LoginAlthough I am a fan of all things post-apocalyptic I found this to be rather disappointing. It did have some things going for it - the cinematography was nice, effectively using a muted colour palette. The acting was decent enough with a solid performance from Denzel Washington in the lead role, though he never gets to do anything particularly interesting, and able support from leading lady Mila Kunis. Gary Oldman was as good as always in the bad guy role, but his motivation to get his hands on the book was sadly unconvincing.
Action scenes were well staged but rather reminiscent of the Mad Max series and a plethora of Westerns. The main problem was the script which could have done with a lot more work. From the opening scenes Eli is just way too bad-ass with an ability to take on multiple opponents simultaneously with barely a scratch by the end of the fight. This removed any tension or suspense from the story as you never feel that there is any risk to the hero posed by his enemies. As for Carnegie, why does he need to get his hands on the book so badly? He seems to be doing very well as the top local psycho without it and I can't imagine that his gang of hoodlums would bother to take the time to read it.
The somewhat plodding narrative concludes with the trite message that the grim society portrayed will be redeemed following distribution of the holy book. The religious right might raise a cheer to this but for those more sceptical about religion the simplicity of these final scenes will be deeply unsatisfying. Overall The Book of Eli felt like a wasted opportunity.
The Book of Eli Reviews
The Book of Eli review
Posted : 9 years, 5 months ago on 4 December 2014 06:23
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The Book of Eli review
Posted : 10 years, 11 months ago on 30 May 2013 03:43
The book of Eli, is yet another powerful rendition of acting of Denzel Washington. The post war world, when most of the human race got annihilated by nukes, Eli has to make his way through the remaining, cut throat life form to reach west. It took him 30 years to reach its destination keeping a book safe, the only one remaining on the devastated earth, and to deliver it into right hands to be passed on to future human race, the book referred here is the bible, in brail that is learned by heart by Eli, the secret revealed at the end of the movie when he was forced to give a book to some one not meant to have it.
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An average movie
Posted : 12 years, 3 months ago on 7 February 2012 12:19
Back in the 90's, the Hughes Brothers impressed with their amazing directing début, 'Menace II society', which is, in my opinion, the best movie in this genre, even better than the acclaimed 'Boyz'n the Hood'. Unfortunately, in the next 20 years following this promising flick, they never really lived up to those expectations. However, after all these years, they finally managed to direct a big budget production starring no less than Denzel Washington. First of all, I must say it was, visually speaking, easily their most impressive movie so far. It was not really black and white but there were barely any color and it was a perfect fit for this futuristic world and they were some very nice shots throughout the whole movie. Furthermore, Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman were both delivered some decent performances. Unfortunately, the whole thing still turned out to be rather disappointing. I mean, I do have a weak spot for such post-apocalyptic movies but I have seen so many of them and if they really want to impress me, they should really bring something new to the formula. And that was the main issue here, the plot was nothing I haven't seen before so even if I wasn't really bored, I can’t say that I was seriously entertained either. They did try to add some religious angle but it was never really convincing. I mean, that Carnegie wanted to manipulate people with religion sounded like a good plan but did he really need a bible? Indeed, you can find enough gurus who founded their own cult, with their own rules and their own 'books'. Anyway, to conclude, even though it was nothing original whatsoever, it was still a well made post-apocalyptic flick and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.
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The Book of Eli review
Posted : 12 years, 6 months ago on 17 October 2011 05:43
Point that he was blind, really was.
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Codice Genesi
Posted : 13 years, 11 months ago on 4 June 2010 02:20
Non un gran film, nonostante la buona fotografia e la sempre affidabili prove di Denzel Washington e Gary Oldman (e pure, direi, di Mila Kunis che fa davvero bene agli occhi).
Il problema del film è che questi scenari post apocalittici ormai sono triti e, in assenza di un'idea veramente forte (e non può esserlo la missione di Eli) si va poco lontano. Il consueto tributo all'azione e al sangue non aggiunge niente al già visto. Divertente la coppia di anziani nella cui casa si svolgono le scene più drammatiche del film, ma è davvero troppo poco per uscire dalla sala soddisfatti.
Il problema del film è che questi scenari post apocalittici ormai sono triti e, in assenza di un'idea veramente forte (e non può esserlo la missione di Eli) si va poco lontano. Il consueto tributo all'azione e al sangue non aggiunge niente al già visto. Divertente la coppia di anziani nella cui casa si svolgono le scene più drammatiche del film, ma è davvero troppo poco per uscire dalla sala soddisfatti.
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While flawed, this film is worth checking out
Posted : 14 years ago on 12 May 2010 11:53
"Cursed is the ground because of you, both thistles and thorns it shall grow for you, for you are dust and to dust you shall return."
