Today's Blog will be about The Book Of Eli and I'll be adding in an illustration to convey my perception of this movie and it's subject matter.
Once again the Hughes Brothers have created another cinematic masterpiece with this highly underrated movie. Everything from the music score that flows seamlessly in and out of the film, to the pacing of each scene, the film flows and takes you along it's journey. The colouring scheme should be praised as well in it's lack of colour, giving a sense of a bleached,barren and desolate landscape inhospitable to most human beings.
Denzel Washington delivers another solid performance with class and enough screen presence that hearkens back to the days long gone.
Each actor or actress in this movie is perfectly cast. Ray Stevenson is awesome portraying a character that is as scary and single minded in his obedience to the town boss played with exceptional aplomb by Gary Oldman.
One of the biggest surprises was seeing Jennifer Beals as a beautiful blind woman whose daughter is also as equally stunning played by Mila Kunis. Both of these characters are indentured laborers whose owner Gary Oldman is obsessed with finding a special book. Of course it doesn't take very long to figure out exactly which book he's looking for, or why for that matter.
But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself in this review.
From the beginning of the movie you got the feeling that this "WAR" that happened was the end all and be all of wars. In other words the world is royally screwed up right now and it doesn't look like it'll get better anytime soon. When you see nuclear fallout snow falling from a burnt and depleted looking sky it stops you in your tracks and makes you think. There is no law, except survival of the fittest. Everyone is on their own.
The action sequences are brilliantly done and filmed with extremely deft and skilled vision on what it takes to craft an unforgettable action scene. I feel if I say too much more than that it'll give too much away and spoil some of the many surprises in this movie. The directors and Denzel Washington allow the viewer a rare chance to see some beautifully laid out scenes of carnage that just show what is happening without jumpo cutting in an mtv style that has permeated our culture and movies. Bravo guys, this is indeed a rare thing. Not only does it add depth to the film but shows how adept Washington's character is with a blade,his hands and anything els he can grab or use.
To me this movie stands toe to toe with some of my favorite post -apocalyptic films like Mad Max and The Road Warrior. There are many films that have tried in vain to live up to what was done by George Miller and Mel Gibson in these awesome movies.
Too many in fact.
This one though is not one of those and I say so with a big grin on my face.
I have gone back and re -watched this movie quite a few times already. Why? Because to me it says a lot of very personal things that makes me not just wonder about life in general but how we live our day to day lives, our beliefs and what kind of legacy we leave behind for our children.
Here's a little something I wrote after watching the Book Of Eli and hopefully it'll give you an idea of how powerful this movie was for me.
" During the last days of man, when all hope is lost, a stranger will come...He will be my prophet, he will be righteous and good, following the path I have laid down before him in this wasteland of lost souls. Be ye warned if you seek to do him harm I will unleash my wrath and woe unto you and yours. My wrath is limitless....So is my love. The time has come to stand up and choose sides."
If you have never seen Book Of Eli and want a different viewing experience then I highly urge you to check this movie out. It just might surprise you.
Richard Serrao
Optimum Wound Comics
Co-owner of http://www.optimumwound.com/
Creator,Writer and Artist of
Memento Mori Volume 1
Silent Scream
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