The Book Of Eli

“If you’ve seen one post-apocalyptic movie you’ve seen them all,” I would always say. Not so with The Book of Eli. With the washed out colors and bleak, dusty and barren cinematography, this film looks like other post-apocalyptic films, but carries with it a spiritual message which is subtle yet extremely powerful and profound. The film doesn’t go into any detail on what caused the apocalypse. All we’re told is that there was some kind of “flash” that destroyed life on Earth as we know it. Only those that were able to hide under ground or in other types of reinforced shelters survived.

The story centers around Eli (Denzel Washington) and his journey to carry a book across the remains of the United States on foot. He’s been traveling for 30 years presumably from the east coast to the west coast to fulfill his destiny. I don’t know about you, but 30 years seems like an extremely long time to travel across the United States, even on foot, but as we find out in the end, those 30 years are what prepared him for his ultimate purpose.

Eli is an uncanny fighter and survivalist putting his skills to use as he faces marauders and unsavory characters along the way. He is a master with any weapon, whether a bow and arrow or gun, with unerring aim. The film has some incredible fight scenes which I heard Denzel performed himself. They often end with heads and limbs being lopped off with a machete.

It’s strange that in a world where food, water and shelter are so scarce, that the one thing that’s not in short supply is sunglasses. Almost everyone has a pair. I’m sure it’s a testament to the living conditions, the “flash” depleting the ozone layer and people living under unrelenting solar radiation, but it just looks weird seeing everybody sporting sunglasses when they don’t even know where their next meal is coming from.

During the course of his mission Eli comes across a small town out west and meets his adversary Carnegie (Gary Oldman) a mob boss of sorts who finds out that the book Eli is carrying is the Bible. It is the very book he has sought for years. In spiritual terms there are no such things as “coincidences”, even though this is a little bit too convenient. It is Carnegie’s belief that the Bible can be used to control people and the words contained therein will help him take over and expand his empire.

According to Eli this is the last Bible in existence. All the others were destroyed by hopeless, faithless people after the “flash”. A “Voice” has told him he must take the book west to someplace where it is needed. Carnegie’s town is not that place.

Refusing to join Carnegie and relinquish the Bible, Eli is hunted and pursued across the desert. He is joined by a young girl he meets in town, Solara (Mila Kunis from That 70s Show) who has become touched and inspired by the words Eli has shared with her from the Bible. Up until now, the Bible protected Eli in some rather amazing ways, but after losing it in a fire fight to Carnegie, Eli is shot and wounded. Solara manages to escape from Carnegie and his men and returns to help Eli reach his final destination.

The ending of the film reveals a surprise that I won’t spoil for you. It’s subtlety like this that makes for a good film. Even though there are clues, the movie doesn’t map everything out for you as though you can’t think for yourself. The depiction of divinity, although understated up until the end, was mind-blowing when you look back over the entire film. Out of 5 fingers, I’d have to give this one a 4.