Reviewed by Lamar Kukuk
1/17/10
I'm certainly not going to
be the first to inform you that originality is on the outs in Hollywood.
Sequels, remakes, “reimaginings”, adaptations and ripoffs dominate the
schedule, and it's rare to even see a genuine original screenplay filmed
by a major studio anymore. The Book of Eli, the feature screenwriting
debut of Gary Whitta, bucks the trend, and while it's got more than its
share of familiar elements, you can't argue it's not an original.
The first-ever post-apocalyptic biblical western, it not-surprisingly has
a lot on its mind, from the cultural impact of the Bible in particular
to the power of the written word in general. Eli's got an
unimpeachable cast led by Denzel Washington at his most iconic, and is
handsomely mounted by the Hughes Brothers, making their first movie in
eight years. I know the world's ended a lot at the movies lately,
but The Book of Eli is a worthy addition to our busiest subgenre.
It's been 30 years since
“The Flash” burned a hole in the sky and torched the planet, ending the
Third World War. Eli (Denzel Washington) is a loner walking “West”
and, like everyone in this burned-out future, he struggles to find food
and water and to fight off those looking to take that which he has.
He comes upon a town where he barters some supplies for a chance to recharge
some electronics and get some water, but local goons mess with him, and
he messes back in a big way. This draws the attention of the Town
Boss, Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who hopes to persuade Eli to work for him.
He's had his illiterate goons prowling the countryside looking for a special
book, and when he arranges for Eli to get a nighttime visit from local
girl Solara (Mila Kunis), she discovers that Eli himself is carrying a
copy of that book, the last copy in the world. Eli won't let anyone
else touch it, because he understands just as well as the empire-coveting
Carnegie the power of the story that begins with three simple words:
“In the Beginning...”.
While it has the general
structure of a typical Town Strongman vs. Superhuman Loner Western (think
of it as the post-apocalyptic biblical Quick and the Dead), The
Book of Eli doesn't just use the end of the world of that special book
its hero carries as props: it is very much concerned with the implications
of both. Whitta creates a world that has been picking at the bones
of our civilization's corpse for 30 years, making things like the old KFC
wet wipes more precious that gold. In the opening scene, Eli finds
an abandoned house with a man hanged in its closet: the pristine
boots he wears are cause for a happy dance. Some have resorted to
unspeakable measures to survive, and you won't want to know why townspeople
keep asking to see if strangers' hands shake or not. A generation
has grown up since The Flash and knows nothing of the world of plenty their
ancestors frittered away, and reading is now a rare talent reserved for
those born before everything changed. In this post-Flash era, mankind
survives, but without the power of storytelling and the written word, it
does not live.
Eli's book, of course, is
the most powerful written word known to Man, and The Book of Eli
is not afraid to acknowledge the Bible's many contradictions: in
the years following The Flash, all Bibles were rounded up and destroyed
because they were blamed for starting The War. The movie does not
contradict this assertion. Carnegie doesn't seek the solace of The
Good Book, he's looking to be the man who brings it to the hopeless residents
of the future, the ultimate televangelist with no airwaves who'll rule
through the power of faith. But the movie doesn't skimp on the positive
power the Christian faith offers, either, and sequences where Solara is
moved by Eli reading from it and saying grace before a meal are very effective.
The Book of Eli is uncommonly adult in its discussion of the issues
of faith, designed neither to preach nor denigrate, but to acknowledge
religion as one of the great forces in the history of mankind.
Washington is one of our
greatest movie stars, and the way he mixes heroic dignity with a sense
of humor and lust for life make him the perfect choice to lead a post-apocalyptic
quest without seeming like an empty messianic suit. Eli is a lethal
weapon, wielding a razor-sharp blade with consummate skill, and he does
a terrific job selling deadly talents no previous Washington character
has possessed. Oldman's also in familiar territory as a megalomaniac:
it's a role he keeps getting because he plays it so well. Kunis is
a rising star, and she shows why here. Solara is a demanding role,
as she more than anyone else is transformed by the power of the Bible,
and she's also got to share the screen with Washington and/or Oldman in
virtually every scene. She pulls it off flawlessly. Ray Stephenson
brings rare dimension to the role of Carnegie's right-hand who knows enough
to know that he's making the best of his lot in a brutal world. Jennifer
Beals, who's matured into a terrific actress, has several great moments
as Solara's mother and Carnegie's girlfriend, particularly at the end.
And The Book of Eli's
got a crackerjack ending up its sleeve, going in a direction I certainly
didn't expect and then adding a twist I've never seen before. It's
one of those cases where you want to go back and check earlier scenes to
make sure it all tracks, but I suspect the suspicion that it doesn't comes
primarily from how skillfully the filmmakers and actors have kept the movie's
secret hidden in plain sight. And, of course, you never know just
how much protection God may have been offering and when.
Eli is just the 4th
non-documentary feature from Hughes Brothers Allen and Albert, and it shows
off their mastery of the basics, particularly in the action sequences which
favor long, sustained shots over hyperactive cutting. Don Burgess'
cinematography convincingly transports us to a place bleached out by 30
years of relentless sun. The score, the feature debut of Atticus
Ross, Claudia Sarne and Leopold Ross, is haunting and distinctive and helps
to create a world both destroyed and tingling with the power of hope.
The Book of Eli dares
to touch that third rail of filmmaking and actually make religion a central
theme in its story, and as a result, there will be those who will despise
it from every possible angle. But it's a strong, well-made and smart
post-apocalyptic thriller, and fans of twist endings will enjoy adding
its conclusion to their checklist of things to be on the lookout for.
Hopefully it opens door for its writer that don't involve new adventures
of Ethan Hunt and Optimus Prime. |
