Hollow-caust!

Genre: Sci-fi / Action
Release Date: March 19, 2010 
Runtime: 108 min 
Directors: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Writers: Gary Whitta, Tony Peckham
Cast: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Ray Stevenson, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Beals, Michael Gambon,      Frances De La Tour 
Rating: 2 / 5 *

With its engrossing quest motif (Eli’s heroic journey), theme of archetypal conflict between creative and destructive forces (embodied in Eli and Carnegie), the hook of a closely guarded secret (the book) and the universal encapsulation of a post-Holocaust setting, The Book of Eli has the makings of an infallible film. This potential is, however, smothered beneath a superficial screenplay, implausible details and overall ambiguity.

The film falls into several genres – it is a cross between sci-fi, a clandestine Western and a parable (with its prophet eventually stumbling into the prized Promise Land). The cinematography is delirious (with colour abruptly injected and pumped out of predominant, ashen greys) and so is the film’s jumpy pace. Eli’s character is non-committal – he is a cross between anti-hero, knight-errant and seer, proficiently slaying those who obstruct his spiritual journey, rescuing the damsel Solara and finally quoting verses from the Bible. The film’s beginning (particularly the first few minutes where Eli is incommunicado) is better than its purposeless middle and its idealistic end. Denzel Washington is honest in his portrayal of the ambivalent Eli (a well-written character would’ve been both enigmatic and multi-layered). Laudable however is the film’s splendid background score and Gary Oldman in his rendition of the unmitigatingly evil Carnegie.  
Asma Ladha