The Book of Eli

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)

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. (12/01/2010)

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)

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. (29/05/2010)