The Book of Eli

[hoodyallen]

Pretty entertaining movie. I didn't love all the religious undertones. I realize the movie is called the book if eli, but it the religious segments seemed a bit much. There was some pretty bad ass fight scenes, overall I'd probably give it an 8.

 

[Herm]

Reminds me alot of "I am Legend"

just watching the previews it reminded me of fallout 3 the movie, im glad im not the only one that thought that...

 

[Bigpapa42]

Very much enjoyed it. The religious overtones were not too overt for my tastes. The story was good and the actions sequences actually felt relatively unique. It did drag a little in places, but it paid off in the end. Probably my favorite Hughes Brothers flick.

 

[JeremyHight]

Ugh, saw it with my girlfriend and we both didn't walk out happy. The whole audience was dead silent, no claps, nothing. Very drab and the ending made for plenty of questionable acts through the movie.

 

[krulmichael]

Was looking forward to the movie alot, it was pretty decent, but definitely not what I was expecting out of it. Doesn't help that I'm not all that into the religious shit (like previously mentioned), but it was still good. Fight scenes were pretty sweet. Denzel doing what he does as usual. All in all I'd give it a 7/10.

 

[DoubleDeuce]

Looks like the Movie of Eli to me.

 

[Mogriffjr]

Lol @ audience for JHight. I guess since the crowd I had was lively and laughing at the little cracks made the movie better for me?

People talking about possibly too much religious undertones yet you really didn't get to that until 30-40 minutes into the movie. I felt it was well done, the ending was interesting too.

 

[tigstah]

going to see it in a few hours......

 

[Tailback U]

Lol @ audience for JHight. I guess since the crowd I had was lively and laughing at the little cracks made the movie better for me?

People talking about possibly too much religious undertones yet you really didn't get to that until 30-40 minutes into the movie. I felt it was well done, the ending was interesting too.

Agreed completely. lol @ no clapping in the theatre. I fucking hate it when people start clapping.

And how can you not expect religious undertones in a movie called THE BOOK OF ELI. do these people even know what the movie was about before they went and saw it or were they thinking, "dude denzel with a machetti finding zombies this is gonna be hella sick dude."

 

[JeremyHight]

Lol @ audience for JHight. I guess since the crowd I had was lively and laughing at the little cracks made the movie better for me?

People talking about possibly too much religious undertones yet you really didn't get to that until 30-40 minutes into the movie. I felt it was well done, the ending was interesting too.

The crowd mention was more to show how incredibly underwhelmed everyone was. The movie had great acting, great characters, but the overall story just was... bland and very questionable.

I didn't mind the religious undertones, it was very poignant and was well used in the story.

The problem I had was that the "payoff" of the movie was questionable at best. It was absolutely a joke and only raises a TON of questions about scenes through the movie that to me, were some of the best when watching. If you truly think about the payoff, you will see how many of the scenes make little to no sense.

Also, there were numerous other problems. Corny Ending. 30 years passing, but still having access to iPods and gasoline. Tons of other things. In the end, it just bewildered me that the acting could be so good, but the movie so bad.

 

[Sven Draconian]

I remember watching the previews for this at home and telling my girlfriend

 

Eli is supposed to be blind

I mean, really, it's called the book of eli. You were expecting....maybe...the easter bunny.

Overall it's a solid 8/10 to me.

 

[Sven Draconian]

The crowd mention was more to show how incredibly underwhelmed everyone was. The movie had great acting, great characters, but the overall story just was... bland and very questionable.

I didn't mind the religious undertones, it was very poignant and was well used in the story.

The problem I had was that the "payoff" of the movie was questionable at best. It was absolutely a joke and only raises a TON of questions about scenes through the movie that to me, were some of the best when watching. If you truly think about the payoff, you will see how many of the scenes make little to no sense.

Also, there were numerous other problems. Corny Ending. 30 years passing, but still having access to iPods and gasoline. Tons of other things. In the end, it just bewildered me that the acting could be so good, but the movie so bad.

What scenes? I can only think of one that I thought was really a stretch.. Everything else was alright (sure, it's a stretch....it's a movie).

 

The only scene I didn't like was the rape scene with Salara. Really? An arrow to the throat?

 

[JeremyHight]

What scenes? I can only think of one that I thought was really a stretch.. Everything else was alright (sure, it's a stretch....it's a movie).

 

The only scene I didn't like was the rape scene with Salara. Really? An arrow to the throat?

