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 The Book of Eli opened last Friday. It is rated R, mostly for graphic violence, although there are a couple near-rape scenes in it and a bit of strong language. Two of my kids (13 and 15) came with us and they didn't seem bothered by any of the scenes, so I wouldn't worry too much about taking your teenagers.
The movie begins 30 years after an apocalypse. Evidently, there was a religious war that destroyed a swath of the ozone, letting in the undiluted rays of the sun. The earth was burned up and most fresh water evaporated. Only a few survived--those who'd been underground or in protected locations--but they didn't survive unscathed. Blindness and skin burns were common. Animal and plant life were nearly nonexistent and water scarce, making survivors desperate for food--desperate enough to resort to cannibalism. This created a constant hazard for unwary travelers. Since severe tremors were a side-effect of eating too much human flesh, it was the only warning sign victims got. Another consequence of this war was antipathy towards religious texts which many survivors blamed for the war. When religious texts were found, they were burned.
Denzel Washington plays Eli, a man traveling across the United States after finding a religious text and hearing a voice that told him to take it to a safe haven in the west. That voice also promised to protect him. Since the sky is mostly a grayish black and the sun is obscured, it's impossible to discern directions. When asked how he knew he was going west and not wandering in circles, he claimed that he's walking on faith, blind faith. (Considering the fact he's been walking for 30 years, and many people manage to do it in 1 year, I'd say that the question had a lot of merit.)
The movie focuses on the hazards encountered during the last part of his journey. He enters a town to trade with the locals. What he doesn't realize is that the town marshal (for lack of a better word) has been hunting and killing for a copy of a religious text. The marshal believes the text will give him cult-like powers and allow him to expand his territory. The rest of the story is about his attempt to cajole, threaten, bribe and ultimately hunt down Eli for that book.
The Book of Eli draws ideas from several other famous films, particularly those like Mad Max and Road Warriors. It isn't until the end of the film however, that the viewer sees another famous film concept from Fahrenheit 451. That's when a lot of questions get explained and inexplicable scenes make sense. After the movie was over, my hubby and I started rehashing various scenes in the movie, saying, "That's why...such and so."
I'm not sure how I feel about the movie. The world-building was great. It truly looked and felt like a devastated planet. Denzel Washington, as usual, did a superb job as the loner wanderer/hero. The violence was graphic but not over-the-top or gratuitous like in District 9. As for the story itself, I was intrigued and I liked the surprise ending, but I'm really not sure about the emphasis placed on the religious text. After all, the people were using KFC wetwipes to bathe (and I find it hard to believe wetwipes would still be wet after 30 years), most of the survivors were under 30 and illiterate, and the concept of god was completely unknown to them. A religious text would be the least of their concerns. Plus, most religious texts end with the apocalypse--it's supposed to usher in the Golden Age. So wouldn't that mean anyone reading the book would realize its god lied, thus making the entire text invalid?
That said, I enjoyed the movie, for the most part. I encourage people to watch it, for Denzel Washington and the fantastic world-building, if for no other reason. |
