The Book of Eli in cinemas now

W

Wheelbarrow

First time out of the vault
Post-apocalyptic aficionados may wish to take a look at recently released action/PA Denzel Washington vehicle The Book of Eli.<blockquote>Eli (Denzel Washington) has been on a journey for 30 years, walking west across America after a cataclysmic war that turned the earth into a total wasteland. The world has become a lawless civilization where people must kill or be killed. The barren roads belong to gangs of cutthroats who rob and kill for water, a pair of shoes, a lighter, or just for fun. Eli is a peaceful man who only acts in self defense, and becomes a warrior with unbelievable killing skills when he is challenged. After the war and the "Big Flash", Eli was guided by a higher power to a hidden book and given the task of protecting the book and taking it to its final destination. Eli guards the book with his life, because he knows that the book is the only hope that humanity has for its future.</blockquote>In a post on our forums, Wheelbarrow claims it was very reminiscent of Fallout<blockquote>Very interesting; and blatantly fallout. Everything about it reminded me alot of the first two FO games. The people, the places, the music too. I even saw a vault-tec like advertisement poster for large fallout shelters on the wall in a couple of scenes.

It wasn't the most incredible movie ever, but it was pretty dang good. I enjoyed it, especially being a Fallout fan.</blockquote>
 
I don't know. I loved the idea of a post apocalyptic based movie but the premise that the bible is the last and only hope for humanity. Seems ridiculous to me. I'm not a fan of religion and am an atheist so you can see why this is turning me away from seeing this movie.
 
"The Road" seems to be the better movie (for me) but it doesnt show up in cinemas, so I give this one a try.
 
Friend of mine that has seen it said "the script is like a wet dream of 12 years old boy from catholic school" and overall did not like it that much. But I will still see it because I love everything post-apo. Hopefully it will not be THAT bad.
 
yeah, kinda glad englishmuffin just ruined it right there. now i don't have to see this trash and be disappointed with it's 'GOD IS THE ANSWER' message.
 
warsaw said:
yeah, kinda glad englishmuffin just ruined it right there. now i don't have to see this trash and be disappointed with it's 'GOD IS THE ANSWER' message.
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Depending on where the movie is in terms of the scale of idealism versus cynicism it could be anywhere from the guy being the second coming of Moses who brings peace and love to the wartorn world, to a delusional old man, blindly killing in desperate, effortless rage, clinging to a tattered old meaningless book.

From the comments I've seen so far it's leaning towards the first - and I don't like it. Sure, making a world so evil where the sky rains needles and the most just character is one who killed his own mother and incestly newborn brother because he wanted to test out a new gun makes the viewer uninterested and ultimately the audience stops caring.. but face-palming idealism is just as bad, if not worse.
 
Yikes, spoilers.

In this case, englishmuffin's post doesn't really spoil much, and I definitely wouldn't dismiss the whole movie just because it may have some type of religious element in the plot.

The strengths of the film are in the atmosphere, the setting, and the portrayal of life in the wasteland IMO. To dismiss it because the plot has to do with the bible (and it is definitely not an overt endorsement of Christianity or any other religion) is pretty foolish.
If you enjoyed fallout, I think you will at the least find the movie interesting.

Like I said before, It's definitely not a classic, but for Fallout fans it's worth a look ;).
 
While the story may not be focused on it, it brings up again the subject how the bible is going to liberate the world and other such nonsense.

I am not anti religious or anything, and have nothing against those who believe in the mainstream religions, but I rather don't have this kind of promotion in a movie.
 
EnglishMuffin said:
[spoiler:74d08c0a0c]I don't know. I loved the idea of a post apocalyptic based movie but the premise that the bible is the last and only hope for humanity. Seems ridiculous to me. I'm not a fan of religion and am an atheist so you can see why this is turning me away from seeing this movie.[/spoiler:74d08c0a0c]
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I am sure youre one of those heroic people that comes out of Star Wars - The empire strikes back, explaining how mediocre the movie was and telling loudly who Darth Vader was really. :P

But I agree, if that is really what Elis book is about ... then its one of the worst things ever.

archont said:
warsaw said:
yeah, kinda glad englishmuffin just ruined it right there. now i don't have to see this trash and be disappointed with it's 'GOD IS THE ANSWER' message.
Click to expand...

