Jason KingREVIEW: The Book of Eli (3/10)
April 14th 2010 03:01
:
BLOODY WOEFUL
Category: No Category
I was so shocked by this film, shocked at how bad it really is. When I watch films I try my hardest to look for the good in a film and concentrate on this. It is like I am mentally storing the negative in a storage space in my head but when a film is full of so much negative stuff my storage space explodes and I have to talk about why I hate the film. There can be no turning back. 
I read one review today that nearly sums it up all for me. "At least it's not as bad as Battlefield Earth" - that could end my review but then you would probably not come back again so I must elaborate. For me this film is the second worst film of the year just behind Legion - be scared, it's coming soon.
In the not-too-distant future, some 30 years after the final war, a solitary man walks across the wasteland that was once America. Empty cities, broken highways, seared earth--all around him, the marks of catastrophic destruction. There is no civilization here, no law. The roads belong to gangs that would murder a man for his shoes, an ounce of water...or for nothing at all.
But they're no match for this traveler.
A warrior not by choice but necessity, Eli (Denzel Washington) seeks only peace but, if challenged, will cut his attackers down before they realize their fatal mistake. It's not his life he guards so fiercely but his hope for the future; a hope he has carried and protected for 30 years and is determined to realize. Driven by this commitment and guided by his belief in something greater than himself, Eli does what he must to survive--and continue.
Only one other man in this ruined world understands the power Eli holds, and is determined to make it his own: Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the self-appointed despot of a makeshift town of thieves and gunmen. Meanwhile, Carnegie's adopted daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) is fascinated by Eli for another reason: the glimpse he offers of what may exist beyond her stepfather's domain.
But neither will find it easy to deter him. Nothing--and no one--can stand in his way. Eli must keep moving to fulfill his destiny and bring help to a ravaged humanity.
OK - the things I liked are:
1) Denzel gives a Denzel performance, it is solid, it is stable and it's the same thing you see Denzel doing in every single film. However this time he has learnt some cool martial arts, losing about 25kgs after Pelham 123 and doing 5 months of 3 times a week martial arts training. He is pretty nifty with a sword.
2) Mila Kunis is absolutely stunning, she is the younger Angelina and not that idiot Megan Fox who self claimed to be the younger Jolie , if looking for the next Lara Croft then this is the one. She is perfect.
3) The opening scene with a "Mr Bigglesworth" cat is spectacular and this led me to believe the rest would be the same - stupid me, it is like I always trust trailers, I am nearly a bigger idiot than Megan Fox
4) The cinematography and art direction is flawless, this film looks brilliant! Don Burgess did an amazing job as DOP - he has done such films as Forest Gump, Spiderman, Contact, The Polar Express and most recently Aliens in the Attic. His, and the art director (Christopher Burian-Mohr) use of colours and limited palate to set the tone of post apocalypse is beautiful.
5) A couple of the fight scenes are good to watch, especially the first one.
6) One scene where a minion stuff's up and another, without question, just raises his gun and shoots the guy in the head - it was straight to the point.
7) The first fight scene maintains a comic book look with silhouette styling. This looked great!
8) An odd small scene with Frances de la Tour and Michael Gambon - our two Harry Potter veterans as a married cannibalistic couple. They bring some great humour to their small parts.
What I disliked about this film:
1) While I said the cinematography is stunning I forgot to mention the over use of slow motion walking and looking cool scenes, Sam (my viewing partner in crime) and I both thought if they cut half the slow mo "cool looking" scenes in half they could have shaved half an hour from a 2hr mundane piece of viewing and made it a tad on the better side.
2) I am of limited religious belief, I believe in a higher power and think this makes me agnostic, don't really pay much attention to religion. But this film is a religious propaganda film that has made Denzel into a messiah on a journey to deliver us from evil. In Arabic, Hebrew, and Aramaic, Eli can be a variant on the name of God. The suffix "i" indicates first person singular possession, i.e., "my El" or "my God".
3) The plot loses itself halfway and becomes one of the most ridiculous things I have seen. And the bummer is I cannot really talk about it incase I offend someone by revealing a spoiler. OK - one spoiler - Alcatraz as the Ark of Knowledge - I mean, come on!!!!
