Honestly, walking into a theater in 2010 to watch a movie about a man carrying a book through the desert felt like a gamble. We’d already been through the bleakness of The Road and the campy fun of Mad Max. But The Book of Eli was something else entirely. It wasn't just another dusty action flick; it was a moody, sepia-toned meditation on what happens when the world loses its moral compass and the only thing left to fight for is a story.
Denzel Washington plays Eli, a man who has been walking west for thirty winters. He’s got a big machete, a pair of dark sunglasses, and a secret that basically defines the entire movie. It’s a "The Man with No Name" vibe, but with a holy mission. If you haven't seen it in a decade, you’ve probably forgotten how visceral the fighting is. Denzel trained with Jeff Imada—a student of the legendary Dan Inosanto—to make those combat scenes look authentic. No shaky cam. Just raw, rhythmic violence that feels earned.
The Book of Eli: A World Where Paper Is Gold
The setting is 2043. The "Big Flash" happened thirty years ago, and it literally tore a hole in the sky. People are killing each other for water and wet naps. It’s a mess. But what makes the movie interesting is the villain, Carnegie, played by Gary Oldman with a desperate, manic energy that only he can pull off. Carnegie doesn't want water or guns; he wants a book. He remembers a time when words could control people. He knows that if he can find a certain text, he won't just be a local warlord—he’ll be a god.
This is where the film gets smart. It asks a pretty heavy question: Is religion a tool for liberation or a weapon for control?
Eli carries the book because he was told to by a voice. He’s a protector. Carnegie wants the book because he wants to build an empire on its foundations. It's a classic power struggle, but the stakes are the very soul of what's left of humanity. Most post-apocalyptic movies focus on the "how" of survival—how to find food, how to fix a car. The Book of Eli focuses on the "why." Why bother living if there's no meaning left?
Why Denzel Washington’s Performance Is Sneaky Good
You have to watch this movie twice to really appreciate what Denzel is doing. On your first watch, he's just a cool, quiet warrior. On the second watch, after you know the "big twist" (which we’ll get to, don't worry), you realize he’s playing an entirely different character.
💡 You might also like: Finding Spirited Away Hindi Audio: Why This Dub Is So Hard To Track Down
He’s not just looking at things; he’s sensing them.
- He sniffs the air to detect enemies.
- He listens for the click of a gun.
- He touches things with a deliberate, tactile focus.
It’s a masterclass in subtlety. Denzel actually wrote a biography for Eli, deciding he was about 17 or 18 when the war happened and had worked at a Kmart. It’s those little details that ground the character. He’s not a superhero. He’s a guy who rememberers what a brand-new pair of socks feels like, and that memory drives him forward.
That Ending: The Twist That Everyone Still Argues About
Okay, let's talk about it. The big reveal that Eli is blind.
When Carnegie finally gets his hands on the book—after shooting Eli and leaving him for dead—he discovers it's written in Braille. He can't read it. All that effort, all those lives lost, and he’s holding a collection of bumps on a page. Meanwhile, Eli has reached his destination on the West Coast (Alcatraz, which is now a library) and begins to dictate the entire Bible from memory.
People hated this twist in 2010. They called it a "cheat."
But if you look back at the evidence, the Hughes Brothers weren't cheating; they were showing us the whole time. Eli’s eyes are always covered. He doesn't read the labels on the things he finds; he feels the shapes. When he fights the bikers in the tunnel at the beginning, he waits for them to come into the shadows where he has the advantage.
Is it a plot hole or a miracle?
Some critics, like Roger Ebert back in the day, found the ending "implausible." How does a blind man shoot people with a pistol? How does he navigate a wasteland full of traps?
The movie basically tells you: Faith.
Eli says he "walks by faith, not by sight." The film takes this literally. It’s a divisive choice, but it fits the neo-Western vibe perfectly. It elevates the story from a survivalist thriller to a modern-day parable. Whether you buy into the "divine protection" angle or not, you can't deny it makes for a hell of a conversation starter.
The Visuals and That Ashen Palette
The cinematography by Don Burgess is almost monochromatic. It’s not quite black and white, but it’s close. Everything is washed out, except for the occasional burst of fire or the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean at the very end. This wasn't just for style. The directors used "Red" digital cameras—which were pretty new tech at the time—to get that specific, high-contrast look that makes the sun feel like a physical threat.
The color returns only when Eli reaches the "Sanctuary." It’s a visual representation of hope returning to the world. It’s a bit on the nose, sure, but in a genre that usually loves grime and gray, the shift to green and blue feels like a massive relief.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Message
A lot of people dismissed this as "Christian propaganda" because the book is a Bible. But if you look at the final shot, Eli's dictated Bible is placed on a shelf next to the Torah and the Quran.
The movie isn't necessarily saying one religion is the answer. It’s saying that culture and knowledge are what keep us from turning into animals. Carnegie represents the misuse of that knowledge—the way leaders use dogma to justify tyranny. Eli represents the preservation of it. He’s a librarian with a sword.
Practical Lessons from the Wasteland
If you’re looking for a "Review of Book of Eli" that gives you something to take away, consider these points for your next rewatch:
- Look at the background: The film is littered with "Old World" relics that the characters don't understand. It makes the setting feel lived-in and tragic.
- Listen to the sound design: Since Eli relies on sound, the movie’s audio is incredibly dense. Every footstep and gust of wind matters.
- Watch Solara’s arc: Mila Kunis’s character isn't just a sidekick; she’s the one who carries the torch (literally and figuratively) at the end. She becomes the next Eli.
The Book of Eli is currently a massive streaming hit on platforms like AMC+, and honestly, it’s aged better than most of its contemporaries. It’s a reminder that even when the world ends, we’re still going to be fighting over the same things: power, survival, and the stories we tell ourselves to stay sane.
If you haven't seen it in a while, or if you only remember the "blind guy" twist, go back and watch it for the atmosphere. It's a gritty, gorgeous piece of filmmaking that manages to be both a popcorn action movie and a philosophical puzzle.
To get the most out of your next viewing, pay close attention to the scene where Eli and Solara visit the old couple (Michael Gambon and Frances de la Tour) in the house. It’s a weird, darkly funny sequence that highlights the sheer absurdity of trying to maintain "civilized" manners in a world where everyone is a cannibal. It's the most human moment in a movie that's usually focused on the divine.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you enjoyed the themes in this film, you should check out the 2024 television adaptation rumors or dive into the "Fallout" series, which shares a similar "wasteland western" aesthetic but with a much more satirical tone. Alternatively, revisiting Denzel Washington’s "Training Day" provides a fascinating contrast in how he plays a man who has completely lost the moral compass that Eli works so hard to protect.