The Book of Eli
Friday, April 16th, 2010 I just realized I did not post this review last month as I’d planned. Here it is now. 
I went to see the book of Eli recently. (Well, since this didn’t get posted when I’d planned, it was over a month ago. 
) I am amazed and thrilled that this movie came from Hollywood.
The Book of Eli is a “dystopian” movie, a depiction of society that has devolved into a bleak, harsh world where hope and joy are non-existent. I’m not sure what it indicates about our current society, but it seems these types of stories are becoming more and more popular. The difference with The Book of Eli, though, is that the overarching message (at least the one I got) is one of hope.
Eli, played by Denzel Washington, is a nomad, a sword-wielding, ferocious nomad on a years-long trek across a country almost unrecognizable as our own. Decades before, the world was devastated by a cataclysmic natural event that shattered society and blinded anyone exposed to it. All that is left are pockets of pseudo-civilizations, mostly ruled by cruel gang lord types. Eli stops to barter and rest in one such gang lord’s ‘town’.
This gang lord, Carnegie, learns Eli has a book. A book Carnegie believes holds the power he needs to solidify his domination over the region and beyond. Eli says he was led to a book sometime after the cataclysmic event that destroyed society and that he was told to protect the book and to take it west. He refuses to give it to Carnegie or even to allow him to see it. The rest of the movie is the chase and struggle and seeming defeat of Eli at the hands of Carnegie. In true poetic justice, though, Carnegie’s victory is short-lived and Eli’s defeat is really no defeat.
Eli is a true to life personification of a man caught in a horrible world trying to do what he’s been called to do. He does some things that don’t fit with the idea of a pacifist Christian. He’s hard and solitary and not at all friendly. He kills, he’s rude, he’s abrupt and to the point when discussing, confronting and negotiating. He’s a hard man. But he’s a man. He’s a man intent on accomplishing the task he’s been given. He’s a focused man and he’s a capable man. He wields a sword and his wits with equal dexterity.
sometimes he makes choices that seem contradictory to what we think of as the Christian life (such as refusing to share with others what is in the Book), it is evident he is focused on completing his task. A task he knows came from the author of that Book. Those seeming unChristlike choices are addressed later in the movie when he says, “I was so intent on protecting the Book that I forgot to live by what it taught.” Even with that confession, it was obvious he did believe and live much of what he’d learned. He walked without fear across the country. He gave warning to those attacking him, giving them a chance to abandon that course. He steadfastly refused to desert his task. He was faithful.
The book of Eli is filled with violent images and depicts a tragic world, one almost devoid of hope or joy and anything good. The world seems to be place filled with pockets of thugs ruling little fiefdoms or solitary people living an horrific existence. This movie just as graphically imposes hope, realistic, possible to attain hope into that dystopia. The book of Eli, while one of the most stark dystopian movies I’ve seen, is also one of the most hopeful. One of the few that I’ve walked away from encouraged and inspired.
The hope that is depicted in the storyline is also seen in the way the film is recorded. One of the complaints I have about a lot of the emotionally dark movies is how they are also filmed in dark surroundings. This makes things hard to see and gives an oppressive feel to the entire story. I realize that is probably the intent, but I think sometimes it is overdone. Maybe that’s why I don’t like dark movies. (By dark, I mean those storylines that depict life as oppressive, tragic, devoid of enjoyment, where bad triumphs over good.)
The Book of Eli was a different. Yes it is an oppressive society. There is little enjoyment and life is tragic. But most of the movie was filmed in daylight. Even the nighttime scenes are lit well. I think this is significant. Again, this was probably done intentionally. Even if not, it added a huge subliminal message that light can dispel darkness, right can triumph over wrong, and justice will be done.
The ending scene is of the book, the Holy Bible, being put on the shelf with the Koran. I’ve heard many complain about that, saying it equates the Bible with all the other great books, or that it dilutes the message of God protecting His book. I disagree. I think it sharply, with one crisp visual, shows how God accomplishes His purposes even through those who do not acknowledge His involvement. All throughout history, the Lord, His Word and His people have been protected and guided, sometimes by obvious means, most times by not so obvious. In the Book of Eli, Eli is guided directly by God, given a sight and an understanding he doesn’t have on his own. Just because the Lord also used a group of people intent on preserving all the great literature does not discount God’s working in those events.
According to my statement of purpose I want to remark on and bring into better focus that which is good and pure and noble and lovely and of good report in the books and movies I review. In my reviews, you will read about what is good, what I liked about the movie, how I was enriched and encouraged by watching it, what I saw that made my Lord’s truths more clear, more real. In my opinion, The Book of Eli is a wondrous story of one man’s walk of faith and the impact it had on his world.