Review: The Book of Eli

Reviewed by Matt & Ryan


Ryan: 2/4 banana peels
Matt: 2/4 banana peels


We really wanted to give this film 3/4 peels, it was really good, but there were a few flaws that could not be over looked. So, lets begin with the good stuff. The pacing of the first 80 minutes was brilliant, it began slow and built up to what was sure to be a huge climax. The Hughes Brothers conducted the direction of the film with great ease and a cocky nature. Epic visuals of the post-apocalyptic world were stunning and filled out the film nicely. For those who play video games, the world depicted in the film is eerily similar to that of Fall Out 3. Denzel Washington does well as a stoic, Bible-carrying sword-wielding ass kicker, and Mila Kunis has really come a long way as an actress. Gary Oldman plays the villain vying for the mysterious book, and steals the show. He is everything a villain should be, ruthless, arrogant, and fearful, the type of performance that really makes you connect to his adversary. We both actually feared him and agreed that that was the performance the Sherlock Holmes could have really used from Mark Strong.

Now for the bad stuff. The movie runs 118 minutes which is around the average time movies run and doesn't approach the run times of Avatar (162 minutes), There Will Be Blood (158 minutes), or Pulp Fiction (148 minutes). With that, it seemed as though the Hughes Bros. didn't want to eclipse the 120 minute mark, as if that would be the lynch pin in whether or not the film would be a success. The last 30 minutes were rushed and many questions were left wide open or not even acknowledged. The film really could have used an extra 30 minutes to take the same time and patience the rest of the movie received. Those 30 minutes could have sealed the deal and fill out many of the plot lines in what up until the last 40 minutes was an impeccable and meaningful movie. The film tried to discuss many deep and thoughtful issues but wouldn't take the time to actually discuss the issues. This made it seem shallow rather than a vessel for discussion. Really, it was the ending that ruined the movie. Everything about it was bad.

Now, you might be saying "Really, the ending is why your rating it so bad?" Yes, that is! If you had seen the film you would know what we are saying. It draws you in, keeps you on the edge, and then kicks you in the balls. It will engage you, then kill everything. There is a distinct point at which you will know when the movie is about to go downhill. The end is really disappointing, really, really, disappointing. Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Bolt, Caligula), an incredible actor, showed up at the end and never really did anything. I want to call it a cameo and not worry about it, but he's in it too long. It's actually really confusing as to why they would bring in an actor like McDowell and waste his talent. This shows that the Hughes Bros. really had a plan for the ending but realized they were at a point where they HAD to end the film and threw that plan out the window. Why else would they bring in an actor of the caliber of McDowell? The end is really disappointing, really, really, disappointing.

Has anyone else seen The Book of Eli? What were your thoughts about the film overall and, more specifically, the ending?