The Book of Eli

Great flix

I have always been a fan of post apocalyptic games and movies and wanted to see this when it came out. I only recently watched it and enjoyed it overall. It has a great cast of accomplished actors and well made sets that give you that post war look and feel. The story has a basic plot about a wandering man with a special item that everybody wants to take from him. There are the usual elements of cruelty, abuse, and unrealistic Hollywood shootouts with guns that dont seem to need to be reloaded. Theres the good guy that seems too good at times and then turns into a mass killer at the drop of a hat. Theres also the bad guy that seems okay for a while but then turns into a crazed madman that doesnt seem to notice half the town has been wiped out as he goes on a crazy quest to hunt down Denzels character. Like most movies of this type, theres very little information about the world these people live in which is a shame because it would make the stories more realistic and palpable and would answer the great questions like, who is making all of the bullets these guys are shooting. The world seems to have no bibles after the war but thirty years plus, theres no end to ammunition. That said, I recommend the movie primarily because of Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman and the rest of the talented list of actors that appear in this film.

Lets get this part out of the way. This movie was made for a conservative, fundamentalist Christian audience - the kind that can watch an hour-and-a-half story about a religious zealot trekking through a horrific hellscape while nonironically killing for his peaceful, loving god. If this had been a movie about Islam and The Holy Quran, American audiences on both ends of the political spectrum would have rioted. But since it is about someone killing and, in one awful instance, allowing rape in the name of the Christian faith, it is an acceptable movie. The setting and action are done very well. I felt like I was in a post-apocalyptic landscape throughout the entire movie. Im not usually an action fan, and even though the movie overused the one man against a gang of thugs shtick, its not a big deal since thats not what the movie is about. Women are portrayed as second-class citizens and toys, and that portrayal works. I have no illusions that, in a post-WWIII world, racists and misogynists with guns would have a field day. The plot is really loose and its here that one can see just how this movie was created. Its a Frankensteins monster created piecemeal to cater to a religious and action movie loving audience that doesnt really care about plot. In short, theyre catering to people that pat themselves on the back when they can see through the most transparent veneer of symbolism. If this was supposed to be a fun movie, I would forget about that part. But it pretends to be a modern-day allegory, not a simple, fun romp through the wasteland. So, if you can stand being preached at by a movie that was made by a bunch of producers with moneybags in their eyes for a target audience of religious guys that make their wives watch boring action flicks, then give this one a shot.

I was glad that Eli finally made it to Alcatraz and had actually memorized the entire Bible!

one if his best movies was damn good when it came out and stillis

Pretty cool movie. I grew up with post apocalyptic movies and as a consumer of film since the 80s so I am quite anesthetized to movie violence and was certainly expecting it. ***Mild Spoilers*** Denzel is a man with a mission from on-high. I enjoyed the film, especially the bleak wastelands. There always has to be a highway scene where the hero walks past the all the dead cars and peers in at the skeletons and this movie didnt disappoint. Denzels dialogue is spare, but he makes up for it with sheer presence. Hes still looking pretty delicious too--more so--now that he is older. The fighting scenes were notable for not being over-the-top or over-long. Denzels technique could best be described as: efficient. Which is a plus for long-time movie fight watchers who are bitterly all too used to slowed frames, repeated impact glory shots and other martial art cheese that would not begin to transmit what a totally abrupt and brutal thing fighting can be--especially with weapons involved. But Eli is like a paladin on a quest who is clothed, shielded and armed in holy wrath. And so, he does not hesitate or play around when it comes to dispatching people but simply handles it--and keeps on walking. Portions of the ending were cleverly concealed and there is a moment of enlightenment, details of which I shall not go into. Recommended addition to any post apocalypse or Denzel movie collector.

One of the better distopia style movies of the recent past. A completely immersive story line that keeps you interested and doesnt drag. I like most of Denzel Washingtons movies and this one is no exception. I actually watched this one twice the first time I ever saw it because I realized I had missed an important detail the first time through and wanted to see why and where I had missed that detail. The second time through was even better than the first because I picked up so many things and images and symbols that I had missed on the first time watching. Its worth seeing more than once, and I say that about very few movies.

Dead cats, blind guy, twisted mofos, death, destruction, lack of water and food. Covers a lot but not all.

Really Great Movie Get it and watch it.

I went to see this film expecting Mad Max...but got a thinking mans version of every other post-apoc film Id ever seen. A *lot* of thought went into this film in terms of worldbuilding and other aspects in an effort to make it believable, and worth immersing myself in it. Se it; you wont regret it. And youl find yourself rewinding it saying...Oh YEAH! I missed that, but that...I shoulda seen that coming! :) Great film. Great film.