my favorite actors. Whenever I see his name in a movie, I somehow tend to watch that movie and watch it the first time I have the opportunity. The 2010 movie The Book of Eli was one of the movies in which I saw Denzel Washington's name and set out to watch it.

   [source](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/aPrrrGtSjXbw8XnpzsVJgF0ioq3.jpg)

   After watching the movie for a while, I realized that this was not the first time I watched it as some scenes reminded me. I continued to watch it as a reminder because I must have watched the movie a long time ago; it was not fresh in my memory.

   Before moving on to Denzel Washington's performance, I realized that the film contains messages for people who believe in a particular religion and for people who don't. I don't think I had that thought on my first viewing because I would have remembered it if I had.

   One of the messages I thought it had was to instill in Christians the value they should place on their own holy book. I can't say that I find that strange, because every faith should value the book and its contents, which it believes to be sacred to its audience. People of other faiths should also respect the holy book of each religion.

   Another message, I think, is directed at all living human beings. There is a perception that whoever has the holy book will rule the world. That's the part that I find strange. It's all about putting your own beliefs above other beliefs and your own people above other people. We have seen many times in history how such misconceptions have caused great harm to people.

   [source](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/3JlkNEqZrs1inCUnziMSS2bgmfF.jpg)

   Set in a dystopian future, in a world scorched by solar flares, the story takes place in a world where everything has been destroyed and the population is struggling for supremacy under the threat of extinction. I think it's a great script so far, and then the purpose of the movie turns into a vicious circle around protecting and possessing the last remaining holy book.

   It's about the efforts of those who want to possess the book and rule the world and those who want to protect and multiply the last work that contains the words of God. Denzel Washington does an excellent job as Eli, the protector of the holy book. I already had the impression that whatever role you give this man, he can handle it. I can say that he has never proved me wrong so far.

   I didn't like the overall progress of the movie for a few reasons. One of them was that even though it seemed to appeal to the action genre, it had nothing to do with action except for a few scenes. It would have attracted more attention as an adventure movie. The other one is that I thought that the hidden messages in it were intended to influence people's subconscious minds. Maybe I'm wrong.

   I liked the locations used to create the image of a scorched world. I think that the feeling that water is the most precious thing would have added extra value to the film. It felt a little strange to watch people still trying to establish superiority despite all that happened, but we see the same frames in similar films.

   [source](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/sfANmePZ9rC98n4fsWM0bujuXW2.jpg)

   I can recommend you to watch The Book of Eli just for Denzel Washington. If you don't mind some of the things I said, you will enjoy the movie more. The most thought-provoking scene that stayed in my mind was that the character of Eli was not affected by anything while protecting the holy book. At one point I even questioned the possibility of him being a prophet. Anyway, I wish everyone who will watch it a good time and I hope you enjoy it.

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3. ›The Book Of Eli (2010) Movie Review - Fallout-style Apocalypse World + Last Bible On Earth = Not Bad@cyberdemon5311428d

   ▶️ Watch on 3Speak

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   the guy was blind(ish)!!!! WAHAO!!

   ---

   ▶️ 3Speak

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4. ›The Book of Eli (2010) Movie Review@gonklavez92055d

   

   In this movie, Eli has a distinct swagger and wears sunglasses (everyone wears sunglasses in this post-apocalypse world). Within the first few scenes, we know Eli is good with knives, and you don't need lots of characters in this movie to make it work. It is meant to look this empty.

   The usual scenario in a post-apocalyptic world happens, lack of water, dry desserts etc. All to lure you in into this derelict world. And boy can Eli walk (see distinct swagger above). He's heading west he says.

   What the movie lacked in the beginning, it almost makes up in the middle. More action accompanies Eli and his newfound friends & enemies alike, and the real reason for his journey becomes apparent.

   The story limps along and the cinematography aids in the believability factor of it all. Eli (Denzel Washington) doesn't need to do much acting though; choosing to remain stern & quiet most of the time.

