THE BOOK OF ELI

 

The Hughes brothers (Albert and Allen) directed this 118-min movie starring Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, and Gary Oldman.

 

Filmed using the RED digital camera, this bleak color-bleached post-apocalyptic tale suffers from a serious case of plodding, slow pacing. At almost 2 hours, it simply dragged on and on... and could have been shortened to 1.5hr with little loss to the plot.

 

That said - the plot/story itself could be improved because there were a few glaring holes the size of the Grand Canyon that would leave a intelligent movie-goer wondering 'huh???'. Gary Whitta's script needed major improvements.

 

The action scenes were well-choreographed and the utilization of CGI was above average. Cinematography was gorgeous.

 

Denzel's performance was lack-luster while Gary Oldman over-acted. Mila Kunis was a serious case of casting error - she looked too glamorous and totally out-of-place - and much better suited for a OLD NAVY ad. Michael Gambon, Frances de la Tour, and Jennifer Beals turned in above-average performances despite their brief on-screen scenes.

 

VERDICT:
A dreary tale - this movie needs a miracle.
Recommended for fans of Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, and the rest of the cast.

Grade: C