'The Book Of Eli'

'The Book Of Eli' (R) ***

Writer: Gary Whitta
Directors: Allen and Albert Hughes
Starring: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Beals, Ray Stevenson, Michael Gambon

"The Book Of Eli" is another post apocalyptic "Mad Max" like drama with a religious bent to it and it is better than I expected. Denzel Washington can almost sell me anything because he is always so cool, assured and so great in every role he plays. Actually if he wasn't in this movie it would be more of a close call. This is a very well directed movie that has a decent story, some good action and some good gory kills. The movie also looks beautiful for a movie centered on the World after most of it has been destroyed. The movie concerns a drifter named Eli played by Washington who wanders this desolate World looking like Mad Max. All the bad guys including Gary Oldman, who is at his histrionic best, look like leftovers from the "Mad Max" movies. "The Book Of Eli" though is probably the best movie of it's kind since the last Mad Max film. Yes I mention the groundbreaking and best movie trilogy ever because Eli is another in a long line of movies inspired by Mad Max. The Mad Max movies are three of my favorite movies period of all time. I am usually bored by the countless rip offs but Eli passed my test. It has a solid story, another great Denzel Washington performance and the movie looks damn good. The direction is crisp, the acting good and the action scenes are well done. I also must mention that Mila Kunis is making an impression on me as Washington's sidekick here. She was also very good in last year's under appreciated comedy "Extract".

Now "The Book Of Eli" has a pretty deep religious angle to the story and I actually think religion classes in high school might be showing this to their students. I can picture my old religion teacher Brother Sean showing us this movie at old Carmel High. Now I pretty much roll my eyes when a movie spouts religious stuff like a zealot but here I think the religion angle is done subtly and well. This is actually a cool, exciting and adventurous movie as opposed to the do gooder movie "Extraordinary Measures" which is boring. So what you have in "The Book Of Eli" is a post apocalyptic action movie that has a message but also entertains. This is a big return to form for the Hughes Brothers who are very talented storytellers and directors.