Believe 1:15:10
Some will kill to have it. He will kill to protect it.
Cast | Classic Lines | News | Notes | Quotes | Pictures | Press Release | Soundtrack | My Summary | My Review | Trailers

Cast

Directed by Albert Hughes & Allen Hughes AKA The Hughes Brothers
Written by Gary Whitta

Classic Lines

Here's all of Lombardi's since he doesn't have many.
"We've been doing this for a long time now."
"Oh, no it's much more than that. This is where we are going to start again. We've got a printing press ready to go quite soon. We are going to teach people about the world they lost. How to start to rebuild it. Look! Shakespeare, Britannica only missing a few volumes. There is a beautiful series of Mozart & Wagner records in still pristine condition, never a Bible…until now. May I ask what condition it is in?"
"You don't have to leave you know, you are welcome to stay here. You'll be perfectly safe."
"Where will you go?"

News

1/10

Official site expends using Eli as a description for all things like: Eli Deliver Us. Carnegie- Religion is Power. A new site is added fro the soundtrack bookofelimusic.com A CD is on sale for $9.99 and signed by Ross and the directors. Music is by Atticus Ross who you would be familiar with if you are a fan of nine inch nails. He has that kind of instrumental sound. It is even being released on vinyl 2/16/10 with 3 bonus tracks. The iTunes version has 4 bonus tracks.

11/25/09

Poster image is released.
No rating or info, just coming soon.

7/25/09

I was recently told from a very close source that Malcolm McDowell is filming The Book of Eli which would be one of the biggest budget pictures he would ever be associated with and has a small cast, but he doesn't have much screen time.

Notes

• Rated R, filmed from Jan to May 2009, released 1/15/09 in the US

• Filmed in Albuquerque Studios, Alcatraz Prison, Carrizozo NM & New Mexico State Penitentiary.

• The official site has the trailers and a link to become a facebook fan.
• Rumor has is Kristen Stewart was to play Solara, but couldn't because of Twilight The New Moon's schedule.
• Cost around $80 million to make. Opening weekend was $32.789 which was very good because it opened against Avatar which is making more money that any film of all time. If it opened at another time it would've had a better chance at making it's money back.

Pictures

Film
Lombardi talks looking ahead
Lombardi talks looking behind
Lombardi talks with his hands up

Memorabilia
Poster 1
Poster 2

Red Carpet Premiere 1/10/10
Malcolm and baby Seamus
Malcolm, Kelly & Seamus
Malcolm and friend Gary Oldman

Press Release

January 9, 2010
Alcon Entertainment Presents a Silver Pictures Production, a Hughes Brothers Film - The Book of Eli
Los Angeles (Business Wire) Warner Bros. Pictures:

WHAT:
Red carpet arrivals at the Los Angeles premiere of The Book of Eli, Monday, January 11th

WHO:
From the film: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Malcolm McDowell, Jennifer Beals, Joe Pingue and Evan Jones; Directors Allen Hughes and Albert Hughes; Screenwriter Gary Whitta; Producers Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove. Celebrity guests include: Quinton Aaron ("The Blind Side"), Mindy Cohen ("The Facts of Life"), Common ("Terminator Salvation"), Ice Cube, Macaulay Culkin, Rosario Dawson ("Seven Pounds"), Kimberly Elise ("The Great Debaters"), Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), Brandon T. Jackson ("Tropic Thunder"), Jesse Metcalfe ("Desperate Housewives"), Masi Oka ("Heroes"), Prince, Too $hort, Bow Wow. Other celebrities TBA.

