A postapocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across america in. The book of eli is rated r for adult content, profanity, images of rape, and excessive violence. The book of eli works just fine as an action blockbuster, but its much more than that. Book of eli delivers god, guns, and guts but theres more violence than values. The book of eli has an incredible biblical message, which tells the story of elis unwavering faith as he honors god with his life and. The gospel according to the book of eli popmatters. In the postapocalyptic biblical thriller the book of eli, denzel washington plays a blind man who feels hes been called by god to carry the. Cross i am legend with the ten commandments and youve got the book of eli, a genuinely religious parable that inherently rebukes pointless endofthe. The book of eli is, perhaps, the most explicitly christian film ive seen come out of the secular film industry since the passion of the christ.
Whatever you bring to it, thats what youre going to come out of it with. Make sure to become a daily renegade member and have access to full. With denzel washington, mila kunis, ray stevenson, gary oldman. The hughes brothers book of eli isnt all postapocalyptic samurai sword action and ipods. The bible plays a starring role in the book of eli, a postapocalyptic. But beyond the bloody scenes and foul language, audiences will discover a compelling. The secular faith of book of eli film school rejects. At the end of the movie, we find out he is blindlike the biblical eliand that the book hes been carrying around throughout the film is the bible in. In my opinion, this movie is metaphor for for issues facing the christian. Christianity and the book of eli believe it or not.
The book of eli bar fight scene with biblical scriptures. Hollywood seems obsessed with the end of the world. Jesus and the book of eli part 1 remember the book of eli. This is a thoughtprovoking book that retells the gospel from a modern point of viewa sort of what if type of story.
What the book of eli tells us about religion youtube. The book of eli is about to celebrate its ten year anniversary on january 11, 2020. Jesus and the book of eli part 1 worldviews, worship. The christian fiction novel, eli vs god, is a new, contemporary christian, coming of age, romance novel, by pastor and author john moelker. The book of eli continues hollywoods obsession with postapocalyptic tales, and in many ways feels like it belongs in the same world as the road with its ashladen wastelands and crazed.
Lessons from the book of eli the radical christian ep. The book of eli can obviously be a very meaningful piece of cinema for christians, and there is no reason to rob that group of that meaning, but. It was one of a spat of post apocalyptic dramas with washed out color and characters who care more about surviving to the. The book of eli is a story about a post nuclear fallout america where anarchy is the norm and survival is hardearned. And denzel washington isnt exactly kirk cameron, either. The urban setting of downtown toronto in a hightech field is very. From a christian perspective december 5, 2011 december 5, 2011 jamin bradley this is a post ive actually wanted to make for quite awhile as the book of eli has been on my. Devout filmgoers will soon realize that the brand of christianity on display in eli is as warped as they come. Eli is the man with one name who ambles into a backwater burg in search of water and comes face to face. The book of eli is screenwriter, gary whittas, take on a western samurai film. Eli, who can smell lurking highjackers determined to rob and kill him long before they get close, is. The book of eli is an effective postapocalyptic action movie with elements from both comic books and westerns thrown in for good measure. Christian themes abound in book of eli the tufts daily. It also, rather startlingly, has an overt, fairly profound christian theme.
The book of eli, which has a deliberately ugly bleached copper look, is like a videogame mashup of american and spaghetti westerns and japanese samurai flicks. Eli i guess this is the christian part wants the book. How hollywood begat yet another insult to christianity. The book of eli is not a mustread orange county register. The book of eli is very compelling and aweinspiring, with excellent production standards as well as absorbing character portrayals by denzel washington and gary oldman. The book of eli is not only a welldone action picture but an overtly, unabashedly christian one in which denzel washington plays a soldier of god. Denzel washington protects the book of eli christian cinema.
He prays to god, and carries the bible around with him and reads it. Carnegie only wants the book to dupe his waterstarved, peopleeating underlings into thinking hes an allpowerful messiah. The book of eli is a 2010 american postapocalyptic neowestern action film directed by the hughes brothers, written by gary whitta, and starring denzel washington, gary oldman, mila kunis, ray. Hes on a divinelyinspired quest yes, a literal mission. Contemporary christian coming of age novel, eli vs god. Mixed in with the violence and sepiatones is one giant religious symbol that we just had to quiz.
At first glance, the book of eli appears to be just another violent postapocalyptic film from hollywood. The book of eli eli conversation with carnegie about the book duration. Host drew graffia talks about one of his favorite movies, the book of eli. I thought it was a great action movie, one that kept my attention. Many have taken explicity prochristian themes from the film, but. Let me preface this comment by saying i love the movie and that eli is a badass. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Scenes in which eli defends the book with his life are extremely convicting as a christian, and thoughtprovoking for nonbelievers. The book of eli has been called an action movie flop but a christian blockbuster by a mainstream source. The book of eli has an incredible biblical message, which tells the story of elis unwavering faith as he honors god with his life and follows gods will no matter. Thank you lord for a warm bed to sleep on, thank you for the food we are about to eat, thank you for a roof over our heads on cold nights such as this, thank you for companionship in hard times like these. Books are scarce since apparently many people believed religion was the cause of the. Only a christian flick to dogmatic believers, says the films codirector allen hughes.
If you have yet to see this awesome flick, then i hope this article encourages you to finally watch this rrated. The twist at the end of the movie is that you find out that eli is blind, and the bible he has is written in braille. Even better, through several memorable scenes, eli begins to show solara. How the antichrist has deceived the whole world kindle edition by james, eli.
Christian themes abound in book of eli joshua hale. Its brutal content is not for all tastes, but this thoughtful action movie finds denzel washington protecting the last copy of a very. Despite this and other lapses, such as elis uncharacteristically lame explanation for the absence of female disciples, this is a refreshing departure from the usual clich s of popular christian fiction. The book of eli is the first movie from albert and allen hughes the filmmaking brothers of from hell and menace ii society in nine years. Oscar winner denzel washington, a professing christian, was initially intrigued by the journey his character, eli, is on as he seeks to fulfill the. The book of eli is very captivating, aweinspiring, and ultimately uplifting, with excellent production standards and absorbing character portrayals.