The Book of Eli

For an action flick, The Book of Eli has too little action (two knife fights that take barely a minute and are more symbolic than physical + one static shootout). It is also too childishly simple for a drama with a message, with a few WTF moments (Denzel Washington’s invincibility, non-sequiturs in the plot and especially the unnecessary extra point in the ending). The post-apocalyptic atmosphere is limited by the film’s budget, and the director’s talent is not enough (the significantly more expensive Terminator Salvation was a lot sexier despite all its stupidity). The actors have nothing to play and the audience finds nothing to entertain them in this movie. As I gave three stars to I Am Legend, which was more engaging and interesting in terms of both visuals and plot, I’ve got to stick with only two stars here. (11.01.2010)

One of the most ridiculously WTF stupid things I’ve seen this year. The atmosphere is alright, and so are the performances, the problem is that I am not able to get over the twist, which is utterly pointless and pulled out of a (religious) ass, notwithstanding its outcome, which is just idiotic. The dialogues are toe curling (the Bible), Denzel fights better than Chuck Norris and The Book of Eli was an annoying film experiences. 30 % (31.05.2010)

I can see why Joel Silver tried to sell this film as a spectacular post-apocalyptic action flick. When the Hughes brothers presented him with the final cut, it must have been clear that he had poured eighty million into something that would never come back for the rest of his life. The Book of Eli is quite an unconventional road movie, which in its symbiotic audio/video position has an almost meditative effect. It's strange that even the few moments that get going (all of which were then furiously edited into the trailer) fit in and don't distract from it all. My only criticism is directed at the screenwriter, who sometimes lets the meaningfulness of the plot slip through his fingers. It's unfortunate that, according to the reviews, many were expecting another Terminator with the added bonus of a shocking point, which you can guess from the plot outline (and the poster), so there’s no point in ranting about it. (28.05.2010)

A few knife fights and one bigger shootout do not make an action epic. And what's worse, one suspicious punchline and a few attempts at existential dialogues do not create a drama at all. The survival book stumbles from nowhere to nowhere, the actors meander precisely into their predictable boxes, and everything ends with one big question mark as to whether this is meant seriously. With a reasonable distance, it is still a weaker, disjointed nothingness that holds a few glimpses of post-apocalyptic atmosphere beyond the one-star threshold. (11.12.2010)

While having faith play the main role doesn’t bother me, I would have imagined it a little differently. I'm glad it wasn't just a simple-minded shooter, though. On the other hand, D. Washington was loaded with too much goodness. Not enough badass lines, cleverness, and conviction. But I still find it touching that he memorized the entire Bible. (20.04.2011)

Superb Denzel in a solidly apocalyptic roaming movie. The Hughes brothers’ directing comes across a little abstract, but the world that Eli roams looks damn impressive. The action is really good, even if a little forced, to make sure we don’t get bored on the journey. Mila Kunis is cute with or without her sunglasses. And also San Francisco is one of my favorite cities and seeing it in that condition was worth it. (01.06.2010)

Anyone who wonders why I gave The Book of Eli ****, go see how I rated Costner's The Postman. Okay, don't look for it - I gave it five. The two films have a lot in common. I don't just mean a post-apocalyptic future and one guy mashing his way through the landscape with some sort of goal/mission/whatever. In my opinion, both of them are also very unlucky - because everyone expects a dark story full of action, so logically, when they get (in the case of The Book of Eli) an intimate fairy-tale "walking movie", they stretch their disappointed faces and grumble. Yet from my point of view, The Book of Eli is definitely interesting. And if you want to engage your brain, it will make you think. Technically, this almost two-hour sci-fi film is top-notch - although it's a B-movie of the highest caliber (the shootout on the city street), all the action scenes (yes, there are some) are truly original. Eli's first skirmish, which we see as a static shot of fighting silhouettes, my favorite one-shot shooting of the house, which I will definitely watch many more times... I'm satisfied. The final thought and point are not particularly surprising (well, a little bit - but it doesn't change the fact that the screenwriter needs a slap for how he dealt with some of the situations and actions of some characters), but it doesn't offend either. The actors (Washington and the obviously reveling Oldman) and the music, which made perhaps half of the atmosphere, were pleasing. Four pure stars. (08.07.2010)

It’s not as bad as they say. It has loads of ideas, the actors are great and the brothers in the director’s chair know how move the camera around the action in such that your eyes get an erotic massage at times, which makes the narrative weakness and author’s aimlessness all the more painful. The plot moves mechanically on a previously marked path, without ever developing the nature of a potentially interesting world, whose filth is lost in style, while the climax can’t deliver the punch that the mystery built around Denzel’s character would deserve. It’s watchable, but gratuitous AF. 60% (21.10.2018)

As an action movie, this is an absolutely awesome ride that I enjoyed. But then there's the problem that this is actually a movie about being made by a group of strong believers who want to convey a very important message. Without the Bible, we're fucked. This is such unbelievable drivel that I almost wanted to cry sadly at the end. (24.10.2016)