Warning: It's impossible to fully evaluate The Book of Eli in a review without divulging what some may consider to be spoilers, even though the film and the trailers make no effort to hide this 'spoiler'. A spoiler warning is therefore in effect, but only for the paranoid spoiler Nazis.
In essence, The Book of Eli marries the violent, gritty feel of a spaghetti western with elements of The Road, and places this concoction in the indeterminate future with a spiritual twist. The Book of Eli additionally marks the return to the directorial chair for the Hughes Brothers (Allen and Albert), who were last seen at the helm of the underrated Jack the Ripper thriller From Hell almost a decade ago. Right from the opening titles, it's clear the Hughes Brothers have matured during their absence from the director's chair - The Book of Eli is a more meditative and competent effort from the duo. That said, this movie is far from perfect, as it suffers from a self-righteous tone, overbearing religious connotations, and some risible screenwriting.
The story takes place roughly thirty years after a devastating nuclear war which destroyed most of civilisation and transformed a majority of the survivors into filthy, illiterate scavengers reduced to murder and cannibalism. The titular Eli (Washington) is a modern-day prophet who wanders the remnants of the interstate highway systems heading West, with the last known copy of the Holy Bible in his backpack. God informed Eli to proceed to a place where the Good Book can take root in the new world, and those who get in his way must be violently dealt with. Thus, when Eli is interrupted by roving biker gangs or hijackers interested in the contents of Eli's pack, he unleashes superhero-like skills. Trouble arises when Eli comes across a decrepit town ruled by the tyrannical Carnegie (Oldman), who is able to maintain his dictatorial reign because he knows of a location for clean water, and commands a horde of armed punks.
To make a long story short, Carnegie wants to get his hands on Eli's Bible, because he plans to use it as a weapon to enhance and consolidate his power. With Eli harbouring honourable intentions for the Good Book, The Book of Eli can be considered an interesting metaphor for the dual-edged nature of religion: when used with good intentions, it can lead to salvation for humanity, but when abused the results are apocalyptic.
For those not paying much attention, the big spoiler warning at the beginning was because of this review revealing the fact that Eli is carrying a Holy Bible. That's right - the twist is that Eli is carrying the Bible and it will bring hope to humanity. It's not used in any symbolic way, like if it was hollowed out and contains some ultimate weapon or a helpful map... It's literally just the Bible. How hopelessly trite and obvious can you get?! This, along with the usually clunky pacing, the introduction of the useless Salara (Kunis), and the aforementioned self-righteous tone prove most detrimental to The Book of Eli. It runs for two hours, but most of this running time is filler rather than character development. Since you know Eli is carrying the Bible and is consequently on a mission from God (if you will), the story's victor is predictable from the outset, and the script should therefore have been tighter rather than meandering.
Yet, in spite of its faults, there is much to appreciate about The Book of Eli. The Hughes Brothers and veteran cinematographer Don Burgess have crafted a painterly motion picture crafted with style and nuance. If the Mad Max films were executed with a much more generous budget, the apocalyptic wastelands would resemble those within The Book of Eli. Additionally, stylish shots and camera set-ups are frequent, such as the way the camera at times moves as if it's a bird trying to avoid all the airborne bullets. The direction of the action scenes is crisp and kinetic, and the directorial duo never relied on fast cuts or editing-room assembly to make the fights seem fast or furious (the best fight occurs early into the film, and is presented almost entirely in silhouette). The film culminates with a riveting shootout which would make Sam Peckinpah smile. An extra ribbon for the excellent sound design and the moody score by first-timer Atticus Ross, too.
The eternally-reliable Denzel Washington is credible and engaging as Eli, and it's refreshing to see a kickass action hero like him - he's not a wise-cracker, an impossibly muscular force of nature, some type of misfit, or any other stale, popular Hollywood troupe.
Gary Oldman, meanwhile, is in full bad-guy mode here, with his performance reminding us of the villains he used to portray in such movies as Leon: The Professional. If you've seen any post-apocalyptic action movie before, however, you've seen this type of one-note villain before, making Oldman's work solid but unremarkable. The attractive Mila Kunis is also on hand as Solara, yet she looks too comely and clean to be living in such a harsh world (usually the case with movies of this ilk featuring a female protagonist). The role does prove to be within Kunis' range, though, which is unsurprising considering how little she was given to work with. Ray Stevenson, meanwhile, (who you may or may not remember from the awesome Punisher: War Zone which nobody saw) is solid in his performance as Carnegie's right-hand man.
