Apocalypse: a prophetic revelation, especially concerning a cataclysm in which the forces of good permanently triumph over the forces of evil. Aka the end of life as we know it. But is that necessarily a bad thing? Perhaps it depends upon the world as it is at the time of the apocalypse, and what sort of life is being led.
The Book of Eli is the new Hughes Brothers film dealing with the apocalypse, set in a distant future, in a land ravaged as a result of a horrendous war which has inflicted great damage upon the earth's atmosphere, with catastrophic results. Some thirty years later, the world is a desolate place, barren and sterile, a vast wasteland where survival is difficult at best; where many are scarred, many blind, as a result of the sun's savage fury which was visited upon the earth. Eli, played by Denzel Washington, is a lone man upon a journey, a pilgramage, one begun some thirty years before – where he is going, he does not know, only that he will recognize his destination once he arrives. The voice in his head tells him so, and keeps him strong in his resolution. And nothing and no one will keep him from reaching his journey's end.
Highlights
The landscape is littered with the ruins of civilization, with once prized possessions that are now unusable pieces of junk, rusting, ruined and abandoned. Highways which once teemed with vehicles stand empty, for there are none to speak of, although as a means of getting from one place to another, the roads still suffice. Although most people aren't inclined to travel every far which, of course, makes those who do suspect. Or lunch, depending upon one's point of view. And yes, there is cannibalism, the inevitable byproduct of a land where animals are a rarity, and hunger does strange things to people. Everyone wears dark glasses when outside, protection against a still brutal sun. When Eli comes upon a woman beside the road who is in an apparent predicament, begging for help, he stops to oblige, and finds himself beset by an armed gang, determined to steal whatever he has, the woman being an accomplice to lure the unsuspecting into their clutches. The leader demands that Eli give him what he has in his backpack, and he refuses to do so, even when threatened with death. Rather, he explains that if the leader touches him again, he will not give his hand back. And as is usually the way with those who are brave simply because they feel that the odds are with them, as well as the strength of their weaponry, these men do not listen, and Eli shows them just who they are dealing with, before he continues on his way, unharmed.
As Eli continues west he carefully searches the structures that he passes for items that can be of use to him, taking shelter when and where he can, listening to tunes on his ipod at night, which lull him to sleep. When his battery grows low, he stops in a town along the way to recharge it. The shopkeeper is reluctant to deal with him at first, as he is an obvious stranger, but Eli shows him his hands to reassure him that he is not "one of them", and he agrees to put the ipod on his trickle charger – for a price – but it will take a couple of hours. In the meantime, across the street in the Orpheum, an abandoned theatre which has seen better days, there is another man with a mission, by the name of Carnegie, eloquently played by Gary Oldman. He controls this city, he is the power here, the man at the top, and what he wants he gets – what he wants being a particular book. He sends a group of his men every day to search for this book – they waylay the innocent, and steal every book that they can get their hands on, regardless of what it is, raping and pillaging at will. They have no idea what book their boss seeks, they bring them all – being illiterate, they can't tell one from another, anyway. And none of these is the right book, to Carnegie's dismay. The book he seeks is a powerful book, and he will have it, no matter the cost – if only he knew how close it really is!. It is inevitable that when Eli crosses the street to the Orpheum, to pass the time and to get a drink, that these two will somehow meet, and they do. Carnegie offers Eli his hospitality for the night – an offer which he cannot refuse – and in an attempt to figure him out, Carnegie sends in Solara (Mila Kunis), the daughter of his mistress, Claudia (Jennifer Beals) to sweeten the deal, her job being both to pleasure Eli and to see if he has a book, maybe even the book which Carnegie seeks.
Overall
The idea of the apocypse in film is certainly not a new one, we've been treated to it many times before. Which means if you're going to do it again, you better do it well, and do it differently. The Book of Eli succeeds on both counts. It becomes obvious early on which book is sought after so diligently by Carnegie, and just as diligently defended by Eli – one which has been at the heart of both love and war for a great many years. Denzel's portrayal of Eli is strong, he plays him as a strong man, but not a fanatic – he knows what he wants, and he will do what he must, although by the end of the film he begins to question his own motives, wondering if he has lost sight of the precepts he should be living. On the other hand, in another stellar performance by Gary Oldman, Carnegie is not a stereotypical villain, although undoubtedly he will be perceived as the bad guy – he simply understands the power of this book, and how he can use it to consolidate and enlarge his own power base, and create new cities where none exist now. He knows that people will flock to this book, as it is the only copy left – the others having been destroyed after the catastrophe, being blamed as a catalyst for what occurred. A noble goal if one considers that there is safety in numbers, and there is inevitably a central authority to guide people who would otherwise be helpless. Plus, Carnegie knows where there is fresh water, which is invaluable knowledge to possess. Seriously, is there any role this man cannot play? I do not think so. Mila Kunis does an outstanding job in her role as Solara, who leaves the comparative safety of her home, with her mother, to follow Eli, becoming invested in his pilgrimage. She plays saucy well, and breathes life into a potentially stereotypical character. In this world where people have little, values have perforce shifted by necessity, and some of the very things which we toss away without a second thought have come to possess an intrinsic value – things such as wetwipes, and shampoo. And water. There is a rather erotically charged scene where Gary/Carnegie washes the hair of his mistress with newly acquired shampoo. People must make do with what they have, it's a harsh world, and the harshness is more than reflected in the cinematography. At the beginning of the film we see the world in basic shades of grey, but as the film progresses, we begin to see glimmers of color, until by the end of the film, we are treated to a wider palette of hues reflecting the resurgence of hope in a world where hope has long lain buried in the ashes of the ruined civilization.
There is nothing boring in this film; from beginning to end it moves, and keeps your attention firmly riveted to the screen. It is far from predictable, as one might fear; it is filled with action and contains moments of humor as well, such as when Eli makes a Johnny Cash reference. Michael Gambon appears in one scene as part of a couple whom Eli and Solara encounter, who have managed to survive in their own way in their own house, and Tom Waits has a cameo as the shopkeeper who is charging Eli's battery. In another scene, Gary/Carnegie tells one of his henchmen to look for something behind the tv, and he says what is that, to his boss' great disgust, who replies, "You're fucking shitting me, right?" But of course tv's are obsolete in this world, as are so many of the amenities which we take for granted. And many people cannot read, as there are no schools. This film is about deciding what is important in a world where people have so much that they don't really need, while others have so little. I won't give away the ending, so if you want to know if The Book of Eli postures a future filled with hope or a dismal hopelessness, you'll have to see it. But you'll be glad that you did.
Comicsonline gives The Book of Eli 5 out of 5 Holy Bibles.