4) Gary Oldman is one of my all time favourite actors and in this film he is supposed to be the evil bad guy. Think Gene Hackman in The Unforgiven or The Quick and the Dead, think OIldman himself in The Professional. In this film he comes across as flat and comical in some scenes, although i do admit he delivers lines like fine champagne. His minions in this film are nearly more stupid than the fools from Mad Max 3.
5) The fight scenes are good, but we have all seen better in many films of the last few years, action needs to be amped up film on film to maintain the audience.
6) For a town and world starved of water the idea of filling a bottle one foot from the water falling and watching it spill down the sides looked ridiculous, also too the way that Denzel's clothes are so clean - The Road definitely beat out Eli for a more believable future.
I get fidgety and start clock watching in a film I can't stand and Sam starts shaking his leg like he needs to go to the toilet. Half way in we both started and while I normally punch Sam if he even thinks of texting in a film in this film I was happy to watch him make a tent with his shirt and hide inside playing games on his mobile phone.
I think this film is great if you are a die hard Denzel fan as his performance is strong and what you would expect from him but I would suggest waiting for DVD. The Book of Eli commences this Thursday 15th April 2010. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading! Worth 3/10
I read one review today that nearly sums it up all for me. "At least it's not as bad as Battlefield Earth" - that could end my review but then you would probably not come back again so I must elaborate. For me this film is the second worst film of the year just behind Legion - be scared, it's coming soon.
In the not-too-distant future, some 30 years after the final war, a solitary man walks across the wasteland that was once America. Empty cities, broken highways, seared earth--all around him, the marks of catastrophic destruction. There is no civilization here, no law. The roads belong to gangs that would murder a man for his shoes, an ounce of water...or for nothing at all.
But they're no match for this traveler.
A warrior not by choice but necessity, Eli (Denzel Washington) seeks only peace but, if challenged, will cut his attackers down before they realize their fatal mistake. It's not his life he guards so fiercely but his hope for the future; a hope he has carried and protected for 30 years and is determined to realize. Driven by this commitment and guided by his belief in something greater than himself, Eli does what he must to survive--and continue.
Only one other man in this ruined world understands the power Eli holds, and is determined to make it his own: Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the self-appointed despot of a makeshift town of thieves and gunmen. Meanwhile, Carnegie's adopted daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) is fascinated by Eli for another reason: the glimpse he offers of what may exist beyond her stepfather's domain.
But neither will find it easy to deter him. Nothing--and no one--can stand in his way. Eli must keep moving to fulfill his destiny and bring help to a ravaged humanity.
OK - the things I liked are:
1) Denzel gives a Denzel performance, it is solid, it is stable and it's the same thing you see Denzel doing in every single film. However this time he has learnt some cool martial arts, losing about 25kgs after Pelham 123 and doing 5 months of 3 times a week martial arts training. He is pretty nifty with a sword.
2) Mila Kunis is absolutely stunning, she is the younger Angelina and not that idiot Megan Fox who self claimed to be the younger Jolie , if looking for the next Lara Croft then this is the one. She is perfect.
3) The opening scene with a "Mr Bigglesworth" cat is spectacular and this led me to believe the rest would be the same - stupid me, it is like I always trust trailers, I am nearly a bigger idiot than Megan Fox
4) The cinematography and art direction is flawless, this film looks brilliant! Don Burgess did an amazing job as DOP - he has done such films as Forest Gump, Spiderman, Contact, The Polar Express and most recently Aliens in the Attic. His, and the art director (Christopher Burian-Mohr) use of colours and limited palate to set the tone of post apocalypse is beautiful.
5) A couple of the fight scenes are good to watch, especially the first one.
6) One scene where a minion stuff's up and another, without question, just raises his gun and shoots the guy in the head - it was straight to the point.
7) The first fight scene maintains a comic book look with silhouette styling. This looked great!
8) An odd small scene with Frances de la Tour and Michael Gambon - our two Harry Potter veterans as a married cannibalistic couple. They bring some great humour to their small parts.
What I disliked about this film:
1) While I said the cinematography is stunning I forgot to mention the over use of slow motion walking and looking cool scenes, Sam (my viewing partner in crime) and I both thought if they cut half the slow mo "cool looking" scenes in half they could have shaved half an hour from a 2hr mundane piece of viewing and made it a tad on the better side.