WHEN:
Monday, January 11th
Check-in 5:00 PM
Red carpet arrivals begin 6:00 PM
Screening begins 7:00 PM

WHERE:
Grauman's Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA

In the not-too-distant future, some 30 years after the final war, a solitary man walks across the wasteland that was once America. Empty cities, broken highways, seared earth all around him, the marks of catastrophic destruction. There is no civilization here, no law. The roads belong to gangs that would murder a man for his shoes, an ounce of water or for nothing at all. But they're no match for this traveler. A warrior not by choice but necessity, Eli (Denzel Washington) seeks only peace but, if challenged, will cut his attackers down before they realize their fatal mistake. It's not his life he guards so fiercely but his hope for the future; a hope he has carried and protected for 30 years and is determined to realize. Driven by this commitment and guided by his belief in something greater than himself, Eli does what he must to survive and continue. "The Book of Eli" is directed by the Hughes Brothers ("Menace II Society," "Dead Presidents") from a screenplay by Gary Whitta. It is produced by Joel Silver, Denzel Washington, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove and David Valdes. Steve Richards, Susan Downey and Erik Olsen serve as executive producers, with co-producers Steven P. Wegner, Yolanda T. Cochran and John David Washington. "The Book of Eli" will be distributed domestically by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Summit Entertainment is the international sales representative. It is rated R by the MPAA for some brutal violence and language.
www.bookofelimovie.com
For downloadable general information and photos for "The Book of Eli," please visit: http://press.warnerbros.com
Your COVERAGE IS INVITED. Please RSVP TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE.

Quotes

Malcolm on his character: He's the curator of this extraordinary thing who hopes to teach the people about the world the lost, he's the guardian of the secrets really.
Malcolm on the director: "I now know the meaning of schizophrenic. It's like, yeah, uh...look, you want me to look over here? Look over there. Albert is more technical stuff, shots and all that. Allen hangs with the actors and goes a little more, a little less. The are a wonderful yin and yang relationship, it's great."

Soundtrack

Los Angeles, CA- Composer/musician/producer Atticus Ross scores the post-apocalyptic drama “The Book of Eli,” marking his third collaboration with the Hughes brothers and his first feature film score. Ross’ music is a unique hybrid score of electronic and organic elements; writing with his wife (Claudia Sarne) and brother (Leopold Ross), the basic tracks were recorded at his studio in Los Angeles before departing to London where it was finished in the world renowned Abbey Road Studios with a full 80 piece orchestra.

CD:
Panoramic
Outland
The Journey
Amen
The Convoy
Solara Violated
Safe
Human
Meant to be Shared
The Passenger
Den of Vice
Gattling
Blind Faith
Convoy Destruct
Movement
Carnegie's Demise
The Purpose
LP Bonus Tracks:
The Bridge
Dissolve
Carnegie's Pulse
iTunes Exclusive track:
Panoramic (Eaten By Earth Remix)

