The Book of Eli
The tendency of these film specials that I do on a weekly basis will be to address films that are some of my favorites. So far I have covered 2 films in my top 10 favorites, Inception and Fight Club, and plan to do more to help describe why I enjoy these films so much, and why you should view them/enjoy them as well.
Eli was an interesting action/survival film, with some incredible hand-to-hand combat scenes and a few shoot-'em-up ones as well. Unlike Inception and Fight Club, Eli did not get the critical reception that the other two did (Both top 15 rated all-time), it being only slightly above average. However, I truly enjoyed the concise plot and excellent action sequences that Denzel Washington and the Hughes brothers' directing did. The plot is heavily influenced by a certain fact revealed in the end, which I will try to avoid mentioning so as to not ruin the surprise. As with the plots of many of these specials I do, it might be beneficial to not read until after you have viewed the film, unless you would rather not be surprised that is.
Director: Hughes Brothers
Genre: Action
Main Cast: Denzel Washington (as Eli) Gary Oldman (as Carnegie) Mila Kunis (as Solara)
IMDB Rating: 6.8
My Rating: 9.8
Length: 117 minutes
Budget/Gross Revenue: $80 million/$157 million
Plot:
The story begins with a traveler named Eli surviving a post-apocalyptic trek while carrying one of the last known bibles to man. Eli runs into multiple bandits along the way, but handles them with his uncanny hand-to-hand combat skills and survival techniques. He eventually arrives at a town ran by Carnegie, a power-hungry dictator who has been searching for the book for some time to aid in his control. Carnegie attempts to use his daughter, Solara, to seduce Eli, who instead of falling into temptation teaches her to pray. Carnegie thus realizes he has the Bible, and attempts to make Eli stay with it by force. Eli is protected from the bullets and wounds Carnegie and multiple of his men. Solara escapes with Eli, who originally didn't want her to join him. They take refuge in a house of cannibalistic elderly couple, who end up providing firearms when Carnegie and his men arrive. Carnegie's team is too much for Eli, Solara, and the couple thanks to their Gatling gun, subsequently, Eli is shot and Solara taken back. Solara escapes and kills more of her father's men, and she goes back and joins Eli in his continued trip west. Carnegie returns home and after opening the book realizes it is in Braille, meaning that Eli had been blind the whole time. He dies from an infected bullet-wound and never gets to use the book. Eli and Solara make it to Alcatraz where Eli dictates the Biblical text into written form, after which he dies from his wounds and the complete Bible is produced. Solara leaves and heads back home with Eli's possessions to spread her newly found learnings.
My Synopsis:
I truly liked the ability of the film of the film to cast Washington's role as an individual with a divine purpose, giving this film a religious-feel more than most any action film might. Regardless of your stance on Christianity, the concept of having a purpose higher than humanity, especially in a time where humanity is at a minimum, is crucial to this film's theme and purpose. Washington was extremely superb throughout, per usual, despite how hard acting blind within action might be. Kunis and Ray Stevenson played excellent supporting roles as well, with Kunis' character leaving the possibility for a sequel. About the only part of the film I disliked was near the end when the finished product of the Bible is placed on the shelf with the rest of the religious texts, inferring that the Bible has no more significance than the others and that Eli's journey did not serve much of a purpose. Beyond some minor issues with closure, I felt this film was epic, despite many critics' opinions. And with that, you need to form your own opinion of this excellent film. But don't form a bad one.
-Jarid Holliday
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