Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Denzel...what else do I have to say?

"The Book of Eli" seemed like a great movie from the trailers I had seen. A futuristic world where Denzel Washington is traveling along a road beating people up and protecting his one possession...a mysterious book. I mean, it's Denzel...what else do I have to say? He's a handsome, talented, thought provoking, Academy Award-winning actor. He's the man. He can get the business without even having to ask.

The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world. It's been 30 winters since "The Flash" & we find Mr. Washington walking on the desolate road. We don't know where he is going but all of us in the theater are on the edge of our seats wondering what he's gonna do next.

For those of you who don't want me to spoil the movie...STOP READING HERE and go see it. Seriously, it's worth the $9 bucks and I almost never say that. Go see it and then check back with this post and let's compare notes. But for those of you that don't mind me giving some things away or have already seen it, please feel free to continue...and leave a comment. I don't mind :)

So, Denzel is this isolated lonely man who eats cats and kicks serious ass on his travels. The fight scenes were incredibly impressive. He was this super fast homeless ninja warrior who did not seem scared or rattled or even inconvenienced by the danger he was in. Just one more thing keeping him from his goal. All he wants is to keep walking towards his destination.

Denzel has a quiet cool about him. He is the kind of man, no matter what character he plays, where when he talks others listen...intently. Kinda like Samuel L..but a lot more hinged. And I have to say that even if he's a bit older than myself I still don't think he's hard on the eyes! In this film he brings a quiet purpose to whatever task lays in front of him, a confidence in his ability to overcome his obstacles, & a strong belief that he will accomplish his ultimate goal.

I would have been nervous as an actress playing opposite Denzel Washington & Gary Oldman. It would have showed in my performance just how intimidated I was to be sharing the screen with two such accomplished screen gods as Gary Oldman and Denzel Washington. Mila Kunis didn't seem to show her fear (if she had any). As a teenage brat in That 70's Show and the voice of Meg in Family Guy, I would not have thought she had the chops. But her vulnerability was channeled into this likable, moldable high spirited student. Her character recognized Eli as a strength which she desired for herself...not to possess but to model herself after. As she sits by the fire their first night on the road, she asks him, quite simply, to teach her.

The script was beautifully written. It had just the right amount of pain, violence, companionship, longing, desperation, hope, and thought provoking questions about humanity. The over all theme of the movie did not shove it's message down your throat but made you recognize the drastic implications of religious word. Possessing the word of God and being the one to bring it to the masses is a power that could be used to enlighten and inspire or control and manipulate.

I had been having a conversation with a few friends the other day about how the biggest world war is coming and we will probably be alive to see it. When water becomes a commodity, we will begin to see the end of life as we know it. Doomsday theories have become part of our popular culture...we hear R.E.M. singing about it on the radio. We see television shows theorizing about what it will be like when we are without our everyday resources and creature comforts like Jericho. & within the last 10 years we have been seeing more movies about the end of civilization coming out of Hollywood like Armageddon, Deep Impact, 2012, & now The Book of Eli.

This movie was not over dramatic, pretentious, or preachy. It was intelligent and did a great job of stating it's point. I loved it and think that I want to see it again to try and catch those subtleties that I missed the first time around.

The Book of Eli
Directed by : Albert & Allen Hughes
Written By:Gary Whitta
Opened on : January 15, 2010

Cast
Denzel Washington Eli
Gary Oldman Carnegie
Mila Kunis Solara
Ray Stevenson Redridge
Jennifer Beals Claudia
Tom Waits The Engineer

Viewed On : 01/19/2010
Viewed With : Monica
Viewed On: 01/22/10
Viewed With: Mom & Dad
Recommendation: Would Definitely see again in the theater as well as I would rent the DVD and own the film

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