The Book of Eli – 2010
*** Out of ****
Having now starred in movies for more than twenty years, Denzel Washington now carries the sort of movie-star prestige that dates back to the Hollywood golden ages of Bogart and Grant. His dedication to each role, even in instance where the material fails him, is admirable. Whether playing soulful characters or a gung-slinging badass, Washington is a commanding screen presence and with The Book of Eli he continues to impress and is the single greatest reason to see this mixed bag of post-apocalyptic filmmaking.
Washington stars (not surprisingly) as Eli a wondering soul amidst a world decimated by a tragic event. This end-of-days style catastrophe is never discussed in detail, only alluding to ‘burns’ and ‘the flash’ and judging by the widespread devastation has some origins in a war or massive explosion of some kind. But the how is not as important as the now, and the grey, desaturated landscapes are mesmerizingly realized. This is not a happy movie. Eli’s only remaining purpose in life is to deliver a mysterious book (spoiler!!! [not really] it’s the bible) to safety. As he dices his way through ruthless gangs, his trek takes him to a town controlled by a ruthless but cultured leader by the name of Carnegie, played by Gary Oldman. When Carnegie learns of the books existence he tried to reason with Eli to turn over ownership. When he of course refuses, hell is let loose and Eli flees the town with hostiles in hot pursuit. He is joined by a young girl named Solara (Mila Kunis) who was born after the event who feels a both a bond with him and the lost words of the bible.
The Book of Eli is an enjoyable gritty action film, with its religious overtones kept subtle and tolerable for the majority of the running length. That is until the ending of course, where along with a ludacris twist, much of the nuance and refinement is all but erased. I admire the attempt, but scold the outcome. Thankfully the portions I enjoyed trumped the ill-conceived finale so it is still worth a look. There will no doubt be some for which the ending will work, and they will find a quality film with Eli.
Aside from Washington, the set pieces and art direction are the biggest assets at play. The film evokes part 3:10 to Yuma, part Children of Men and part Road Warrior and successfully at that. The action sequences are brash and bloody; always with a palpable tension and sense of impending doom. Eli is a damaged man and he is played with empathy and hardness. Nobody can play soulful and deadly like Denzel and he plays it with the nuance and charm that makes him a star.
