Blu-ray review: The Book Of Eli [2010]
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THE MOVIE
The Book of Eli doesn’t tell you a specific timeline, all we are told is that it takes place after a nuclear devastation has rocked the Earth, and the only ones who have survived seemed to be the worst that mankind has to offer. That is except for a man named Eli (Denzel Washington), a loner who is literally walking the Earth for over 30 years like Caine in Kung Fu. But instead of martial arts, Eli’s weapon of choice is a sawed off shotgun, and probably the best iPod in existence because it still works after 3 decades.
Eli travels with a holy book that keeps him on the path of a mission that he must accomplish, and anyone who stands in his way will be violently punished. On his journey he wonders into a town that is controlled by a criminal named Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who is ironically searching for a ‘special’ book, but has no idea where it is. Carnegie learns from a young girl named Solara (Mila Kunis), that Eli may have the book he is searching for, thus triggering a battle for the most important piece of literature ever written. Obviously, there is a great twist that you may or may not figure out before the finale, but there are no spoilers here.
Directed by The Hughes Brothers (twins Albert and Allen), this is the first film they’ve helmed since 2001’s From Hell, and it’s a very positive comeback for them. Though the film is not perfect, it has so many good elements that it keeps you involved to the end. It’s obvious that the film is heavily influenced by Japanese samurai, as well as, American western movies, where the lone swordsman or gunman passes through a town during his journey and becomes central in saving the people from doom.
As always, Denzel Washington gives a solid performance and is the main reason you’ll overlook flaws in the film. Instead of playing the role like a macho hero, he goes for a calmer tone whereas he has to be given a reason to fight, because he would rather just walk away from trouble. Gary Oldman who has already played the bad guy in a laundry list of films is good, but a little too soft, because in an apocalyptic world you would expect him to be more of a mad man. Mila Kunis may have not been the right choice for the movie, and you’ll probably wish they went for some young actress with more of a Natalie Portman edge, because Kunis is just too sweet and can’t shake that girl next door shadow that hangs over her.
The Book of Eli is not on the level of the Mad Max films, but it borrows from it, as well as many other films, so don’t expect the wheel to be re-invented. Given the subject you may find yourself wishing they went deeper into certain areas of the story, but you have to imagine the original draft of the screenplay was very different than what was in the final product. Overall, The Book of Eli is a pleasant surprise and thus far one of the better films of 2010, simply because it tries to offer hope in a time of hopelessness.
VIDEO
The Book of Eli hits Blu-ray with a full 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and the transfer looks solid offering strong blacks and very sharp details. The film was photographed with muted colors, so even in bright outdoor scenes there’s always the illusion that a dark (nuclear) cloud is overhead. At times it appears as if you’re watching a black and white film, but then you’ll see a source of color pop in that keeps you focused. There are plenty of green-screen shots making certain scenes look fake, but at the same time this works because this gives the visuals a
AUDIO
Just like the visuals, the sound for The Book of Eli is also well executed with a DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix that will jump out at you. Dialogue is crisp as expected, but the sound effects are extremely well done, so whether a gunfight is occurring, or something as calm as Eli saying a prayer, you can hear every page of the book flip as if you were on the set. No complaints here, and if you have a surround sound set-up, you’ll benefit from the experience even more.
EXTRAS
The selection of bonus features for The Book of Eli are worthy, with three ways to watch the movie, Blu-ray, DVD, or a Digital Copy, but one of the main disappointments is that there is no audio commentary track by the Hughes Brothers, something that would have been welcomed.
The Maximum Movie Mode is a picture-in-picture (PiP) track which plays over certain scenes of the film, showing behind the scenes clips as well as interviews with the cast and crew.
‘Eli’s Journey’ is a fifteen-minute featurette that goes into the human element of the story, and the biblical mission that Eli must tackle.
‘Starting Over’ allows key figures from the movie to offer theories of what would happen to the Earth and the people who survived if there were a nuclear war.
‘The Book of Eli Soundtrack’ has the film’s composer, Atticus Ross, discussing how the music plays a central role in Eli’s journey.
‘The Lost Tale: Billy’ is a five-minute animated piece that goes into Gary Oldman’s character Carnegie as a little boy.
There are three deleted scenes offered, but there’s nothing that enhances the film and it’s obvious why they ended up on the cutting room floor.
A second disc provides both a standard DVD copy as well as a Digital Copy when you’re on the go, so no matter how you want to experience the film, you’re set.
BOTTOM LINE
The Book of Eli is definitely worthy of your attention, not only as an action film, but something deeper because of the mood it leaves you with. The Blu-ray offers superb visuals and sound, and it’s worth the money just because you have three option formats to watch the film. Could there be a sequel or a prequel to this movie, in
SCORES (out of 5):
The Movie: 4.0
Video: 4.5
Sound: 4.5
Extras: 3.5
Bottom Line: 4.0