Denzel Washington almost never disappoints. Sure, he has done a few duds in his time (“John Q”, “Virtuosity”)… but he generally chooses interesting material and always gives a good performance. He remains one of the safest bets in Hollywood.
In “The Book of Eli”, Washington plays a lone drifter, in a post-apocalyptic America, doggedly making his way out to the west coast. He has run-ins with bandits, thugs and cannibals. He trusts no one and is clinging to a sole possession, a book, that he keeps tucked away in his back pack. Gary Oldman plays the obligatory bad guy who is tracking Eli down in order to obtain the book. Mila Kunis plays a young woman who feels compelled to follow Eli on his journey.
Despite some absurd twists and turns, the story is mildly interesting throughout. It may not hold up to repeat viewings because it is ultimately a rather thin plot. The most memorable thing about the movie is the stunning cinematography and eerie landscape of a post-nuclear setting. I have never been a huge fan of The Hughes Brothers as a filmmaking duo. Their visuals are spectacular and tend to overshadow the more important aspects in movies — screenplay, pace, direction etc. However, I cannot begrudge their obvious aesthetic strength.
I can safely recommend this film. It is absolutely worth watching… but I fear only once.
This was a great film. I haven’t seen anything look this cool in a long time. And Denzel is always awesome. One of my ten faves from the last year.
I wouldn’t quite concede greatness… but thank you for sharing.