Review of Apocalyptic Recommendation - The Book of Eli

Well, considering the apocalypse we are going through today, I feel like playing into it and, instead of going for easy targets like Terminator and Mad Max, promoting an underrated film about apocalypses. This movie didn’t get a lot of notice at the time, and was slammed by some who criticised it for its relentlessly serious tone and for trying to cover biblical themes in a post-apocalyptic action setting. Well, guess what? I think they’re wrong!

The Book of Eli focuses on Denzel Washington’s Eli, who’s travelling through post-apocalyptic America with a book, a machete and an MP3 player. His journey is unknown, his encounters with others bloody, but he surges on nonetheless, inspiring legend in the people he meets along the way. It’s violent, visually stunning and watchable from the perspectives of both having a good time and a drama on the influence of faith in a hopeless world.

This was one of many sci-fi films from the 2000’s that had absolutely great ideas but were generally ignored by critics due to characterisation and structural complaints, joining the legions of Treasure Planet, Titan AE, TRON: Legacy, Oblivion, Sunshine and so on. What these films and Book of Eli have in common is that they all create brilliant, visually unique worlds that really come alive to the viewer, regardless of the characters standing on the screen, and they try to break the conventions of the genre while somewhat restraining themselves as well. This approach can be jarring, but it mostly works for Book of Eli, creating a compelling sci-fi journey to immerse in for two hours.

Beautiful desolation.

Albert and Allen Hughes, the directors of this movie, bring a genuine vitality and intensity to their action scenes, creating a wide variety homaging the one-shots of Alfonso Cuarón, the grittiness of George Miller and the brutality of Sam Peckinpah, without feeling forced. Denzel remains as reliable an action hero as ever, bringing both charm and ruthlessness to lone wanderer Eli, and cinematographer Don Burgess and composers Atticus and Leopold Ross contribute a wonderful mix of stark tableaus and desolate electronic music to really nail the sense of apocalyptic hope.

If you like the look of the film from this image, check out the movies The Fall or The Road. You won't regret it.

In terms of writing, the movie conveys information excellently without dialogue, only using its visuals most of the time and rarely bashing the audience over the head. The handling of religious themes may prove divisive, with some heavy-handed moments and plot holes, but the movie is written in such a way that the viewer can imagine the world around the characters, without the need for being told. The characterization is the weakest part of the film, with most characters beyond Eli, Mila Kunis and Gary Oldman’s excellent villain Carnegie being one-or-two dimensional, but as they aren’t the main focus, it is not a huge problem.

In conclusion, The Book of Eli really took me by surprise when I first watched it last year on Netflix. It’s unique, creative and really trying to present an original vision unlike many other dystopias today (looking at you, Divergent and Io), so I recommend you check it out.

Got any other suggestions? Let me know in the comments!