The Book of Eli

Book has Purpose, Meaning, Hope
The Book of Eli, R, ***1/2, Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Beals. Wartner Bros. film. Directors Albert and Alan Hushes. Length 118 minutes.
“The Book of Eli” will remind audiences of the old spaghetti westerns starring Clint Eastwood. Eli (Denzel Washington) is a loner traveling through devastatingly dangerous territory while protecting a book.
He does not look for trouble, but he is ready when tribulation knocks on his door. Eli has phenomenal skills with guns, knives, and fighting. With a seemingly protective shield around him that keeps him from harm, trouble seems to invade his space.
The world has become a land of violence and survival of the toughest, meanest, and strongest individuals on the planet. As a result of a catastrophe, people kill for items that they once discarded without thought. It seems that everything has worth. Since not many valuables remains in this bleak world in which Eli has been traveling, violence hovers everywhere. Eli has been walking west in the direction of the ocean for 30 years. He faces violence, danger, and corruption on a daily basis. Evil overwhelmingly abides in the hearts of humans especially after the world has become the epitome of immorality.
Eli is on a mission as he travels west looking for something. He carries the book with him and protects it under any and all circumstances. He guards the book with all his strength and conviction.
Many times we know we are traveling on a journey, but we are not sure exactly what the destination will bring us. All we know is that we must seek that which is in our hearts.
Eli travels into a town where one individual is looking for one particular book. He meets, Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the leader of a group of thugs. Carnegie wants the book Eli is carrying and protecting for his own selfish and personal reasons.
Carnegie can find lots of books, but he cannot find this one book from the past that he hopes will help him deal with the chaotic situation surrounding everyone – but for selfish reasons. After discovering Eli has the book, Carnegie uses all of his evil powers to obtain the book. It is how we use our talents for the good of man that gives our journey through life meaning.
Sometimes journeys take us places for education and enlightenment. Other travels are for the benefit of others. At times individuals have motives that are not in the best interest of others. Their motivation is self-serving.
Eli’s mission is for the good of mankind. This will all be discovered as the film progresses revealing the good inside some individuals. It also shows the evil within the hearts of some individuals.
The message from the film is uplifting. However, the audience must travel through some very belligerent times in order to arrive at the end. What is really precious and important to us? We should try to embrace these things on a daily basis.
So many times, we have to go through some tough times in order to realize just exactly what is in our best interest.
I purposefully did not reveal very many details about the overall story. It is a movie that must be experienced first hand in order to appreciate the whole story. The audience must walk the walk and talk the talk if full understanding is reached. The true meaning of faith means believing in something we cannot see or touch. Faith lies within the heart of man.