The Book of Eli

The Book of Eli 2009

• Director: The Hughes Brothers
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beales, Frances de la Tour, Michael Gambon, Tom Waits, Malcolm McDowell
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Denzel Washington – Philadelphia, The Great Debaters, Antwone Fisher, The Siege, Devil in a Blue Dress, The Pelican File, Much Ado about Nothing, Malcolm X, Mississippi Masala, Mo’ Better Blues
• Gary Oldman – The Space Between Us, The Dark Knight Arises, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Friends, The Fifth Element, Immortal Beloved, Léon, Romeo Is Bleeding, True Romance, Dracula, JFK, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Prick Up Your Ears, Sid and Nancy, Meanwhile
• Mila Kunis – Jupiter Ascending, Black Swan
• Ray Stevenson - Thor
• Jennifer Beales – The Last Days of Disco, Devil in a Blue Dress, Flashdance
• Frances de la Tour – Vicious, The Lady in the Van, Into the Woods, Hugo, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Love Actually, Cold Lazarus
• Michael Gambon – Fortitude, Victoria and Abdul, The Hollow Crown, Quirke, The Quartet, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, The King’s Speech, Cranford, Amazing Grace, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Gosford Park, Longitude, Sleepy Hollow, Mary Reilly and more
• Tom Waits – Coffee and Cigarettes, Short Cuts, Mystery Train, Ironweed, Down by Law, Rumblefish, The Outsiders
• Malcolm McDowell –so many I can’t remember them all but here are some: Doomsday, Hidalgo, My Life So Far, Bopha!, Voyage of the Damned, O! Lucky Man, A Clockwork Orange, If…
• Why? Washington and Oldman
• Seen: Once before. Now 17 May 2020      

       Just today I saw on IMDb that this film is on a list of films that bombed but have become cult, or got bad reviews abut are very good. Or something. I remember liking it.

       The Walker (Washington wanders the dystopian world of ruins after a catastrophe some thirty years ago. He kills people who threaten him. He listens to his M3Player. He reads a Book.

       He comes to a town run by Carnegie (Oldman) whose gangs bring him books, but never the right one. He also kills people.

       It’s very taut and atmospheric, filmed mostly in muted sepias. Religion is a theme which makes the film problematic. In a way it’s interesting, in a way it’s banal and silly. It feels profound but isn’t really. Still, it’s fascinating and visually brilliant. Besides, any film with Sirius Black, Madame Maxine and Dumbledore gets an extra *.

4* of 5