The Book of Eli
Rent & Buy
A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.
What critics thought
Critics were split almost evenly on The Book of Eli, with most agreeing that the Hughes Brothers bring visual style to a well-worn post-apocalyptic landscape but disagreeing sharply on whether the film's religious themes and slow burn deliver anything beyond surface spectacle. Washington and Gary Oldman's face-off drew more consistent appreciation than the world they inhabit, while the film's overt religiosity struck some as meaningfully complicated and others as deadening.
“You won't be sorry you went. It grips your attention, and then at the end throws in several WTF! moments, which are a bonus.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“At a time when theaters are experiencing a glut of doomsday scenarios, the Hughes' ashen, bombed-out future world looks a little too familiar, no matter how crisply they present it. But the showdown between Washington and a deliciously hammy Oldman complicates the film's overt religiosity”
Scott Tobias·The A.V. Club
“a ponderous dystopian bummer that might be described as The Road Warrior [Mad Max 2] without car chases, or The Road without humanity”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
Genres
Action, Thriller, Science Fiction
Cast & Crew
Allen HughesDirector
Albert HughesDirector
Denzel WashingtonEli
Gary OldmanCarnegie
Mila KunisSolara
Ray StevensonRedridge
Jennifer BealsClaudia
Michael GambonGeorge
Tom WaitsEngineer
Frances de la TourMartha
Evan JonesMartz
Joe PingueHoyt
Chris BrowningHighjacker Leader
Richard CetroneHijacker
Claudia SarneComposer
Atticus RossComposer
Leopold RossComposer
Gary WhittaWriter
Don BurgessCinematographyThe Book of Eli
A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.
What critics thought
Critics were split almost evenly on The Book of Eli, with most agreeing that the Hughes Brothers bring visual style to a well-worn post-apocalyptic landscape but disagreeing sharply on whether the film's religious themes and slow burn deliver anything beyond surface spectacle. Washington and Gary Oldman's face-off drew more consistent appreciation than the world they inhabit, while the film's overt religiosity struck some as meaningfully complicated and others as deadening.
“You won't be sorry you went. It grips your attention, and then at the end throws in several WTF! moments, which are a bonus.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“At a time when theaters are experiencing a glut of doomsday scenarios, the Hughes' ashen, bombed-out future world looks a little too familiar, no matter how crisply they present it. But the showdown between Washington and a deliciously hammy Oldman complicates the film's overt religiosity”
Scott Tobias·The A.V. Club
“a ponderous dystopian bummer that might be described as The Road Warrior [Mad Max 2] without car chases, or The Road without humanity”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
Genres
Action, Thriller, Science Fiction
Cast & Crew
Allen HughesDirectorAlbert HughesDirectorDenzel WashingtonEliGary OldmanCarnegieMila KunisSolaraRay StevensonRedridgeJennifer BealsClaudiaMichael GambonGeorgeTom WaitsEngineerFrances de la TourMarthaEvan JonesMartzJoe PingueHoytChris BrowningHighjacker LeaderRichard CetroneHijackerClaudia SarneComposerAtticus RossComposerLeopold RossComposerGary WhittaWriterDon BurgessCinematographyRent & Buy