Split personality in ‘Eli’ may leave viewers wanting more
”
The Book of Eli
”
is a movie that doesn’t really know what it wants to be
– a post-apocalyptic action film or a parable of faith. The
biggest issue created by the split personality in the Hughes
brother film is that it tries to appeal to two different audiences.
One will enjoy the first half of the film, and the other will enjoy
the last part of it. But both may not enj
oy the whole movie.
Split personality in ‘Eli’ may leave viewers wanting more
“The Book of Eli” is a movie that doesn’t really know what it wants to be – a post-apocalyptic action film or a parable of faith. The biggest issue created by the split personality in the Hughes brother film is that it tries to appeal to two different audiences. One will enjoy the first half of the film, and the other will enjoy the last part of it. But both may not enjoy the whole movie.
The movie tells the story of a loner in a world after an apocalypse. It’s not really clear what all happened to lead to the desolation and despair except there is mention of a war and bright flash that was strong enough to blind people. Eli (Denzel Washington) is moving west across the United States, which now looks like a barren desert landscape. The movie starts out quickly, with hardly a word spoken in the first 10 minutes of the movie. Viewers see Eli hunt a hairless cat, sharpen a very big sword-like object, read a leather-bound book and in an unlikely world beyond technology, listen to an iPod.
Aside from the ambient sound, the music from an old R&B classic is the first real sound that fills the film. It sets the scene for Eli’s isolation and also for his lure away from his mission. He carries with him just one backpack of belongings, though he finds treasures as he continues his journey west, such as a nearly new pair of Doc Martens – from a dead man’s body.
This post-apocalyptic world is not only a harsh environment, but it is full of bad people, too. It seems all the good guys died in the war. There are hijackers who attack anyone they can find for a drink of water – and road warriors who will slay people for a book and a bottle of shampoo.
Eli keeps to himself, but when the battery he uses to play his iPod dies, he goes into a city that looks like little more than a Ghost Town. It is, in fact, the beginnings of a new civilization. Carnegie (Gary Oldman) is in charge and he has control for one simple reason – he is the only one with access to water. The road warriors are in his employ. They go out after travelers and search for books. But there is only one book in particular he wants and he will stop at nothing to get it. He says it is the most powerful book to ever exist. It will allow him to make all people view him as a leader and to expand his territory.
Eli just wants to get into town and get out, but he trouble seems to find him as he goes along. After a dramatic encounter with the road warriors, in which he is forced to use his sharp weapon to protect himself, Carnegie takes notice of him. He wants Eli to do his bidding, but Eli refuses since he is on a path of his own to head west. Carnegie forces him to stay the night and first tries to lure him with the offer of regular food and water provided by his girlfriend Claudia (Jennifer Beals.) When that doesn’t work, he sends Claudia’s daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) to seduce him. But Eli stays focused on his task and refuses her attempts.
He somehow escapes in the morning and starts his journey west. Carnegie’s henchman try to stop him, but for some reason they can’t. Eli seems untouchable. As he starts up his travels again, Solara follows along with him even though he tells her to leave. Through their interaction, viewers learn more about Eli’s journey. But, of course, Carnegie has figured out that Eli has the one book he wants. He sets out to track him down with his thugs.
Though the plot is a bit predictable at times and most people will be able to guess which book it is both men covet, Washington remains committed to his role at all times. It is in the quiet moments at the beginning of the movie that his acting chops show the most because he has to express his determination, isolation and loneliness all without saying a word. Oldman’s performance wasn’t quite as strong, but he is one of the best actors to play a villain I’ve ever seen. He is always over the top and always cruel. As for Kunis, there is just not enough meat to her role and her character is more just a foil to let readers learn a bit more about Eli.
The ending of the movie, which has a surprising twist that I won’t reveal, just falls a little short. I think the directors wanted it to be about restoring faith and hope for humanity, but it just ends a little too abruptly to give us much sense of what hope is out there.
Melissa Flores can be reached at mf*****@pi**********.com. Visit her blog at http://melissa-movielines.blogspot.com for thoughts on this week’s Oscar nomination announcement, as well as her thoughts on movies, TV, food and more.
