The Book of Eli

Theatrical Release Date: 2008 (USA) / 2010 01 15 (USA)

UPC: 883929103409

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Graphic Violence, Profanity]

Summary: 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

Category: Action

Features: Additional scenes
A Lost Tale: Billy animated short covering Carnegie's back story

The Book of Eli

Format: DVD

Release Date: 06/15/2010

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 118 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Book of Eli
1. Target [5:33]
2. Night's Rest [5:58]
3. Hijackers [6:54]
4. Stay on the Path [2:16]
5. Just a Customer [3:22]
6. Look For a Book [3:34]
7. Called to Account [3:44]
8. Cursed Be the Fround [1:54]
9. We're the Future [5:50]
10. Not Talking But Sharing [6:07]
11. What Kind of Book? [3:43]
12. I Love This Guy [5:11]
13. Worth the Trouble [2:11]
14. Saving Solara [2:10]
15. Protected Somehow [4:20]
16. Voice in My Head [2:51]
17. George and Martha [5:58]
18. Homewreckers [4:50]
19. Just a Man [4:11]
20. Solara Unbound [5:29]
21. West Coast [4:05]
22. Book Contents [4:27]
23. A Million Miles Away [6:16]
24. I Kept the Faith [3:33]

Cammila Collar

In the event of the apocalypse, there will be a prevalence of machetes, cannibalism, and white guys in dreadlocks and goggles. Things will be bleak, but at least you can follow Denzel Washington around as he wanders the parched landscape with floods of gravitas, occasionally engaging in awesomely staged silhouette-melees with bands of barbarian thugs.
This is the basic experience of The Book of Eli. It's not the coolest, deepest, or most badass post-apocalyptic thriller, but it's not terrible, and Washington's performance goes a long way. He plays your basic man with no name, a guy who's been traveling west on an apparent mission from God for the past 30 years -- since humanity effed itself with a massive war that somehow resulted in the sun depleting the earth of all its resources and most of its people. We know that he's a highly skilled ass-kicker; he looks sweet wielding a sawed-off shotgun and can take down entire teams of opponents with a Bowie knife. And we know that he radiates understated charisma; every time he engages with some hard-scrabbling citizen, he subdues them with the kind of mesmerizing charm that could put a rabid dog at ease. And, within enough proximity of the opening credits that it can't be considered a spoiler, we know that he's carrying a Bible with him on his journey, guarding it against all obstacles and foes.

Why it's taken him 30 years to reach the West Coast -- even on foot -- is not clear, but as he nears his destination, Washington's character happens upon a town, where Tom Waits barters chapstick and handy wipes, Mila Kunis glances furtively as she serves drinks, and Gary Oldman rules the settlement with an iron fist. So when the badass with no name shows up in the saloon one day and is forced to demonstrate his hard-hitting prowess on a gang of dreadlocked/goggled ruffians, he piques the mayor's interest. Soon, Oldman figures out that the holy book Denzel's carrying is the ultimate tool for controlling and exploiting the masses and sets his sights on obtaining it, while Kunis (who plays his sort-of stepdaughter) joins up with the hero and vows to help him defeat Oldman, and deliver the book to its mysterious destination out west.

That whole idea that religion can be used for good or for evil is pretty simplified, but after 2009's Nic Cage embarrassment Knowing, The Book of Eli feels damn near like a graduate-level seminar in faith. And while it's kind of a shame that dystopian heroes don't say much, it can't be denied that Washington's portrayal is top-tier for this kind of movie. The script can be a little weak -- there's a plot twist that may or may not make you gouge your eyes out, and lot of minor developments turn out to make no sense -- but the many pieces that make up the production, from the nuts-and-bolts illustrations of post-humanity survival to the immaculately constructed burned-out landscapes, are often breathtaking. It's clear that with a more sophisticated script to back it up, The Book of Eli could have been a lot better, but for a portrayal of society at the end of all prosperity and hope, it really could be a lot worse. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Denzel Washington  Producer 
Albert Hughes  Director 
Allen Hughes  Director 
Joel Silver  Producer 
David Valdes  Producer 
Broderick Johnson  Producer 
Andrew Kosove  Producer 
Steve Richards  Executive Producer 
Atticus Ross  Composer (Music Score) 
Gary Whitta  Screenwriter 
Erik Olsen  Executive Producer 
Susan Downey  Executive Producer 
Leopold Ross  Composer (Music Score) 
Claudia Sarne  Composer (Music Score) 
Denzel Washington  Actor 
Gary Oldman  Actor 
Mila Kunis  Actor 
Ray Stevenson  Actor 
Jennifer Beals  Actor 
Evan Jones  Actor 
Joe Pingue  Actor 
Frances de la Tour  Actor 
Michael Gambon  Actor 
Tom Waits  Actor 
Chris Browning  Actor 
Richard Cetrone  Actor 
Keith Davis  Actor 
Don Thai Theerathada  Actor 
Thom Harris Williams  Actor 
Lateef Crowder  Actor 
Lora Martinez Cunningham  Actor 
Scott Wilder  Actor 
Heidi Pascoe  Actor 
Jennifer Caputo  Actor 
Eddie Perez  Actor 
Spencer Sano  Actor 
Karin Silvestri  Actor 
Mike Gunther  Actor 
John Koyama  Actor 
Mike McCarty  Actor 
Scott Michael Morgan  Actor 
Sala Baker  Actor 
Arron Shiver  Actor 
Justin Tade  Actor 
Mike Seal  Actor 
Richard Smith  Actor 
Edward Duran  Actor 
David Wald  Actor 
Jermaine Washington  Actor 
Paul Crawford  Actor 
Kofi W. Elam  Actor 
Clay Donahue Fontenot  Actor 
Al Goto  Actor 
Brad Martin  Actor 
Tim Rigby  Actor 
Luis Bordonada  Actor 
Robert Powell  Actor 
Angelique Midthunder  Actor 
Todd Schneider  Actor 
Darrin Prescott  Actor 
Laurence Chavez  Actor 
Brian Lucero  Actor 
David Midthunder  Actor 

Country: USA