The Book of Eli is not a great movie or even a classic of the genre, but there's a great deal to admire, particularly in the visual style and the action sequences. Additionally, it's a treat to see a big-budget actioner which doesn't sacrifice intelligence for the sake of special effects. The Book of Eli contains one of the best truck explosions in cinema of recent years, yet a viewer is not asked to lower their I.Q. to enjoy the pyrotechnics. While a flawed cinematic experience, it's still worth checking out.
6.2/10
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The Book of Eli review
Posted : 14 years, 1 month ago on 26 March 2010 01:34
great simple story. nice ending. surprisingly good performance by Mila, and not surprisingly great performances by Denzel and Gary. amazing action scenes!
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The Book of Eli review
Posted : 14 years, 1 month ago on 24 March 2010 05:48
Zatôichi meets Mad Max em Alcatraz
Na mesma semana que estréia um filme sobre os dilemas de Charles Darwin acerca do impacto de suas evidências evolucionistas numa sociedade moldada em princípios religiosos, outro lançamento é um blockbuster que postula um homem cristão como seu herói. Talvez o cientista não tivesse perdido tantas noites se soubesse que 150 anos após a publicação de suas descobertas, o mote de um andarilho protegendo o último exemplar de um livro sagrado seria um campeão de bilheteria.
Denzel Washington é um homem solitário atravessando uma vasta paisagem estéril resultante de uma catástrofe global. Carrega consigo uma mochila e uma espada diariamente afiada e quando encontra hostil companhia de saqueadores e canibais demonstra que definitivamente sabe usá-la. A primeira metade de “The Book of Eli”(2010), com a poderosa presença de Denzel sobrevivente numa excelente cinematografia carbonizada e desértica, é bastante promissora, mas tão logo encontre uma versão faroeste pós-apocalíptica de Mad Max as coisas mudam.
As poucas regras nesta anarquia mad maxiana, que conta com violentos motoqueiros empoeirados, são impostas por Carnegie (não o melhor vilão de Gary Oldman), que tem como único objetivo encontrar o livro que é capaz de “ordenhar” as pessoas e dominar o mundo. O mesmo livro que, pasmem, está na mochila do forasteiro; mas Carnegie ainda não sabe disso quando o convida a passar uma noite no saloon na companhia de sua enteada, a that seventies show Mila Kunis, que munida de estilosos aviator agrega outra repetida sequência slow motion de Eli em sua fuga pelo deserto.
Os irmãos Hughes, de From Hell (2001), acabam por entregar um excelente conto americano: superficial, alegórico e com um pesado arsenal de armas de fogo e muita, mas muita munição, sem abandonar as ideologia cristã; a cereja do bolo: um final profético em Alcatraz. tsc tsc
Na mesma semana que estréia um filme sobre os dilemas de Charles Darwin acerca do impacto de suas evidências evolucionistas numa sociedade moldada em princípios religiosos, outro lançamento é um blockbuster que postula um homem cristão como seu herói. Talvez o cientista não tivesse perdido tantas noites se soubesse que 150 anos após a publicação de suas descobertas, o mote de um andarilho protegendo o último exemplar de um livro sagrado seria um campeão de bilheteria.
Denzel Washington é um homem solitário atravessando uma vasta paisagem estéril resultante de uma catástrofe global. Carrega consigo uma mochila e uma espada diariamente afiada e quando encontra hostil companhia de saqueadores e canibais demonstra que definitivamente sabe usá-la. A primeira metade de “The Book of Eli”(2010), com a poderosa presença de Denzel sobrevivente numa excelente cinematografia carbonizada e desértica, é bastante promissora, mas tão logo encontre uma versão faroeste pós-apocalíptica de Mad Max as coisas mudam.
As poucas regras nesta anarquia mad maxiana, que conta com violentos motoqueiros empoeirados, são impostas por Carnegie (não o melhor vilão de Gary Oldman), que tem como único objetivo encontrar o livro que é capaz de “ordenhar” as pessoas e dominar o mundo. O mesmo livro que, pasmem, está na mochila do forasteiro; mas Carnegie ainda não sabe disso quando o convida a passar uma noite no saloon na companhia de sua enteada, a that seventies show Mila Kunis, que munida de estilosos aviator agrega outra repetida sequência slow motion de Eli em sua fuga pelo deserto.
Os irmãos Hughes, de From Hell (2001), acabam por entregar um excelente conto americano: superficial, alegórico e com um pesado arsenal de armas de fogo e muita, mas muita munição, sem abandonar as ideologia cristã; a cereja do bolo: um final profético em Alcatraz. tsc tsc
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The Book of Eli review
Posted : 14 years, 1 month ago on 23 March 2010 08:42
omg, so awful. i don't believe i spent my time watchin' it.
