The Book of Eli-a Movie Review

**Warning: Spoiler Alert**

I saw the movie "The Book of Eli". We got to the theater at 2:30 and realized it had just started, so we went in not to miss anything. But I did miss out on the popcorn and large diet coke I usually get before a movie. Oh well. 
The movie is shot in what I would call "end of the world" colors like grays and sepia. And the feel is one of desolation. I got this eerie feeling of lostness.

One man by the name of Eli (Denzel Washington) was in possession of the Bible-the only remaining copy. The movie was a mix between "Mad Max" and "Lord of the Rings". Eli needed to go west and deliver this prized book to a place where it would be valued and re printed for future generations. 
During his travels he encountered bands of people all surviving for themselves. The world was a place of anarchy and all civilized restraint was removed- humanity and water were rare and both were held captive by evil men.

But there was a deep longing for the book Eli had. One guy who wanted it was a man named Carnegie (Gary Oldman ). But he wanted the book to control people. Carnegie and Eli had one thing in common, they both knew the power of the words in the book and how it can transform a person. 
It's hard to imagine, not having access to a bible. I mean I could swing a dead cat in any direction and hit a Bible or someone who owns one.

The movie had conflicts that symbolized some spiritual lessons:

• Eli knew the bible can set people free-Carnegie knew the bible could control people. One used it for good and the other used it for bad.
  
• Eli was physically blind but spiritually he could see. Carnegie could physically see but was spiritually blind.
  

The Pharisees were the "spiritually blind" in Jesus day. They used the bible to condemn people and control them. This "condemning" spirit lives in our churches today. We call it legalism. A "legalist" is an angry person who has a knee jerk response to condemn people-and in doing so they condemn themselves. 
Carnegie eventually get's the bible from Eli but finds out he can't read it. Since Eli was blind the copy Eli had was in Braille. The word was in Carnegie's hands but not his heart.

During the movie we meet a young woman named Solera (Mila Kunis). She is taught by Eli the value of the word and its power to use for good. At the end of the journey, Eli recites the entire bible by memory to a Scribe so that the words are forever kept. But Solera takes the "Book" and returns to the world where she came from, but with the power to set people free.