MOVIE: THE BOOK OF ELI

The Book of Eli, directed by Allen and Albert Hughes, tells the story of one man’s post-apocalyptic journey across America in order to protect one of mankind’s most sacred books. Without a doubt the title itself lends itself to religious connotations, but I must re-iterate that this film is soaked with over-cooked symbolic references. Denzel Washington was cast perfectly as the damaged, humble and secretive Eli, which the weight of the film rests on – and thank God for that. Gary Oldman, who plays Carnegie, rival and ruler of the desolate Eastern lands, is disturbingly ambitious and senile. But I was expecting higher stakes with this character, or a better power play between him and Eli. Instead the conclusion of their relationship became anti-climactic and pointless. The cinematography is both beautiful and private, especially at the beginning of the film as the routine of the protagonist’s life plays out. Sadly, these moments were all we could hold onto for the rest of the film. As the rhythm of establishing shots beat repetitively over and over, what lifted the power of the film was the cleverness of the narrative. And, when faced with over-used cinematography and music, boredom unfortunately starts to set in. (BLR)