My Summary

    Bodies lie dead in the woods, flakes from a nuclear winter fall down all around. The scrawniest looking cat you've ever seen appears and goes to nearest man's bare foot to eat it. Not far away a man sits camouflaged with a radiation mask and jacket. He has a bow and arrow in his lap. The cat notices making an evil sound. He pulls and it hits the cat killing it. He puts it in a bag and takes the arrow back. He leaves the area and the snowing has stopped and he removes the mask for the rest of the film. He finds a house for shelter, but there is no running water. There is a 20 something year old man in the closet who freshly hung himself. He checks his new black military height boots and is happy to know they are in his size. He says nice, nice, nice and switches them for his ragged pair. It's nighttime and he cooks up the cat and saves it's juice for his lips. A mouse comes out of a wall. He asks it if it's hungry. He cuts a piece. If you want it, you have to come over and get it. It's cat, good revenge. The mouse does and he feeds it by hand. He hooks up on old battery to an even older dirty white ipod and is able to listen to music. He plays Al Green - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart. The problem is he falls asleep with it on and is awakened by the light. Now his battery is dead.
    He keeps going on foot and passes through a tunnel. He comes upon a woman with a shopping cart of junk and she's more scantily dressed than she should be in the open sun. She kneels on the side of the road and says please don't hurt her, he can take anything he wants. He says he won't hurt her. That's what the last guy said. She asks for help. The wheel broke and she can't fix it. He yells that's the good thing about no soap, you can smell hijackers a mile off. Then a wall falls and a man says he's impressed, he can smell us at 30 feet away. What does that say about our hygiene? You have a gun, but they never work. What do you have in that pack? What pack? Open it and spill it on the road nice and slow old man. Can't do that. Take off the pack, put it on the ground or die. Are you listening to me? I am now. Are you listening to me? Yeah. Put that hand on me again and you won't get it back. Can you believe this f-kin guy he asks them? All right, you believe this guy? He touches him again and Eli whips out a huge blade and slices his hand off in less than a second. He asks why he did that. He yells to kiss him. They ask what? Eli says he is in shock, I think he meant kill him as he retreats into the darkness. The group advances. One fat guy has a chainsaw he starts up. No matter, he kills them all. He goes up to the leader and says I told you wouldn't get it back. You did. Who are you? Eli then stabs him to death really close and slow. He then checks her stuff. He asks where's her water. She says she has none. Then admits it's in the cart. He pulls out a filthy jug and leaves it. She can't believe he's not taking anything. Where are you going? West. Can I come with you? No.
    He keeps going and comes across a road crew biker gang and hides up in the hills. They accost a couple in the street. They shoot the man and start to rape the woman. He mumbles to stay on the path, not his concern over and over until they leave. He goes back on the road after they leave. He heads toward the town they came from and there is a repair store/pawn shop. The owner never saw him before. He holds a shotgun to him and Eli grabs it and points it at him. Then he turns it around and gives it back. He's just a customer. He has to see his hands. He says he's not one of them and shows they don't shake. Some people have turned into cannibals and they are getting sick and shake and regular people want nothing to do with them. He just wants his battery charged. He hasn't seen one since the 90s. He has to offer a trade. Any chapstick? He has catoil, same thing great for the lips. No. He gives him sealed Kentucky Fried Chicken wetnaps. He says he can make it self charging for him, it'll take a couple hours. He says he'll stay there. He tells him the bar across the street opens soon. He's not interested he'll stay. The guys from the motorcycle crew show up. Above the bar is Carnegie who runs the town. He's reading a Mussolini book. The guys have a bunch of books for him. There is nothing good, junk like the DaVinci Code and an O Oprah magazine, not the one he wants. They don't understand, they found a lot of books. You don't have to understand, I will know. He has something else, a trial size bottle of shampoo. He says now this is something. He gives the crew free drinks and pussy for it. They'll find the book, he's sure they will. Carnegie's right hand man is Redridge he tells him he is spending a fortune on resources for a book. They can't read, so of course they won't find it.
    Eli asks if the bar has water. They do if you can afford it.
    Carnegie takes the shampoo to his woman Claudia saying the road crews brought in probably the last one on earth. She is blind, so he lets her smell it and puts it in her hair and she enjoys it quite a bit.