In addition to the one you mentioned, here are just a few:

 

Opening scene, Eli sitting in the brush wearing a gas mask. For anyone who has ever worn one, you cannot hear a thing if you are breathing. The noise is obnoxiously loud. Yet Eli hears so well from a large distance that he is able to echo-locate a small cat and shoot it perfectly with a bow and arrow... using his feet as bracers for the bow. Just outlandish.

Walking to the house, he leads the way down the path. How would he know where the path is or even where the house is? He does kick the first step, which is something done by the blind, but to get to the step requires a large amount of literally "blind luck".

In one of the pivotal scenes of the gunfight where Eli leaves town. The key moment is at the end where he and the bodyguard have a staredown until the guard puts his gun down and Eli walks away. Very strong and defining part of the entire scene... but how did he know he put the gun down? How did he know when to turn and keep walking and that the fight wasn't still going?

The entire rowboat scene doesn't make sense considering he was the one rowing... how did he know which direction to go to Alcatraz?

It was a solid premise and great actors, but the movie missed for me and many others (something like a 46% on rottentomatoes). There were even more scenes that don't make sense if I were to watch the movie again to really grasp everything. The only bright spots were the action scenes, but even those seem... devalued when you take the ending into account.

 

[Miggy]

I can't wait, either I'm going to see it this weekend with the girlfriend or going with the boys, either way I am not missing it.

kind of hard to pick one of those options huh?

 

[Bigpapa42]

As for the issues mentioned, I had one thought that you have to consider...

 

We don't know how blind Eli is. From what I know, the majority of people who are considered legally blind are not 100% without sight. So he may have some small degree of sight. So he might not be relying entirely on sound and smell.

 

[Sven Draconian]

In addition to the one you mentioned, here are just a few:

 

Opening scene, Eli sitting in the brush wearing a gas mask. For anyone who has ever worn one, you cannot hear a thing if you are breathing. The noise is obnoxiously loud. Yet Eli hears so well from a large distance that he is able to echo-locate a small cat and shoot it perfectly with a bow and arrow... using his feet as bracers for the bow. Just outlandish.

Walking to the house, he leads the way down the path. How would he know where the path is or even where the house is? He does kick the first step, which is something done by the blind, but to get to the step requires a large amount of literally "blind luck".

In one of the pivotal scenes of the gunfight where Eli leaves town. The key moment is at the end where he and the bodyguard have a staredown until the guard puts his gun down and Eli walks away. Very strong and defining part of the entire scene... but how did he know he put the gun down? How did he know when to turn and keep walking and that the fight wasn't still going?

The entire rowboat scene doesn't make sense considering he was the one rowing... how did he know which direction to go to Alcatraz?

It was a solid premise and great actors, but the movie missed for me and many others (something like a 46% on rottentomatoes). There were even more scenes that don't make sense if I were to watch the movie again to really grasp everything. The only bright spots were the action scenes, but even those seem... devalued when you take the ending into account.

 

A large degree of the navigation (finding the house, alcatraz ect) are explained through divine intervention. He finds his way because god is guiding him. It is called the Book of Eli, the story isn't really a surprise.

The bunny scene was kind of stupid...though, it served no real purpose to the story. Obviosuly it stretches his abilities (though, we really don't know how good his hearing is).

The stare-down I didn't have an issue with. You could argue that he heard him lower the gun, you could argue if he can see gross motor movements, you can argue that it didn't matter if his opponent put his gun down or, again, the divine intervention explanation.

 

[zack54attack]

Saw this last night. Pretty packed theater... It was a really good movie. I enjoyed it, and Denzel played Eli on point.

 

[Palooza]

Critics are tearing this movie apart, but I'm still intrigued. I will probably see it relatively soon, but I don't think I'll be paying 10 dollars to see it.

 

[krulmichael]

this movie has me confused as to whether I want to see it or not. Everything I've seen leads to it sucking. I mean first off, in the trailers I have seen it tells you nothing of the plot. It only states its the first must see movie of 2010 and its Denzel at his best. There is nothing more or less in it. It not telling about the plot really blows my mind because people will blindly go see it and yet you know nothing about it. anyways just my take on the movie.

Reminds me of another movie that actually turned out to be pretty awesome (IMO), I Am Legend anyone?

 

[Palooza]

Reminds me of another movie that actually turned out to be pretty awesome (IMO), I Am Legend anyone?

I Am Legend is not awesome.