   There's a slight twist in the middle, but with the way movies are going, it might not even be passed as a twist nowadays.

   Watch it for something visually different, and you will enjoy the movie. Just be wary of the long silences during the start of the film as it set-up attempts to lure you into this post-armageddon world.

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5. ›The Book of Eli (film): Top-tier apocalypse film@gooddream2409d

   Part of the reason why this movie is so great as far as the apocalypse genre is concerned is because of the fact that there are exactly zero zombies involved in the mix and for me at least, that immediately puts it on another level since that bullhicky has been done to death.

   The appreciation of this film is heavily backed on someone watching it not knowing the big reveal and therefore this review will be Spoiler free I would appreciate it if in the comments people would also not give away the rather critical aspects of the film.

   source

   At some point in the future which is not defined in the film, the few remaining people on the planet live in an almost "wild west" sort of environment. There is no government, drinking water comes at a premium, and most luxuries not only don't exist, but there are not many people alive that actually remember what they were.

   source

   People wander the barren wasteland or live in "urban" areas where there is some semblance of governance which are lead by overlords who keep the peace in a rather brutal fashion. This is where we meet Carnegie who is played by Gary Oldman. Carnegie was alive before the nuclear fallout and remembers what life used to be like, as does Eli (Denzel Washington.)

   [source](https://martialartsactionmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Denzel-Washington-as-Eli.jpg)

   Eli is meant to just be passing through on his journey "out west" but attracts the attention of Carnegie because of a book that he is carrying. A copy of the Bible, which is something few people remember and is one of the most sought after possessions on the planet because of the captivating verses that can "control the people" as Carnegie puts it.

   Depending on how you view religion and how easily you can get butthurt by any representation of it in film, this is actually a very interesting aspect of the film: The men (and women) are drawn to incredible violence on one another in the name of a religion that most of them don't even know anything about because they were too young when the "world ended" to have any recollection of its teachings, yet they are all driven to choose sides and kill anyone who gets in the way of their obtaining of this book that Eli has and is meant to be the most powerful thing in the world.

   [source](https://i.somethingawful.com/u/Frontalot/awatm100117/bookofeli1.jpg)

   To me this can be interpreted a number of ways and any of them are interesting. There is no denying that a great deal of human suffering has happened throughout the actual history of people due to religion and yet here we are in this fictional world and the mere concept of having the only book that can bring that religion back into the world (which may have been a driving factor behind why the apocalypse happened in the first place - it isn't defined) is inspiring people to commit horrible crimes upon one-another to posses it.

   ---

   For me, the only thing I needed to see in order to want to get on board with this film are the names on the marquis: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, and to a lessor degree, Mila Kunis (who i've had a "thing" for since 70's show.) Basically, with that powerhouse of acting, i was always going to watch this.

   _{from the always entertaining [MovieClips](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSMHmtaoXtI) channel}

   There are a handful of non-zombie-oriented post-apocalypse films that I think are truly worth watching and this is one of them. It has a few absurd moments that I could do without involving copious amounts of ammunition that almost certainly wouldn't be available, but other than that the movie stays relatively realistic through the near 2 hour duration.

   It had a massive budget and really, should have done better than it did in ticket sales. After marketing is factored in, it probably barely made a profit on the global market.

   I think there is a really good chance that most people have already seen this film but in the off chance that you haven't, I feel as though this one is a real winner that should be seen before you forget about the recommendation. Just don't spoil it for other people, the same way I didn't spoil it for you.

   My overall rating? 8 / 10

   

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6. ›The Book of Eli - Movie Review@coldsteem2763d

   

   I recently watched The Road, a post-apocalyptic film that was about survival and parental love. It was an exceptional film in spite of the slow pace. The Book of Eli uses the same monochromatic imagery and washed out color to convey a rich visual connection to the subject matter. The film takes great indulgences that made it difficult for me to accept what I was seeing. I enjoyed the film, but didn't quite follow it.