    Eli comes in, shows his hands, wants water. The bartender says that's the good stuff, it doesn't come cheap. He has a lighter he's not interested in. He has 2 shawls. He says that'll get you half way. He pulls out a pair of thick gloves and that's enough. A cat jumps on the counter and hisses at him. He pushes it away. The bartender calls for Solara to get him the water. He gives her a card she'll need to cut the line. She has to go outside and Redridge blocks her, she asks to move please, he does and moves up to the front where a man uses an old fashioned pump to get it from the ground. The man that brought in the books comes over. He says you pushed my cat off the bar. He says he didn't push it, just shooed it away. He says that cat has been coming in here for 2 years, has more right to be here than you. Eli doesn't want trouble. The bartender offers him another beer. The road crew guy wants trouble and gets too close. Eli smashes his face against the bar bloodying it. Eli whispers to him I know who you are - a murderer of innocent travelers of the road. You are going to hell for the things you've done you know that? I'm going to grab my things and walk out of here, all right brother? He struggles to breathe the whole time and goes down in a lump. A whole bunch of guys stand up to fight him. He says, "Cursed be the ground for our sake both thorns and thistles it will bring forth in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life; for out of the ground we are taken down and dust we shall return." (Genesis 3:17-20) He pulls his sharp sword and starts battling them. He cuts them all down on the floor when Solara returns and says to stop please. The balcony is covered with gunmen trained down on him. Carnegie has him brought up to him. And who are you? Nobody. The men you killed in my bar were nobody. He ain't got the shakes, ain't one of them Carnegie is told. This is a supervised town, we don't see people from before. You read? Every day. As old as we are you and me we are the future. What do you want? Straight to the point! I like that. You are educated and I sure as hell can use you. I'm about to expand to 2 more towns. He's not interested. Ask Redridge, nobody's paid better than them. He's going west, Carnegie says there is nothing out there. He heard there was. He wants him to stay the night and think about it. Red tells him it's not an option. They set him up in a room and he says he doesn't need anything. Claudia is sent in with a tray of food. She says to make a noise because she is blind and he taps his chest. Food is on the house, she puts it on the table and he thanks her. He wants to sit and read.
    Claudia tells Carengie he isn't going to change his mind, he's not going to stay, you aren't going to be able to do what you want with him. He says then he'll have to give Solara to him to change his mind. Claudia begs him not to use her daughter. You said yourself he won't change. She knocks on the door and he wants a minute to put the Bible away. He says he has food and water and everything he needs. She asks if he's sure about that? It's bright in here. She says not to worry about paying, it's paid for. She's Solara. He knows, she got his water for him. He opens to door for her to go. She closes it. She says she can't go or he'll hurt her mom. How's that? They belong to him either way. She'll sleep on the floor, you can say you had a good time. She asks how old he is. Excuse me? He says it's been 30 years since the flash and he really doesn't remember. What was it like before? People had more than they needed, we had no idea what was precious and what wasn't. We threw away things people kill each other for now. Really? You have a book! Can I see it? No. I can't even read, please let me see it. No. It's just a book. No it isn't. No more questions about the book. I have a question for you, where do you get your water? Don't know? I know, but you won't talk about the book, I won't talk about the water. He says there is more food there than he could eat, sit with him like the old days. She agrees. He asks her to trust him and put out her arms and close her eyes. She finally agrees, he holds her and he prays 'Dear lord we thank you for this food and this roof over our head, it's been too long' She speaks and he shushes her. He finishes praying and says amen and she asks now we eat? Yes and he gives her food and they eat together.
    The next morning she leaves and goes to have breakfast with her mom. She does the same thing with Eli asking her to put out her hands, close her eyes and pray with her. She is reluctant at first, but then gives in. Carnegie sits nearby reading and is fascinated. She doesn't know how to end the prayer and he says with amen, that's the word you are looking for. That's how you stop. You said he didn't talk, how did you learn that? He grabs his mother and chokes her. He said he read every day what did he read? I don't know! Solara starts to cry. He gets more violent. She says it was an old leather book. Let her go. Show me what was on the cover. She makes a cross with her fingers. He drops her and runs with his men to his room and it's empty. They say he was there all day. The guard is shot in the head when they leave.
