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It's a bit better than what they're letting on - while it is a post-apocalyptic/western fusion action film, there's a bit of spirituality going on underneath that doesn't go into evangelical territory, and advocates moderation when approaching religion; not quite what I was expecting.
The film rests a lot on the shoulders of Denzel Washington's character Eli, and his unnerving belief in his mission, but the Hughes Brothers (who directed Menace 2 Society, Dead Presidents, From Hell and the documentary American Pimp) manage to show some talent and restraint in their handling of the story and the way it's told. There's more show than tell (although they do fill in some blanks in explaining why everyone is wearing sunglasses - besides it being an excuse to add some gravitas to everyone's look).
The Book of Eli borrows from a lot of sources (particularly from a Japanese samurai film franchise which is key to it all - and it's not one would think of immediately until later on), but it's an creative, goofy mishmash that makes for a far more interesting watch than it really deserves to be. This could have easily been a huge failure in the hands of other directors, or an overly preachy movie if they were going primarily for a Christian audience, which they're not.
Casting is a bit of a mixed bag - Denzel Washington does manage to carry the movie on his own for the most part, with Gary Oldman chewing the scenery in the corrupt mayor role that would have been pretty rote for a western. Mila Kunis (as in the chick from That 70's Show) has a pretty mechanical role for the most part, and seems to be capable of much more, as does Jennifer Beals (who really hasn't done too much of note since breaking out in the 80's with Flashdance). There's one character in particular, Ray Stevenson, whose character arc shows a lot of promise, but doesn't get expanded on too much - either because of being shortchanged in the screenplay or editing, it's tough to tell. It's a shame though, because Stevenson's character and the implied growth the character shows, however brief, could have really supported the religious and spiritual undertones the film has rumbling throughout.
It's not a great film, but it delivered a much more entertaining and, dare I say it, thoughtful experience than I was expecting, and I've always liked what The Hughes Brothers as directors have been capable of. I went in with low expectations, and they managed to deliver a better film than I was waiting for. It's a cool, somewhat goofy reinvention of a western.
The film rests a lot on the shoulders of Denzel Washington's character Eli, and his unnerving belief in his mission, but the Hughes Brothers (who directed Menace 2 Society, Dead Presidents, From Hell and the documentary American Pimp) manage to show some talent and restraint in their handling of the story and the way it's told. There's more show than tell (although they do fill in some blanks in explaining why everyone is wearing sunglasses - besides it being an excuse to add some gravitas to everyone's look).
The Book of Eli borrows from a lot of sources (particularly from a Japanese samurai film franchise which is key to it all - and it's not one would think of immediately until later on), but it's an creative, goofy mishmash that makes for a far more interesting watch than it really deserves to be. This could have easily been a huge failure in the hands of other directors, or an overly preachy movie if they were going primarily for a Christian audience, which they're not.
Casting is a bit of a mixed bag - Denzel Washington does manage to carry the movie on his own for the most part, with Gary Oldman chewing the scenery in the corrupt mayor role that would have been pretty rote for a western. Mila Kunis (as in the chick from That 70's Show) has a pretty mechanical role for the most part, and seems to be capable of much more, as does Jennifer Beals (who really hasn't done too much of note since breaking out in the 80's with Flashdance). There's one character in particular, Ray Stevenson, whose character arc shows a lot of promise, but doesn't get expanded on too much - either because of being shortchanged in the screenplay or editing, it's tough to tell. It's a shame though, because Stevenson's character and the implied growth the character shows, however brief, could have really supported the religious and spiritual undertones the film has rumbling throughout.
It's not a great film, but it delivered a much more entertaining and, dare I say it, thoughtful experience than I was expecting, and I've always liked what The Hughes Brothers as directors have been capable of. I went in with low expectations, and they managed to deliver a better film than I was waiting for. It's a cool, somewhat goofy reinvention of a western.
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