   

   When I have a chance to view The Book of Eli next, I may come back and re-write this review. There was one major plot twist at the end that I am not buying. Maybe it was not intended to be a plot twist, but rather a progression (in which case I still take issue with the premise it is built on). I don't want to give away a major spoiler, but I will have to watch the entire film over again to be certain. There are a couple of distinct scenes that I recall that seem to cast doubt on this final twist.

   

   Eli (Denzel Washington) walk alone. He is known as a "walker" in a post-apocalyptic world where brutality is the rule of law. Whoever is strong enough to keep what they have survives. The weak perish. Eli is a vessel. His objective is to walk west, where he will find humanity rebuilding thirty-one years after "the flash." During his journey, Eli encounters road raiders, cannibals and highway robbers. He avoids the ones he can and kills the ones he can't avoid.

   

   Eli's fate changes course when he stumbles into a small town built near a natural spring. The town is run by Carnegie (Gary Oldman), a man obsessed with obtaining a copy of the Bible. Few people survived the war. Those who survived blamed the good book for the events leading up to the war and burned every copy of the book. One book survived. It is this book that Eli has sworn to protect to a final destination that came to him in a voice. Carnegie wants the book, and first uses seduction to try and obtain it. He sends attractive young Solara (Mila Kunis) to try and seduce him. When that fails, Carnegie tries force. Carnegie ultimately succeeds in getting what he wants, but you should be careful what you wish for.

   

   Carnegie's goal in obtaining the Bible is to tap into the power that compels people. I think he envisioned himself as a post-apocalyptic Jim Jones without the kool-aid. Carnegie is well-read, but he might have heeded the word of William Shakespeare who wrote "words without thoughts never to heaven go." The most appropriate quote I could think of to summarize his folly.

   

   The Book of Eli does not tell an exceptional story, but it is certainly a good story. It finds hope in a bleak world. It has characters that are well developed, not completely predictable and interesting. The dialogue provides enough sustenance to maintain interest. The plot was somewhat predictable, although I guessed wrong on the plot twist that I knew was coming...but I was close. The ending was satisfying enough to make the journey worthwhile. The visual appeal of the story surpassed the written aspects by a long shot.

   

   The visual qualities of The Book of Eli use a combination of monochrome filters that provide the film the cold eerie backdrop a film like this needs. Other scenes are warmer, using washed out colors to provide just enough heat to knock the catastrophic chill off. The use of color was carefully infused into the film to help alter the mood and give the audience a sense of the characters. It was an effective use of light and color that established a strong foundation for the film.

   

   Denzel Washington makes the money he makes for a reason. He seems to expend little effort to create characters that leap off the screen. His engaging performances earn him plenty of work. This film was no different. Washington was excellent as usual. Gary Oldman was a convincing heavy. He provided the right dose of intellect and insanity to his character to make the part work. I really enjoyed his performance which another actor might have overdone. Kunis was good, but I had a wardrobe issue with her. It was hard for me to accept that she was born in a post-apocalyptic world and was able to find brand new jeans that fit snugly. She looked like she just walked out of Abercrombie and Fitch. She was okay...but the wardrobe ruined her character for me and squashed the illusion.

   

   The Book of Eli was a decent film, but not quite as convincing to me as The Road. I don't feel right putting the two on equal footing. My biggest issues with the film involved what I perceived to be plot holes along with the wardrobe issues. From a cinematic perspective, the film was brilliant. The visual appeal was perfection. The performances lent to the credibility of the film. I enjoyed watching but had nagging issues that wouldn't go away. I really wanted this film to be better...but it never materialized for me. The pacing was also off a few times. This film was better than three stars, but not quite four. I am going to round down this time to three stars. If you are looking for a film in this genre, pick The Road first and this one second. 7.5/10

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