    Eli is getting his battery. He says to put it together and give it to me. He can't. Tell them he made you do it, now go ahead and say it. He made me do it. Good. He takes it and leaves, but Carnegie's men are pouring out into the street. He asks him if the gun is loaded. Only one way to find out. Carnegie yells he needs that book. I mean I want the book and you. If you make me choose I'll kill you. Why, why do you want the book? For it's power. If you read it then you know its power and why they burned it after the war. I had to do many, many things wrong to sacrifice to get the book. Imagine how righteous things would be if they had the book. How they would truly understand why they would be. Don't you want to share it? Eli says with all my heart and soul. I've always believed I'd find a place where this book belonged and was needed, I haven't found it yet. Carnegie says I love this guy, I love this guy, shoot him please. Eli walks away and a shot is fired, then a second and it does nothing. What are you standing around for? Take him out goddamn it. Eli opens fire on the snipers on the building roofs and all the nearest men on the street. He hides behind a car and fires on every close and available target. Carnegie is even hit in the leg and pulled inside. Solara and her mom try to sneak out. Eli keeps firing, reloading and getting more bullets until he makes it out of town. He drinks his water and keeps going unscathed.
    On the road he says I don't like being followed, but doesn't turn as if it's a threat. It is Solara running. She wants to come with him. No you don't. It's not safe there, then change it. My mother says I'll be safer with you. I'll take you to our water. You can have all that you can carry, all that we can carry. He takes her to a huge underground spring where water is flowing and dripping from the ceiling. Carnegie knows of 2 more. He wants to build a city on each one. How does he know about them? He found then when he was a boy, before the war and everyone else that knows about them is dead. We have to hurry. They get to the door and he says he forgot his glasses, can you go look for them? She says sure and he locks her inside. A guard is on the floor taped up. She realizes it's a trick and asks what are you doing. You are such a liar. I am not a liar. You said I could come with you when you got your water. I didn't say that, you did. The road is much worse that you think, goodbye Solara nice knowing you, I mean that. She says one last thing f--k you.
    Carnegie in is agony before the operation. He asked the doctor if he washed his filthy hands. Twice! Use soap. Put a crew together we are going after them. Red says for a book? Carnegie scrams it's not a f--king book it's a weapon. A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate and it will give us control of them. If we want to rule one small town we have to have it. People will come from all around if I tell them the word from that book. It's happened before, it'll happen again, all I want is that book. Red says then he wants Solara. Are you bargaining with me? Is this a deal we are making? We lost a lot of men, so you need me more than ever. If this book is worth the trouble and I believe you. He laughs. Why not? Why not? Let's get the f--k outta here. He gathers his men in a four truck armored convoy as they race out of garages. Where are we going they ask? West.
    Solara comes across the same lady with the shopping cart from before. She asks if she is OK. She sees she's a girl and says I really need a man to help me. She tries to warn her it's not safe. Two men grab Solara and start ripping off her clothes to rape her. Then one man goes down on her, but he's dead from Eli's arrow and he shoots the other one with another arrow. She jumps up and hugs him crying. He leaves his arrows, no time to lose. They leave and he hears something. He shoots an arrow and kills some kind of bird with it. She asks what is that. Dinner and to wrap the bow string up.
    Soon after Carnegie says to stop and finds the dead men with the arrows sticking out of them. One man says it's like he's protected somehow, like there's nothing that can stop him. Carnegie says he's just a man, put a bullet in him and he'll go down I swear. A man says there is no more that a few hours daylight, he can't be far. Red finds a cloth and says son of a bitch, Solara. Carnegie says I know you still want her and laughs. A driver says it's gonna be dark soon we can't track them they'll see us coming. We can drive right past them and never see him. Red says he's right, they're on foot and will have to sleep. We'll make up the ground tomorrow. 
