Plot: What’s it about?
As of this writing, it’s been over five years since The Book of Eli arrived in theaters. I mention this because I’m sure it’s been seen by many now. Those who’ve seen it will know the big plot twist that takes place late in the picture. For those who haven’t yet seen it, I urge you to do so immediately as the film offers a very rewarding experience. The twist (which, for obvious reasons, I won’t reveal) is one that will make you rethink the entire film looking for clues and such. It also features one of Denzel Washington’s many great performances. Washington stars as Eli. The setting is in a post-apocalyptic world, and Eli has been walking the earth for over 30 years. The early moments of the film show him wandering around solo, hunting for food and taking out several men with little effort and Eli appearing almost invincible. It’s not long until he stumbles upon a town led by the Carnegie (Gary Oldman). Eli stops in this town only to charge his IPod, but decides to stop in a bar as he’s waiting. He gets in a confrontation with a man at the bar after the man sees Eli shove his cat. As he effortlessly takes out more men, this draws the attention of Carnegie. He’s so impressed by Eli’s fighting skills that he asks Eli to stay in the town. Eli refuses, but is forced to stay. He’s locked up in a room, but somehow manages to escape. When it’s revealed to Carnegie that Eli possess a particular book, Carnegie tracks down Eli in the street and after explaining why he wants the book, Eli refuses to give it up. It’s at this point that Carnegie orders his men to shoot Eli and get the book. They do, but Eli fires back and manages to escape the town for good. Another character named Solara (Mila Kunis) follows Eli in hopes of finding something better. Eventually the two of them find themselves fugitives on the run since Carnegie and his men are on the tail. Another character of importance is one of Carnegie’s henchmen, Redridge played by Ray Stevenson. He strikes a deal with Carnegie to help him get the book in exchange for Solara.
We saw a good deal of post-apocalyptic films around the time Eli hit theaters, but it more than sets itself apart from the bunch. On the surface, it might appear like one you’ve seen before, but there’s so much below the surface. That’s one of the many reasons I enjoy the film. So much resonates long after it has ended. As flawed as the final twist is, it’s also hard to ignore it and not think back over the rest of the film. We never really learn much about Eli’s powers or how he’s able to do what he does, but in a way, that adds a mystique to not only his character, but also the film. Once again Oldman does a great job as the villain. Another good thing about the film is that it’s not just a hero vs. villain story in the traditional sense. Carnegie fully embraces having Eli around, at least at first. It’s also great to see a villain with a pretty clear goal: He wants the book to try to spread the word and build more towns. The film has religious undertones, but avoids being preachy or heavy-handed.
I mentioned the film having a pretty shocking twist late in the game. Since I can’t dive into specifics, let it be said that it will likely turn off a lot of viewers. I’ve heard some interesting takes on it, but I think it’s rather clear once we learn of it. The late Roger Ebert said it best when he wrote about the ending being flawed, but avoids being predictable. The Hughes brothers directed the film and they not only keep a good, steady pace, but they film the action sequences flawlessly. They carefully avoid fast editing and really let the viewer see the action and things remain comprehensible. The film even has western elements with Eli sort of reflecting the “man without a name” type of character that Clint Eastwood used to play. As with a lot of films of this sort, it’s not perfect. I sometimes wonder how the vehicles still operate after so many years as well as how do they maintain the beer in the bar. Nitpicking aside, the film makes a lasting impression. Do yourself a favor, if you haven’t done so yet, check out this film. You won’t regret it. It features top notch acting, strong direction and a good story with an ending that’ll likely start some debates. Be sure to avoid seeking the message boards and such until after you’ve seen it.
Video: How’s it look?
This is one of the finer looking transfers I’ve seen. Obviously, the film is a bit older now, but I remember loving it when I first saw it and even the same now all these years later. The film takes place in a sun-drenched setting, but there aren’t flaws to speak of. Colors and details remain bold and striking throughout. There’s plenty of blood splatter as well. It might not always be the most pleasant looking film, but the transfer presents it virtually flawless. The image is VC-1 encoded with a 2.39:1 ratio.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Also strong is the DTS HD track. There’s plenty of action, but also a lot of dialogue, all of which is clearly presented with no issues to speak of. When the bullets begin to fly, you can expect plenty of background noise and all channels remain active during them. I sometimes looked behind me because the details were so strong, with the sound of bullets hitting the abandoned cars and what not. This track satisfies.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Warner Brothers has been really slacking with their special features the past few years, but fortunately, Eli comes fully stocked with some quality features. This particular release is a steel-book packaging exclusive to Best Buy. The bluray disc is the same as all others, but it omits the DVD/Digital Copy.
- Maximum Movie Mode – This can be viewed during the film or own its own with several focus points. If watched during the film, it acts as a sort of picture-in-picture type of feature. A wide variety of topics is covered and should satisfy fans of the film. We see storyboards, interviews, on-set footage and tons of other stuff.
- Lost Tale: Billy – This is an interesting feature that offers an animated look at the young version of the character played by Gary Oldman in the film.
- Behind the Story – This offers 2 featurettes: Starting Over and Eli’s Journey. This go deeper into the themes of the film as well as other topics.
- The Book of Eli Soundtrack – This is a brief look at the film’s soundtrack.
- Deleted/Alternate Scenes – We get 4 here and most are small extensions (Redridge burning some books), but the most interesting is a scene that provides more closure on the Carnegie character. It acts as a coda.
- Previews
The Bottom Line
I can’t say enough for this film. It’s rare to find a mainstream film like this that not only delivers the goods in terms of action, but also resonates long after it has ended. Performances are universally strong and the final twist will spark much debate. The strong specs on this disc only further my already strong recommendation.