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The Book of Eli
Posted : 14 years, 3 months ago on 28 January 2010 11:47
A man travels across a post apocalyptic wasteland. He has been travelling for 30 years in search of the west, while he has possession of one book, the only copy remaining of a book that everyone wants. He must protect the book from falling into the hands of the wrong person. He meets his match in Carnegie (Oldman) who will stop at nothing to gain possession of this book so he can use for evil.
I don’t really know where to start. I guess I will say I liked the film. Not the greatest film created, but a good story none the less. However I found it better in the beginning but as the story progressed the involved a man hunt, an older couple, deep meanings of faith (which were good). In the beginning it was just survival of the fittest, but by the end it was a battle of faith and believing that faith can get you through anything. Which I am not saying isnt true, but they played the message of faith too many times in the last 50 minutes.
One thing I was certain about was the powerhouse performances. I knew this going in, and when I walked out I still believed it. Oldman and Washington on opposite sides of the faith scale were terrific. Washington portraying the humble Eli, a man of few words. Oldman playing the sadistic, win at all costs Carnegie. Both carried their characters in a film that dragged on at places, both when in scenes were the highlight of the film, so the scenes they shared, were just mind blowing. But acting can’t carry the whole film, but it is a good start and can be the one thing that saves a film from failure.
Now on to the story. Eli (If that is even his real name) was a man of faith, but it could be argued that Carnegie was as well. He knew the messages the book held, and he knew that people would want to hear the words. He just wanted to use it for control over people, where Eli wanted it be spread so people could turn to it in the time of need. I read somewhere that Carnegie wanted to recreate organized religion and use it create a struggle of power, where Eli just wanted to spread faith and let people see it as they want to. Now I don’t know if this is true, the only people who would really know that would be The Hughes Brothers, so they would need to answer the question. We know Carnegie did not want the book for good reasons, but what exactly would he have done with the book, and to what extent would he have had power.
The twist near the end was good when I watched it, but the more I thought about it, I cant see it. There had to be a time where they revealed this twist to be untrue, and there was not a real clue, not one that the audience could understand until after the twist was revealed. Which is why I think the elements of the twist were happening throughout the film but once he reached his ultimate goal he knew his mission was fulfilled.
Still I liked the film and some of its good vs. evil messages. I liked the cast, Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Tom Waits and Michael Gambon. They all played interesting parts, and they all brought something different to their roles. I liked this cast, but at times some of the characters could be a little annoying. Oh well though, for a film that carries the message of faith deeply, they didn’t fill it with nonsense. They got off track a few times, but kept to the ultimate message, which is faith can get us through anything.
I don’t really know where to start. I guess I will say I liked the film. Not the greatest film created, but a good story none the less. However I found it better in the beginning but as the story progressed the involved a man hunt, an older couple, deep meanings of faith (which were good). In the beginning it was just survival of the fittest, but by the end it was a battle of faith and believing that faith can get you through anything. Which I am not saying isnt true, but they played the message of faith too many times in the last 50 minutes.
One thing I was certain about was the powerhouse performances. I knew this going in, and when I walked out I still believed it. Oldman and Washington on opposite sides of the faith scale were terrific. Washington portraying the humble Eli, a man of few words. Oldman playing the sadistic, win at all costs Carnegie. Both carried their characters in a film that dragged on at places, both when in scenes were the highlight of the film, so the scenes they shared, were just mind blowing. But acting can’t carry the whole film, but it is a good start and can be the one thing that saves a film from failure.
Now on to the story. Eli (If that is even his real name) was a man of faith, but it could be argued that Carnegie was as well. He knew the messages the book held, and he knew that people would want to hear the words. He just wanted to use it for control over people, where Eli wanted it be spread so people could turn to it in the time of need. I read somewhere that Carnegie wanted to recreate organized religion and use it create a struggle of power, where Eli just wanted to spread faith and let people see it as they want to. Now I don’t know if this is true, the only people who would really know that would be The Hughes Brothers, so they would need to answer the question. We know Carnegie did not want the book for good reasons, but what exactly would he have done with the book, and to what extent would he have had power.
The twist near the end was good when I watched it, but the more I thought about it, I cant see it. There had to be a time where they revealed this twist to be untrue, and there was not a real clue, not one that the audience could understand until after the twist was revealed. Which is why I think the elements of the twist were happening throughout the film but once he reached his ultimate goal he knew his mission was fulfilled.
Still I liked the film and some of its good vs. evil messages. I liked the cast, Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Tom Waits and Michael Gambon. They all played interesting parts, and they all brought something different to their roles. I liked this cast, but at times some of the characters could be a little annoying. Oh well though, for a film that carries the message of faith deeply, they didn’t fill it with nonsense. They got off track a few times, but kept to the ultimate message, which is faith can get us through anything.
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