Ms. Manitoba Goes to the Movies: The Book of Eli

On Saturday evening my 17 year old and I went out to the movies. She had been studying all afternoon and I promised her, if she worked hard, I'd take her out. She wanted to see The Book of Eli ... if truth be told, so did I. I *love* Denzel Washington. I went to see him in Julius Caeser when I was in New York for vacation in 2005. A lesbian loves Denzel Washington, you say. Yep. What's not to love? It's the love of one butch to another butch. You know, that admiring kind of love. And, let's face it, he's eeeeeeasy on the eyes. Does it really matter what my sexual preference is?

Okay, let's get down to it. The Book of Eli.

The acting is very good by all the actors. Denzel Washington is very very good.

There’s a scene about 15 minutes into the movie where Denzel’s character has been trudging along in this arid, destroyed landscape and he comes upon a little rickety cabin and carefully checks it out for anyone who may attack him -- because, remember, everyone is desperate to survive and there are hardly any resources around -- everything's been destroyed. But he feels somewhat safe and he beds down. Cleans himself as best he can with little water – he uses handiwipes that he found somewhere that were originally from Kentucky Fried Chicken. He sits down and settles in. Plugs in an old grungy iPod and listens to “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” sung by Al Green. (Kim Morgan talks about this scene at length in her review at Huff Post – link is below.) THIS SCENE IS SO EMOTIONALLY CHARGED FOR ME. It is the most beautiful scene in the movie. The lighting in that scene is gorgeous too.

Set design is amazing. It has a strong affect on you.

But the movie is too violent, too much fighting. And the story is not original enough for my tastes. I love a good unusual story. This is somewhat predictable.

Plus, I have nits … the world has been destroyed … there are no such things as basic necessities … people find things here and there and savor them. Then why is it that … everyone else in the movie has grungy fur-covered teeth and the 4 main characters do not?

Kim Morgan's excellent review here. (By the way, I've read a couple of her film reviews in the last couple of days and I'm very impressed. She has her own blog: Sunset Gun -- why not check that out too.)