Opening

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—— Alyce Kills May 24

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—— After Earth May 31
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The Book of Eli (2010)

tomatometer

48

Average Rating: 5.4/10
Reviews Counted: 192
Fresh: 92 | Rotten: 100

It's certainly uneven, and many viewers will find that its reach exceeds its grasp, but The Book of Eli finds the Hughes brothers injecting some fresh stylish fun into the kind of post-apocalyptic wasteland filmgoers have seen more than enough of lately.

44

Average Rating: 5.6/10
Critic Reviews: 39
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 22

It's certainly uneven, and many viewers will find that its reach exceeds its grasp, but The Book of Eli finds the Hughes brothers injecting some fresh stylish fun into the kind of post-apocalyptic wasteland filmgoers have seen more than enough of lately.

audience

68

liked it
Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 308,107

My Rating

Movie Info

In a post-apocalyptic America where the once-picturesque countryside has become a desolate and violent wasteland, one man (Denzel Washington) fights to protect that sacred tome that could hold the key to the survival of the human race in this futuristic thriller from filmmaking duo Albert and Allen Hughes (From Hell and Dead Presidents). Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, and Ray Stevenson co-star in the Warner Bros. production. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

R,

Action & Adventure

,

Gary Whitta

Jun 15, 2010

$94.3M

Warner Bros. Pictures - Official Site External Icon

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All Critics (192) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (93) | Rotten (102) | DVD (9)

The Hughes brothers' film feels more vibrant than the bleak Road, which was launched at us in November. Here the brothers show us the horror but somehow the staid and calm Denzel feels more approachable than the distraught and scrambling Viggo.

May 6, 2011 Full Review Source: Film.com | Comment (1)
Film.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

t's a post-apocalyptic western, it's an evangelical tract, it's a road movie, it's a martial arts movie, it's a disaster movie, it's a graphic novel. It's equal parts The Road and The Robe, A Fistful of Dollars and Fist of Fury. It's Mad Max meets Left Be

March 2, 2010 Full Review Source: Film.com | Comments (6)
Film.com
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Washington doesn't look as if he's having much fun, and who can blame him?

January 22, 2010 Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | Comments (5)
Christian Science Monitor
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I'm not going to give it away, but there's a final plot twist in this movie that is beyond absurd.

January 19, 2010 Full Review Source: At the Movies | Comments (62)
At the Movies
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Really, it's just another prophet-in-the-wilderness tale -- not nearly as bad as those trailers would suggest, yet neither will your soul run any risk of enlightenment.

January 15, 2010 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Allen and Albert Hughes have created a plausible post-apocalyptic world.

January 15, 2010 | Comments (5)
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

"The Book of Eli" falls prey to several of the problems that "The Road" had, and while it wasn't as big a failure as that film, it's still a lot of apocalyptic wasteland to get through.

September 24, 2012 Full Review Source: Examiner.com
Examiner.com

The ending of this film has got to be the longest ending in the history of cinema.

July 30, 2012 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures
7M Pictures

I sat down to The Book of Eli expecting a lecture, and was instead treated to a rollicking action film that evoked the manic ultra-violence of Mad Max rather than the sensitive study of humanity of The Road.

October 21, 2010 Full Review Source: Quickflix
Quickflix

The prophet Denzel practices his preach in the post-apocalyptic western The Book of Eli. Jesus will not be pleased.

July 27, 2010 Full Review Source: Matt's Movie Reviews
Matt's Movie Reviews

...a watchable endeavor that should please fans of the genre...

July 24, 2010 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | Comment (1)
Reel Film Reviews

The Book of Eli was missing a few chapters.

July 6, 2010 Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | Comment (1)
3BlackChicks Review

While the movie has illusions of portentousness, it can - and should - be taken as a chance to see good actors having a little too much ultra-violent fun.

July 3, 2010 Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

... this post-apocalyptic odyssey manages to bring a spiritual miracle journey to the secular world and deliver a payoff on both levels.

June 27, 2010 Full Review Source: MSN.com | Comments (7)
MSN.com

A crackpot blend of sadism and scriptures, and reeking with the raw scent of a fanatical fundamentalism in cool video game clothing.

