The post-apocalyptic film, The Book of Eli, sends 2010 rolling off to a great start, even if one is a lone survivor after the apocalypse.
Artwork by Daniel Mardirosian
If familiar with Will Smith’s 2007 post-apocalyptic movie, I am Legend (one man is the sole survivor after an apocalypse and fights off contaminated humans), then The Book of Eli’s similar plot might seem familiar. However, as much as I loved I am Legend, Denzel Washington’s performance in The Book of Eli exceeded that of Will Smith’s, and the film itself was better than most post-apocalyptic movies, and it even has a great twist worthy of my Movie Twists article.
Thirty years after a solar apocalyptic event, Eli (Denzel Washington, American Gangster) travels on foot towards the west coast of the United States. His diet consists of whatever he finds (in the opening sequence, Eli uses an arrow to kill a lone cat), and to clean himself, Eli uses not a shower but those Kentucky Fried Chicken wet wipes that come in a packet. Although he travels solo, Eli seems to be content, as he has his iPod (which I guess can still get charged even though an apocalypse has occurred), various weapons, and a book… the last Bible on Earth.
When Eli approaches a group of highway bandits who try to assault him, I got to witness some superb fighting skills, as he takes out his machete and swiftly kills them all in a memorable fighting sequence, which is one of many in the movie. Entering a bar in a western ramshackle town, Eli is introduced to two characters: the diabolical Carnegie (Gary Oldman, The Dark Knight) and the curious Solara (Mila Kunis, That 70s Show).
As the builder and overseer of the town, Oldman gave a memorable performance as the story’s villain who just wants Eli’s Bible, as it is the last one. When I usually think of Gary Oldman, his roles as Harry Potter’s godfather, Sirius Black, and Batman’s Lieutenant friend, James Gordon, come to mind. Oldman’s villainous role in The Book of Eli was a memorable performance that came as a surprise to me.
While reading other reviews, I noticed many critics had negative comments about how Mila Kunis was dressed, a memorable one being that she “was spending a semester abroad in the post-apocalypse from her fashion school’s co-op program.” After reading this, I began to question if these critics even saw The Book of Eli, as Kunis’ fashion looked pretty normal compared to everyone else’s.
As the film progresses, Eli begins to form a relationship with Solara and, although reluctant to accept at first, Eli eventually gains a fellow traveler. During Eli and Solara’s time together, the directors (The Hughes Brothers, Menace II Society) were able to succeed by slipping in a few brief comical lines. A memorable line was Eli’s response after he made a statement about faith, and Solara asked if the quote was from his Bible. “No, it’s Johnny Cash ‘Live at Folsom Prison,’ he quipped.
While it did remind me and others of Mad Max (Mel Gibson, 1979), I highly recommend The Book of Eli; because while post-apocalyptic movies have frequented theaters lately (The Road is the most recent example), it was a bit different from the norm. The main focus of the film was Eli, not the apocalypse, and Denzel Washington was a good choice. If Will Smith (I could not help but think this role was written for him) had played Eli, chances are the movie would have too much action. Washington’s performance as a lone, swift killer/protector of the book was not only good, but the general idea was, as well. Hopefully, if an apocalypse does occur in our lifetime, most will have watched The Book of Eli beforehand, as this great film stands out from the crowd.
Rating: ★★★★★
