Eli’s Coming!

hide your heart, girl

By Robert J. Sodaro

The Book of Eli: Rated “R” (118 Minutes)

Starring: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, Malcolm McDowell, Michael Gambon

Directed by: Allen Hughs, Albert Hughs

It’s the end of the world as we know it.

If you have seen the trailer for this post-apocalyptic film and thought that is existed in that film-clichéland somewhere between The Road and Mad Max, you’d be wrong. Okay, yeah, it does take place some 30 years after a final war that apparently seriously reduced the world’s population, and turned the country into something of a baron wasteland. Civilization is a distant memory, and the law is determined by the stronger, the better armed, and usually the more vicious. The roads themselves belong to roving gangs of marauders who would just as soon murder a man for his shoes, an ounce of water — or for nothing at all.

Across this horrorscape walks a mysterious loner named Eli (Washington), who is on a mission God to bring his holy book (eventually revealed as a Bible) to a specific place. Even though he claims to be a man of peace and not a warrior, he is most certainly capable of defending himself (as we, and a band of marauders learn early on in the film). We learn that he has been waling cross country for 30 years protecting his precious cargo. When asked why he does this he states that he heard God speak to him. The only problem Eli has now, is that he’s wandered into a ramshackle town that is controlled by a powerful despot (Oldman) who has crews of marauders scouring the countryside in order to find a book that he believes to be a weapon of great power. A book that will give him the words to unite the masses under him and whip them into a frenzy for his cause.

Yes, he wants to get his hands on Eli’s bible.

You had better believe that Eli’s coming!

If that were the only story that was going on in this film, this would be a terrible movie. I’m here to tell you that is so not the case. There is a deeper story that doesn’t reveal itself to the audience until well into the film (interestingly enough, once you know this deeper, more profound story, and think back on the film itself you will be able to see in your mind’s eye how this part of the story was so clearly telegraphed throughout the film, but was simply overlooked until you know the key. To say more would give everything away.)

Driven by his deep commitment to his cause, and guided by his belief in a power much greater than himself, Eli does what he must to survive in this hellish land and continue in his visionquest. To do both, Eli must keep moving to fulfill this destiny and to bring much-needed help to a humanity ravaged by war, and torn apart by its own violent tendencies. Still, this film is highly watchable and exceptionally devout in its own theology. It is a film that demands an audience, and leaves its mark after viewing. It is also not so much an end-of-the-world film, as it is one that offers up a new hope.

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This entire article is copyright (c) 2009 Freelance Ink, All rights reserved. It cannot be reprinted without specific, written permission from the author.

Robert J. Sodaro has been writing professionally for over 20 years. During that time, his movie reviews and articles have appeared in numerous publications, as well as on the web; currently his reviews appear on the Web here and in print in More Sugar. Questions? Comments? Queries? Log in, and have your own say.

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