June 18, 2010 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze
NewsBlaze

A crackpot blend of sadism and scriptures, and reeking with the raw scent of a fanatical fundamentalism in cool video game clothing.

June 18, 2010 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | Comments (4)
NewsBlaze

It's not a great film, but has moments of brilliance. Jennifer Beals is outstanding and the lack of heavy-handed religious grandstanding is a welcome touch.

June 10, 2010 Full Review Source: Cinema Sight
Cinema Sight

Despite Denzel Washington turning in a trademark, charismatic performance underscored by appropriately monochromatic cinematography, the film is still surprisingly unengaging.

June 10, 2010 Full Review Source: TheLoop21.com
TheLoop21.com

...given a chance, without thinking too much about its simplistic moralizing, it can provide a rousing good time in the action department. (Blu-ray Combo Edition)

June 7, 2010 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

...if you can't get enough of this postapocalyptic stuff,'The Book of Eli' isn't a bad addition to the genre.

June 7, 2010 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

"I'm not certain the shell-game resolution is worth the journey, but the picture is satisfactorily atmospheric and often challenging, perhaps even unintentionally chilling in its closing statement of devotion."

June 2, 2010 Full Review Source: BrianOrndorf.com
BrianOrndorf.com

Its unusual ambition and thoughtfulness make it resonate a bit more than most slick studio action fare.

May 17, 2010 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com
TheMovieReport.com

Coming hot on the heels of The Road, Eli is a far more conventional and formulaic vision of future hell.

May 13, 2010 Full Review Source: Flicks.co.nz
Flicks.co.nz

Audience Reviews for The Book of Eli

A post apocalyptic hell with plenty of faith thrown in. Good action sequences and the books twist at the end made me smile.
January 14, 2010
jmanard52

Super Reviewer

Among the cliches and bad acting there is a good story in The Book of Eli. I like a good post-apocalyptic movie but I hate the now cliched post-apocalyptic gangs on Motorcycles, everyone being mean to each other etc , I liked the idea of the Bible being a weapon of sorts though, a way to control that only those born before the 'event' understand. It's quite a clever idea but it gets ridiculously preachy. Sure, save what you can but the whole 'God sent me' storyline is stupid (yeah, thanks for the Apocalypse God, very nice of you, cheers!). Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman are ok, Oldman maybe just a little on the wrong side of over the top but both are in the clear compared to Mila Kunis's performance. Honestly, they should have just animated Meg in there and had done with it. Was that Michael Gambon? I didn't even notice, maybe because I was a little bored towards the end, although I liked the Gary Oldman ending but not the Washington ending so much. *Spoiler* I'm sure if you were to re-watch the film you'd find a scene where Washington obviously isn't blind but who can really be bothered.
February 27, 2013
SirPant

Super Reviewer

    1. Eli: Cursed be the ground for our sake. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for us. For out of the ground we were taken, for the dust we are... and to the dust we shall return.
    – Submitted by Taylor W (14 months ago)
    1. Eli: I walk by faith, not by sight.
    – Submitted by Sara L (20 months ago)
    1. Eli: With all my heart and soul. [pauses] I always believed that I'd find a place where this book belonged, where it was neededâ?¦ but I haven't found it yet.
    – Submitted by Marc L (21 months ago)
    1. Solara: It's amazing you two have survived out here all by yourselves.
    2. Martha: Well George is somewhat of a handyman, we've had a few try and take it from us, haven't we George!
    3. George: Yes we have.
    – Submitted by James W (2 years ago)
    1. Martha: I know what the fuck I'm doin'!
    – Submitted by James W (2 years ago)
    1. Eli: You got anymore weapons?
    2. George: Weapons! I'll show you weapons!
    – Submitted by James W (2 years ago)

Discussion Forum

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Latest News on The Book of Eli

June 15, 2010:
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January 14, 2010:
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January 13, 2010:
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Foreign Titles

  • Book of Eli (UK)
  • Le Livre d'Eli (FR)
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