The Book of Eli

2009 • 117 minutes

About this movie

In the not-too-distant future, some 30 years after the final war, a solitary man walks across the wasteland that was once America. A warrior not by choice but necessity, Eli (Denzel Washington) seeks only peace but, if challenged, will cut his attackers down before they realize their fatal mistake. It's not his life he guards so fiercely but his hope for the future; a hope he has carried and protected for 30 years and is determined to realize. Driven by this commitment and guided by his belief in something greater than himself, Eli does what he must to survive--and continue. Only one other man in this ruined world understands the power Eli holds, and is determined to make it his own: Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the self-appointed despot of a makeshift town of thieves and gunmen. Meanwhile, Carnegie's adopted daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) is fascinated by Eli for another reason: the glimpse he offers of what may exist beyond her stepfather's domain.
MPAA Rating: R © 2009 Alcon Film Fund, LLC

Ratings and reviews

Post-apocalyptic western. Epic tale of hope in a dark world, and the struggle between good and evil and the players on each side. I got a number of rich lessons out of it... perhaps my favorite was - interacting with broken people can help us mature, and make our life experience richer, even if it makes it more challenging and difficult. Harder doesn't necessarily mean less joy. It was unusually deep and thoughtful for an action film.

The plot was somewhat short, so I feel it should be treated as a "very long short". In addition, the ad-placement was far too obvious throughout the movie, but it didn't interfere with anything. Action scenes were sweet, but short, few and far between. Critiques aside, the movie successfully resembled that post-apocalyptic wasteland many (including myself) have wanted to see in fiction, and the music was amazing.

Some fine acting by Denzel Wahington, as usual. He brings his 'A' game to this show, as he starts off on a mission to deliver the last available copy of the holy book to the end of the earth for survival of 'the word'. But this is not a religious-themed flick. He encounters what would be left in a post-apocalyptic country, when most of humanity have been reduced to beasts of survival. The suprise ending will getcha! Good show - I'd buy it. 5 Stars for acting, story, and detail.