Depending on where the movie is in terms of the scale of idealism versus cynicism it could be anywhere from the guy being the second coming of Moses who brings peace and love to the wartorn world, to a delusional old man, blindly killing in desperate, effortless rage, clinging to a tattered old meaningless book.
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Jup just this time dual wielding swords instead of throwing aroud stones with commandments.

Anyway. I actualy dont like this approach not for a post apoc movie. If something like The Prophecy as movie is using this as main theme, with the Book of Revelation or something thats a good thing in my eyes, mainly cause the actors have been well choosen and the plot wasnt to cliche.

I would have expected for Eli, either to never reveal the informations in the book, sometimes one mystery more is better then a stupid explanation, or to show something technical. Maybe simple knowledge.
 
I thought it was pretty clear the book was a religious one from pretty much everything I've ever heard of the movie, from the trailers to that blurb to the name of the movie itself. Mind, I thought it was about a new gospel to add to the bible or something like that, not the bible itself (never would have guessed that, since there are probably as many bibles around as there are people, once you include all the ones in those crappy motels). It's very clear that it's a religious film, especially the bit about Eli being 'guided bye a higher power'. EnglishMuffin's post isn't a spoiler any more than if I told you '2 Fast 2 Furious' was a movie that had lots of fast cars and racing in it.
 
I just checked the wiki article on this movie.

Apparently the version of the bible that survived was the King James' version.

The same version nutbags like Jack Chick use to promote Christianity.

Way to go movie writer.

I guess the post apocalyptic world will be a more fertile ground for this version of the bible to thrive.
 
archont said:
warsaw said:
yeah, kinda glad englishmuffin just ruined it right there. now i don't have to see this trash and be disappointed with it's 'GOD IS THE ANSWER' message.
Click to expand...

Depending on where the movie is in terms of the scale of idealism versus cynicism it could be anywhere from the guy being the second coming of Moses who brings peace and love to the wartorn world, to a delusional old man, blindly killing in desperate, effortless rage, clinging to a tattered old meaningless book.

From the comments I've seen so far it's leaning towards the first - and I don't like it. Sure, making a world so evil where the sky rains needles and the most just character is one who killed his own mother and incestly newborn brother because he wanted to test out a new gun makes the viewer uninterested and ultimately the audience stops caring.. but face-palming idealism is just as bad, if not worse.
Click to expand...

If the latter were the case, I'd see the movie. I'm not against religion, but when it becomes the overshadowing theme, then the story becomes pretty pointless. Especially when the subject at hand is "humanity".

They did the same thing with I am Legend. The book had nothing to do with religion. In fact, I'm pretty sure the main character forsakes God at one point. Which was the whole point of the story: man can stand on his own. The movie turned it around, blamed everything on miracles, and how everything that happened was by God's hands, and implying that we're all just puppets no matter what.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't wanna go to a movie about survival and humanity, and end up being told to go to church.
 
This doesn't sound appealing to me. I saw The Road, but didn't care for it much either. The book was better. I'll maybe see it on discount night, but if its pretty much religion, I doubt I'll like it.
 
Yeah.. I won't be downloading this.. err.. I mean.. going to see it in the theaters.. (cough)

Even more than I hate movies that preach.. I hate movies with Denzel Washington.
 
Uhhh... This sounds just like "The Stand". It was the same "religion is the only answer and God is still your master" crap. The only redeeming quality was seeing a rape scene with a almost naked Laura San Giacomo. It was... heavenly. :lol:
 
Haven't seen the film, but from first glimpse I figured that it went like this:

Denzel reads the Bible.
DENZEL: I know kung-fu.
Denzel saves humanity.
 
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