The Book of Eli
The Book of Eli is indeed about a guy named Eli who has a book. Eli (Denzel Washington) is a nomadic ninja adrift in a treacherous post apocalyptic world where he’s forced to live by the sword (mostly) but seems immune to dying by the sword, chainsaw, Uzi, Gatling gun, and a number of other ordinance. Since “the flash” wiped the planet barren he’s been on a 30 year quest heading west with nothing more than his backpack and a frighteningly efficient scimitar/machete and most important a rare version of the King James Bible - rare because it is the only one left. The rest were incinerated as the cause of the holocaust by its survivors but for Eli it remains a source of comfort. For the ruthless but literate Carnegie (Gary Oldman) a copy of that text would be his ticket to manipulating survivors, virtually all poor and ignorant, into submitting to his megalomania - if only he can get his hands one. You know when their paths finally cross there’s going to be more fireworks and sure enough… Despite the relaxation of the doomsday clock, global immolation is getting to be a repetitive theme in recent movies to the point of being cliché. The Book of Eli doesn’t deliver much that’s new even though it has a couple of interesting twists. It seems confused in its message about the good book, and then there’s the addition of red hot Mila Kunis as Solara, Eli’s venture side kick that makes it more confusing. And where did he learn all those cool moves? But hey it’s Denzel Washington in an action movie which, no matter what, his legions of fans will flock to see so no sense preaching to the converted.