Sidewalks On The Corner

In the post apocalyptic future, the entire nation sits in ruins, destroyed by a world war. Among the mangled cars and crumbling skyscrapers, one man must travel the wastelands to protect a sacred book, which is the last of its kind.

Follow up:

THE BOOK OF ELI
Alcon Entertainment / Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Date: Friday, January 15, 2010 (Wide)
MPAA Rating: R for some brutal violence and language
Running Time: 118 Minutes (approx.)
URL: http://thebookofelimovie.com
Starring: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals, Frances de la Tour and Michael Gambon
Directed by: The Hughes Brothers
Screenplay by: Gary Whitta
Produced by: Joel Silver, Denzel Washington, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove and David Valdes

Studio Synopsis:
In the not-too-distant future, some 30 years after the final war, a solitary man walks across the wasteland that was once America. Empty cities, broken highways, seared earth—all around him, the marks of catastrophic destruction. There is no civilization here, no law. The roads belong to gangs that would murder a man for his shoes, an ounce of water…or for nothing at all.

But they’re no match for this traveler.

A warrior not by choice but necessity, Eli (Denzel Washington) seeks only peace but, if challenged, will cut his attackers down before they realize their fatal mistake. It’s not his life he guards so fiercely but his hope for the future; a hope he has carried and protected for 30 years and is determined to realize. Driven by this commitment and guided by his belief in something greater than himself, Eli does what he must to survive—and continue.

Only one other man in this ruined world understands the power Eli holds, and is determined to make it his own: Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the self-appointed despot of a makeshift town of thieves and gunmen. Meanwhile, Carnegie’s adopted daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) is fascinated by Eli for another reason: the glimpse he offers of what may exist beyond her stepfather’s domain.

But neither will find it easy to deter him. Nothing—and no one—can stand in his way. Eli must keep moving to fulfill his destiny and bring help to a ravaged humanity.

Alcon Entertainment presents a Silver Pictures production, a Hughes Brothers Film: “The Book of Eli.” The film stars two-time Academy Award winner® Denzel Washington (“Training Day,” “Glory”), Gary Oldman (“The Dark Knight,” the “Harry Potter” films), Mila Kunis (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), Ray Stevenson (“Punisher: War Zone”), Jennifer Beals (Showtime’s “The L Word”), Frances de la Tour and Michael Gambon (both of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”).

“The Book of Eli” is directed by the Hughes Brothers (“Menace II Society,” “Dead Presidents”) from a screenplay by Gary Whitta. It is produced by Joel Silver, Denzel Washington, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove and David Valdes. Steve Richards, Susan Downey and Erik Olsen serve as executive producers, with co-producers Steven P. Wegner, Yolanda T. Cochran and John David Washington.

The creative team includes director of photography Don Burgess, production designer Gae Buckley, editor Cindy Mollo and costume designer Sharen Davis. Jon Farhat is the visual effects supervisor. Music is composed by Atticus Ross, and the music supervisor is Deva Anderson.

J.P.'s Take:
“The Book of Eli” is not your typical Sci-Fi film. Think of it as a western-themed, sci-fi drama. To give the audience a general idea of what the film mostly resembles, it's nice mixture of films like “I Am Legend,” “Mad Max” with some elements of “The Terminator” film series sprinkled in. It starts out silent as the tenseness builds throughout, which sets the tone for the entire movie. The haunting atmosphere stays with you through the journey. What impressed me the most about the movie is the story itself: it's a deep seeded message about the true value of life.

It's not until all of the material things are stripped away that we realize life is precious and not to be taken for granted. Another message the audience may take away from “The Book” is that knowledge is the ultimate power. So now the fight becomes that for its possession. But who will claim it, those who will use it for the good of all people or those who wish to rule with an iron fist? The message is all too clear, however, it’s not preachy nor overtly in your face. Instead the story is direct--to the point and all too real.

What’s equally as impressive is it's not spilling over with eye candy -- meaning the special effects are not running the film. The characters are put up front to bring the story to life. There are a few unexplained situations, like how did Eli escape death several times; why wasn't he killed when shot in the back; or how was he able to get out of a room, which was supposed to be guarded with out being noticed? In my opinion those minor flaws can be easily overlooked. I feel the weight of the message would allow the audience to draw its own conclusion about how and why those things happened.

As Eli, Denzel Washington is the lone ranger -- so to speak. Washington conjures a Jedi like spirit as he plays a peaceful soothsayer, who protects the good book and carries a pretty big machete. Gary Oldman plays Carnegie, who head hunts Eli for the book. I felt Oldman played an excellent diabolical mad man bent on ruling the world. However, here I wished he could have turned the evildoer volume down a notch. Largely, he’s perfect for the part. Mila Kunis plays Solara, who at first appears Kunis’ part is of no use to the story or to Eli. It’s not until she endures some hardships of her own that her character is forged and towards the end it becomes clearer. I felt she did a nice job. The almost unrecognizable Jennifer Beals makes a surprise appearance as Claudia; her performance, unfortunately at times, felt labored and slightly unconvincing. Although I wasn’t as impressed with her performance, it was nice to see her back on the big screen again.

Over all, I believe the audience may have mixed feelings about "The Book of Eli." Some people may find the pacing to be too slow, while others may find the speed just right. But, I believe most of all, people may understand the true meaning and get the jest of the film as a whole --- whether they like it or not. The story develops into something satisfying. A meaningful story is what is missing in today’s Sci-Fi movies. I'm glad to see the Hughes Brothers return to the cinematic world. They know how to shoot a real movie. I felt it's really worth the watch.

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J.P. Langston is a member of "Sidewalks Entertainment" team primarily as a videographer. He loves movies, especially sci-fi horror and action comedies. Some of his favorite films include "Blade Runner" "The Matrix Trilogy," The (original) "Star Wars," "Equilibrium," "Serenity," "Kill Bill Vols 1 and 2," "Appleseed," "Unbreakable" and "Sin City." He has a large DVD collection, which is still growing. Since reviewing films for "Sidewalks," he has been expanding his palette for all types of films.