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| Poster artwork for the action futuristic drama film The Book of Eli. |
Liturgical
Literature by Linh
The
Book of Eli is another post-apocalyptic drama following
other such films as The Road and the animated
futuristic feature 9, but bears a
heavier weight in religious content. The
film begins as mysteriously as the main character is introduced, with the story
gradually unfolding as more details are revealed to the audience.
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LONER: Eli
(Denzel Washington) walks alone for over thirty years on a special mission in
the film The Book of Eli. Image: Sony
Pictures.
|
The central protagonist is a lone messenger named Eli,
who is on a mission heading West, to bring a particular book to its final
destination. Along the way, he encounters numerous situations representing the
decay and demoralisation of humanity. All forms of literature, music and basic
necessities have been destroyed in the ‘religious’ war, and water has become
scarce. There is no longer a monetary exchange system, with the barter or
bargaining scheme being used in its place. Eli’s journey spans over thirty
years, which sees him protect and deliver the book that will eventually save humankind
for future generations.
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| CONFESSION: Eli (Denzel Washington) reveals his mission to Solara (Mila Kunis) in the film The Book of Eli. Image: Sony Pictures. |
The complex context of the film lies behind the notion of
what the book represents to those who seek it and those who will benefit from
its preservation. The book’s identity is unveiled from Eli’s recitations
through memorising passages from it, and the desperate pursuit of the book by
the wealthy and educated businessman Carnegie. Many parallels are drawn from
the film’s content such as the lone messenger being analogous to Mohammed the
prophet who carries the word of Allah in the Muslim’s faith of Islam; or the
westerly direction taken by Eli, which may resemble the legend of a young
Buddhist monk who travels to the West to obtain the sacred scriptures of
Buddha.
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CRUELTY:
Carnegie (Gary Oldman) subjects Claudia (Jennifer Beals) to daily torture in
front of her daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) in the film The Book of Eli. Image: Sony Pictures.
|
Other comparisons are those relating to the days when the
Church had total power in a society where illiteracy was widespread due to the
lack of books/education for the poor and the distinct class structures. The
Gutenberg printing press instigated changes to all that with the Bible being
the very first book to be published. The purpose of using religion as a basis
for restoring the morals and values of humanity may be a deliberate ploy to
attract a particular demographic for this film. It may also be a way to explain
how society functions on a fundamental level with the aid of liturgical
literature, and through reading, people will apply their knowledge to the world
in which they live.
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PRAYER: Eli
(Denzel Washington) and Solara (Mila Kunis) say grace before eating in the film
The Book of Eli. Image: Sony
Pictures.
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The cast’s performances are excellent and the Hughes
brothers’ direction is well-paced, and cleverly edited to give audiences a few
surprises. Denzel Washington is onboard as a producer and his input shows in
his earnest portrayal of Eli, who is extremely focussed on his mission and
ensures nothing distracts him. Eli has a finely-tuned sense of hearing and
smell, but these sharp sensory skills are explained at the end of the film.
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PROTECTION:
Solara (Mila Kunis) and Eli (Denzel Washington) take cover in the film The Book of Eli. Image: Sony Pictures.
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The main antagonist is Carnegie, played with haughty zest
by Gary Oldman. Oldman gives a polished performance in a role that would easily
have become a caricature, but in his capable hands, Carnegie is villainous,
vulnerable and proud; Mila Kunis is a shining talent on the rise with her
performance as Solara, a curious and courageous young woman eager to learn and
help Eli; Star of the 1980s dance film Flashdance,
Jennifer Beals, is superb as Claudia, the tortured and long-suffering mother of
Solara, whose blindness becomes a strong bargaining tool rather than a
disadvantage.
The
Book of Eli is an extraordinary imagining of a world
where literature and reading skills equate to power and control, with the faith
in religion holding together a society devastated by war. Some audiences will enjoy this film more if
they don’t take the religious ramblings too seriously.
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CONFRONTATION:
George (Michael Gambon), Eli (Denzel Washington) and Solara (Mila Kunis) face
danger in the film The Book of Eli.
Image: Sony Pictures.
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Directors:
Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes
Writer: Gary
Whitta (screenplay)
Cast:
Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, Jennifer Beals, Michael Gambon, Tom
Waits, Ray Stevenson, Joe Pingue, Evan Jones, Frances de la Tour, Chris
Browning
Producers:
Denzel Washington, Joel Silver, Erik Olsen, Richard D. Zanuck, Steve Richards,
Susan Downey, Steven P. Wegner, David Valdes, Broderick Johnson, John David
Washington, Andrew A. Kosove, Brad Arensman, Yolanda T. Cochran
Original
Music Composers: Claudia Sarne, Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross
Cinematographer: Don
Burgess (Director of Photography)
Film
Editor: Cindy Mollo
Production: Gae
S. Buckley (Production Designer), Christopher Burian- Mohr (Art Director),
Patrick Cassidy (Set Decorator)
Costume
Designer: Sharen Davis
Running
Time: 2 hours
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