"Book of Eli"

I have been waiting for this film to unspool for quite a while, and with Denzel Washington in the lead I was expecting great things. Although the film is directed by a relatively new team (The Hughes Brothers), I was prepared for solid performance from Washington.

Based in a post-apocalyptic world, The Book of Eli revolves around the actions of one man, and his dealings with other "survivors". Eli has been wandering the Earth for 30 years, "ever since the big flash in the sky" - he only carries a knapsack. On screen Eli's (Washington) first interaction with others results in a violent altercation. We aren't subjected to the full brutality of the fight, because it occurs in the shadow of an over pass - but we know exactly what went down, it's clear. During his travels, Eli stops at a settlement (think Mad Max). The town is baron, uninviting and downright dirty - it's run by a gang, headed up by Carnegie (Gary Oldman). They have a very mysterious goal...(I won't spoil that one for you!)

Eli is well-kept and does not fit the bill of an ordinary wanderer - he doesn't blend in. Right away he is singled out and, with his excellent combat skills, recruited by Carnegie (Oldman) to be a part of the gang. Eli respectfully declines, but this isn't the last he will see of the gang - even after he leaves the settlement.

Overall, I thought The Book of Eli was OK - however as a whole, it didn't live up to my expectations. Denzel Washington played Eli exceptionally well, but wasn't well supported by the rest of the cast.....As Solara, Mila Kunis was dreadful - but I wasn't expecting much from the Forgetting Sarah Marshall star, so I wasn't disappointed. She plays a hard-ass, naive young woman who was born after the war - very rough around the edges. For me though, Mila Kunis isn't a strong-willed, violent character actress....she was not well cast and failed miserably. I think she should just stick to comedies and looking good!

As far as everyone else ---- they played the stereotypical roles of 'boss' and 'henchmen', often flirting too much with the generic forms of their characters. Although Gary Oldman (Carnegie) is pretty terrifying as the leader - he rules by fear, and doesn't let anyone forget it.

I don't want to deter any of you from seeing this movie, because I thoroughly enjoyed it! Denzel Washington is always amazing, and makes the film worth the money. I'm very glad that The Hughes Brothers chose him to star - it's his performance that holds it all together.

"You wanna go to jail or go home?": Alonzo (Washington) - Training Day