The Book of Eli (Albert & Allen Hughes, 2010)
January 17th, 2010 | 16 Comments »
The future is not what it used to be. No march toward space-age utopias, no super-technological fascist states. Just utter destruction and debased, near-extinct humanity. Hollywood is having a fiesta profiting off all this media-fueled Apocalyptic fetish (2012, The Road) and if the world really is on the verge of a meltdown, I can’t even begin to comment on how fascinating and depressing it is that we moviegoers can’t get enough of seeing it before it even happens. The Book of Eli (2010) isn’t just any post-apocalypse film, mostly because it’s a mash-up of every apocalpyse film (and done surprisingly well). Name one–I’m sure you’ll find a scene in Eli that was damn near bitten from it.
Denzel Washington plays an invincible, machete-weilding man named Eli. He’s been wandering westward since “the flash” 30 years ago, quotes bible scripture while battling roving bandits, en route to fulfilling a mission he was given by the voice in his head. To deliver The Last Remaining Copy Of The Good Book On Earth to a place he’s been destined to reach. Along the way, he encounters big bossman Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who we first see reading a biography of Mussolini. He controls this Wild West-like town, and believes that The Book will help him expand his mini-totalitarian empire. Carnegie sends his adopted daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) to seduce Eli, but he wants none of it. He escapes the town, Solara joins him, and Carnegie pursues them through the sepia-toned, crater-ridden landscape.
Film critic/writer Charles Mudede wrote in his review that Eli is simply a reduction of our current society to its essence: marriage is rape, violence is law and order, cannibalism is consumption. Religion, then, is reduced to this contradiction: an idealist world view that can either guide the meek towards striving to become better cooperative human beings in the face of oppression, or aid the powerful in psychologically controlling them. Pure good versus pure evil, both claiming God got their back. Oversimplification? Yes, but at least unapologetic about it and, focusing solely on the Old Testament “good, righteous neighbor” parts of the Book that are universal to nearly all religions, not as proselytizing as you’d expect. In one scene, its even hinted that The Book may have been largely to blame for the world becoming what it is, and also the reason why no copies remain.
In the Hughes’ brothers debut cult-classic Menace II Society (1993), O-Dog comments on living in South Central L.A. (a real place): “I don’t think God really cares too much about us, or he wouldn’t have put us here.” Eli (O-God?), living in a fictional time and place, is a complete 180-degree turn from O-Dog. He is completely guided by faith, in stark contrast to his hopeless surroundings that make O-Dog’s world look like paradise. In our future, Menace and Eli, on the surface two completely different films, might make an interesting double feature. Both star a black man (seen through the lens of black directors) navigating through hell toward a destiny already written for them. But with two different outcomes. In hopeful economic times, the Hughes Brothers delivered the harsh truth. In a global depression, they’ve delivered fictional hope.
sounds lame. 2Pac won.
January 18th, 2010 at 10:57 amSo this sounds lame but Avatar didn’t?
January 18th, 2010 at 10:59 amI know that from just a cinematogrophy standpoint I want to see this movie.
It really reminds me of a Zia Mohajerjasbi music video. The 24P/Sepia/contrast shooting really is magical.
The idea behind the religion contradiction is probably the other reason that I want to go see it so badly.
January 18th, 2010 at 11:12 amGood read. Since all that is destined to be is written, should we try and manifest the outcome as society’s gift to us? Or should we embrace the essence of being in such a “story” and live as if we know not of the future, as well as accept the endtimes as the un-escapable truth?
Either way, as long as folks say you ‘have a choice’ in life, it’s still written. Every road is paved.
January 18th, 2010 at 11:29 amDefinitely interested in seeing this since it’s the Hughes brothers + Denzel, even though I’m pretty sure it’s a completely different meditation on post-apocalyptic life than “The Road”.
January 18th, 2010 at 12:30 pmI didn’t go with the intentions of watching Avatar for anything other than the special effects.
January 19th, 2010 at 9:03 amI will put this on my netflix queue though. Also seems like the perfect flick for a bored night of watching channel clicking and stopping on TNT.
January 19th, 2010 at 9:06 amI really liked this movie. Although I didn’t get the hands shaking this = cannibalism until they literally said it. The old couple they meet was hilarious! You should see the movie just for the music they play in that scene, LOL
January 19th, 2010 at 9:34 amI liked the use of the bible and books to focus in on the importance of the word. It reminded me that before the printing press books were rare and sought after. It was a good way to focus in on the use of literature/information.
action was shot well and I loved the neutral hues. Oldman as usual plays a good villain.
January 19th, 2010 at 11:34 pmI guess 2009 in movies for me was a faulty year. I saw this the night after we flew back in and I couldn’t stop talking about it.
History thru the eyes of one to be seen as the only truth for all.
January 21st, 2010 at 1:13 pmThe world-ending themes in movies may be on the replay a bit much and as expected to what primitive/cannibalistic/whatever means of survival in post world ending flash/meteoroid/earthquake/tsunami/’12 scenario. But it also meant the power of words, representation, yes agreed, the power struggle (and not), type Fahrenheit 451. Especially in this world today where information is readily available via google.
It got me to think there was a time when few people question what was presented in the media, to where everyone now believes in Wikipedia. If all of the interwebs were to cease existence, shoot, my diary could be the next Book of Carol in the new world. (if written with Mont Blanc ink
I guess I am always fascinated by how people present their ideas of religion, and I agree, it was how it can be seen today, pure evil and pure good both reppin the same dude.
My favorite part. The end. Where the book ends up and ends up amongst.
(Besides all the badass Denzel scenes and the fact the during the whole movie I felt incredibly thirsty.)
ah, to add to that.
January 21st, 2010 at 1:15 pmThis goes in the category: own.
I’m interested in seeing this because I can’t believe a lead character of color turned down a white woman! Ha.
January 21st, 2010 at 4:19 pmO-God… haha.
January 21st, 2010 at 10:31 pmBam: you’ll see why by the end of the movie. That’s all I’ll say!
Also forgot to mention that Kali master Danny Inosanto (the Filipino guy in Game of Death) did Denzel’s fight choreography, which there should’ve been more of.
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:40 amHold up. There’s only one Bible left in the world 30 years after the apocalypse?
You’re shitting me, right?
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:00 pmThe reason for this is explained in the film. Funny how the idea of an apocalypse is far easier to accept than a Bible-less world though, right?
January 22nd, 2010 at 3:37 pm