2) I am of limited religious belief, I believe in a higher power and think this makes me agnostic, don't really pay much attention to religion. But this film is a religious propaganda film that has made Denzel into a messiah on a journey to deliver us from evil. In Arabic, Hebrew, and Aramaic, Eli can be a variant on the name of God. The suffix "i" indicates first person singular possession, i.e., "my El" or "my God".
3) The plot loses itself halfway and becomes one of the most ridiculous things I have seen. And the bummer is I cannot really talk about it incase I offend someone by revealing a spoiler. OK - one spoiler
- Alcatraz as the Ark of Knowledge - I mean, come on!!!!4) Gary Oldman is one of my all time favourite actors and in this film he is supposed to be the evil bad guy. Think Gene Hackman in The Unforgiven or The Quick and the Dead, think OIldman himself in The Professional. In this film he comes across as flat and comical in some scenes, although i do admit he delivers lines like fine champagne. His minions in this film are nearly more stupid than the fools from Mad Max 3.
5) The fight scenes are good, but we have all seen better in many films of the last few years, action needs to be amped up film on film to maintain the audience.
6) For a town and world starved of water the idea of filling a bottle one foot from the water falling and watching it spill down the sides looked ridiculous, also too the way that Denzel's clothes are so clean - The Road definitely beat out Eli for a more believable future.
I get fidgety and start clock watching in a film I can't stand and Sam starts shaking his leg like he needs to go to the toilet. Half way in we both started and while I normally punch Sam if he even thinks of texting in a film in this film I was happy to watch him make a tent with his shirt and hide inside playing games on his mobile phone.
I think this film is great if you are a die hard Denzel fan as his performance is strong and what you would expect from him but I would suggest waiting for DVD. The Book of Eli commences this Thursday 15th April 2010. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading! Worth 3/10
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
As for Mila, she's very pretty, but I'm not so sure about her as the next Lara Croft. She's too short isn't she? Anyway, I always thought Rhona Mitra was the best and sexiest Lara Croft (she was the original live model).
Comment by Rix
Comment by Jason King
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Bryn - there was some kind of western years ago with VP in it and I loved it - can't remember it though but this film is all over the place.
I agree she is short but that is easily fixed. Rhona is stunning but I can't see them using her in the next big budget film and if Megan Fox gets it I may have to prepare my crossboiw for an assassination attempt. Why they just can't use Angelina again I will never know but this girl so much resembles Jolie for me I think she would be ideal.
Thanks Sammy - it was great sharing the misery with you
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Rhona's too old for the part now, as is Angelina ... They need an unknown. Try googling Rhona as Lara, she looked perfect when she was filling Ms. Croft's boots (and bra).
Comment by Andy Tope
Bagman's Gazette
I'm just going to pretend that Gary Oldman wasn't even in it
Comment by Jason King
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Andy - nope Sucked Donkeys Balls works for me
Thanks for the comments guys
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Comment by RubySoho
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The last remaining Bible is the last hope for humanity in a post apocalyptic world???
Yes, because the Bible has done such a dandy job of keeping humanity in check for the last two thousand years. Gah! The fact that this film made more money lots more money), than The Road proves there is no God. Eli you are a false prophet!
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by AmyHuang
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Just so you know, Kick Ass is going on my DVD list. Only because 1. I'd like to save the $15 and put it towards my next holiday. 2. Knowning it's an action film I'll probably get movie-sick (motion sickness)
Thanks Jason!
Comment by Jason King
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Lots of passion with this film from everyone
Thanks everyone for commenting
Comment by Deni
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Cinema Herald
Yes, my comments are a bit late, but what the heck...more votes for SP.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a religious person but I have studied the Bible and its message for the simple reason that it has had such a huge effect on civilization and I found and any book that powerful should be read in one's lifetime. Oldman's character's motive for obtaining the book brilliant BUT I just didn't care for the delivery. They could have done it a lot better.
I don't think it was a propaganda for religion - IMO, I think the overall message was that it was considered important enough to shape civilization - both good and bad. Oldman wanted to use it for his own purposes and McDowell wanted to use as something more positive for the benefit of everyone. With Eli it became more internal because for as long as he roamed the earth that's all he knew and it became more personalized.
Interesting comments here...
Comment by Jason King
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Second worst of the year behind Legion