Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Future-set action epic is heavy on comic book violence.
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The Book of Eli
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
Based on 36 kid reviews
Kids say this film combines a gripping story set in a dystopian future with themes of faith, morality, and redemption, often showcasing the struggles of the main character against a violent backdrop. While praised for its cinematic quality and thought-provoking message, many reviews highlight the considerable violence, strong language, and mature themes, making it more suitable for older teens rather than younger viewers.
- faith themes
- strong violence
- mature content
- compelling story
- great acting
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In a post-apocalyptic future, Eli (Denzel Washington) has one goal: to carry the last remaining copy of The Bible toward the West, hoping to find a safe place for it. Meanwhile, he encounters all kinds of villains, scoundrels, and cannibals on the road and must use his weapons and considerable combat skills to get past them. Wandering into a lawless town looking for water, he meets the educated Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who's after a copy of the Bible that he can use to control the townspeople. Eli merely wishes to continue with his mission, but Carnegie won't take no for an answer. Eli's situation gets tougher when he finds himself attached to pretty young runaway Solara (Mila Kunis).
Is It Any Good?
THE BOOK OF ELI is an effective post-apocalyptic action movie with elements from both comic books and Westerns thrown in for good measure. For instance, to protect themselves from the harsh sunlight, all the characters wear sunglasses or goggles, but rather than rendering them impersonal or distant, they only ramp up the movie's cool factor.
The action is exceedingly well directed, exciting, and sometimes surprising, even if the storytelling relies on some tried-and-true chestnuts. Like the best science-fiction tales, it has an underlying agenda -- this time it's mainly about organized religion's use of the Bible -- but the message never outweighs the story's thrust. Washington is powerful as the stoic, loner hero, and Oldman happily chews the scenery as the bad guy. But Kunis' role unfortunately seems little more than a plot device.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. How does the movie's tone affect the impact of the action/fight scenes? Does it feel realistic?
What do movies set in post-apocalyptic futures (Children of Men, I Am Legend, The Road, etc.) have to say about the way we, as humans, feel at the moment?
What are the movie's messages about religion? Is it trying to make a specific statement about the subject?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 15, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : June 15, 2010
- Cast : Denzel Washington , Gary Oldman , Mila Kunis
- Directors : Albert Hughes , Allen Hughes
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 118 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some brutal violence and language
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : August 10, 2024
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