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The Book of Eli is the new futuristic action film from the Hughes brothers and starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, and Mila Kunis.  The story takes place in a futuristic world where a "flash of light" came and demolished everything turning the world into a rubbish filled wasteland.  The bible is the main component to this film and with all the other bibles burned, anyone whom possesses one or has found one has the holy grail.  The one item that can be used to command people and give those left on the earth hope and faith.

The film kicks off with Eli (Denzel Washington) traveling West.  As the story develops you come to find out he has found the beloved bible and will bedo everything in his power to heed the word of God and head West and that was what he was told to do after he was given the direction to find the book in the first place.  Along his journey he runs into bandits, high-jackers, and Gary Oldman's character who has been scouring the land for books hoping to find a bible for himself.  Once he realizes Eli contains the book he has been yearning for he will do everything in his power to get it as he wants to expand his power and rule over different cities instead of just one the one him and his bandits control. 

The film has a dark atmosphere to the lighting effects which helps drive the film and really give it a solid wasteland type feel.  The characters are dark and grimy having no real clean water source and no shampoo or anything else such as soap to keep them clean and from smelling bad.  The set landscapes and costumes were very well done and give you a solid sense of the turmoil that goes into trying to live and survive in this new world.

The film clocks in at just under two hours and was very well paced with no real down parts.  The action was more or less what you saw in the trailer which was kind of a bummer but it was still solid in moving the pace of the movie along at a solid rate.  The film was also full of different messages such as the word of the bible and how to live your life to the fullest.  Those who have a solid understanding of religion and the bible will find all kinds of references and messages while the others will still be able to identify with some but maybe not all of the messages including where the bible is placed during the final scene in San Francisco.

All in all the movie was pretty good, the script could have definitely been better which could have put this movie over the top as an excellent movie but Denzel Washington can do no wrong at any role he takes on and his of Eli as a badass was great. There is somewhat of a shocker near the end of the film which makes you go back and rethink everything that led up to that point which was cool.  Solid film especially for the month of January when it seems like movie studios put out all their "crap" per say.  Not sure if I'd recommend watching this in the theater, but is definitely one to see on DVD.

Grade: B-

-Aaron Yarborough