    Eli and Solara spend the night in an abandoned nuclear power plant core. She asks if he really reads the same book every day? Oh, yeah. Would you read some to me please? He recites the lord is my shepherd section to her (the 23rd Psalm). She says it's beautiful. You like that? Did you write that? Yes, I did. Really? No. He laughs. That was around long before you and I got here that is for sure. Oh, what did you mean when you said it's not just any book? It's the only one. Really? After the war people made it their business to destroy the ones the fires didn't get already. Some people say it's the reason for the wars in the first place. How did you get it? They say the war put a hole in the sky and the sun come through and burned everything. If you were lucky and hid in a place like this you survived. Most weren't lucky. After a year we came out and wandered around. I heard a voice like it was coming from inside me as clear as day just like you are talking to me now. What did it say? It lead me to a place where I found the book buried under some rubble. It told me to carry the book out west and my path would be laid out for me and I would be led to a place that is safe and I would be protected from anything that stood in my path. I fought ever since. You did all that because of a voice in your head? Yes, I did. I know what I heard, I know what I hear. I'm not crazy and I know I never would've made it without help. He pulls out his ipod. What's that? One question too many, go to bed we've got an early start.
    She thinks he's asleep and calls over to him. She sneaks over to see the book. She opens up his pack and finds a Kmart sticker that says Hello my name is Eli. He asks what is she doing. She thought he was sleeping. He wasn't. She wanted to see the book. He says no one touches the book except him. Do you understand? Yes, I understand. Go to sleep. Since you don't know how to read anyway, there's no use. He zips it up, cocks his gun. Yeah, so teach me.
    The next day Carnegie gets to the power plant and orders them to hold up, stop.
    Solara says you say you've been walking for 30 years right? Right. Ever thought you are lost? No. How do you know you are going in the right direction? Walk by faith, not by sight. What does that mean? It means you know something if you don't know something. That doesn't make any sense. It doesn't have to make sense, it's faith, it's faith. It's a flower of light in a field of darkness that has given me the strength to carry on. Is that from your book? No, Johnny Cash live from Folsom Prison (song is Greystone Chapel). What? She runs to catch up.
    They spot a complete, intact house from a hill with nothing around. She asks if he thinks anyone lives there? I don't know. Think there's water? They walk over and he readies his gun. He knocks, tries to push the latch and it turns out to be a trap and they fall down into a sandy pit. An old man appears above them with a gun and asks who are they. Travelers that's all, we mean you no harm. No trespassing, can't you read the sign? Very sorry, didn't see it. What's your business? Solara tries to speak, but he says no business, we are sorry, if you let us go we'll be on our way. An old woman appears and says George one's just a girl. It's an old story I wouldn't trust before he says. We get so few visitors these days and George is so suspicious of everybody. Would you care for some tea?
    He let's them out and she serves the tea on an ancient rattling set. Martha asks how about some music? It's so soothing. George winds up an ancient phonograph and it plays Anita Ward - Ring My Bell at the wrong speed - too fast. The tea is bad. Solara says it's amazing you two have survived. We did a lot of work on this place to make it safe, we may be old, but we are resilient. We've had quite a few people try to take it from us. George says he wants to show him something, she says no. Out the backdoor is full of  graves. They aren't uncivilized and it's good for the soil. Eli says we've got to get out of here. Solara says they killed them all. Not that, they are eating them, their hands are shaking. They have meat served. The want to go and go out the front door. It's too late, Carnegie and his men have showed up. Eli says go back inside. Martha says what's wrong. George says they led them strait to us. She just set out the good China. George says f-k the China. Eli asks have you got more weapons. Weapons? I'll show you weapons. He lifts up the couch cushions and it's full of assault rifles. He tosses one to Solara who says she knows how to use it. They all get the heavy arms and Carnegie calls out on a loudspeaker hooked to the battery. He wants them to send out Solara with the book. Red says: They ain't coming out. Solara asks what are we doing? Martha knows what he's doing and cocks her gun. A package comes out the top floor window wrapped up like a book. They open it up and it's a bomb that blows up one of their trucks. A gunfight ensues. Solara asks if that voice he heard said they'd get out of this alive. Yes, both of us. George asks what about them. They didn't say. Red uses a rocket launcher that blows up a quarter of the house including George. Carnegie calls for a cease fire for his men. Solara asks what are they doing with that truck? Can't be good. They open up the truck with a gattling gun in the back and start spraying lead into the house blowing holes everywhere. The men pour into the hole and capture them. They search Eli's pack and the book isn't there. Last chance or I'll bury you out here. Son of a bitch. He grabs Solara and Red gets pissed. Now, where's the book? Red says give him the book please. She says don't tell him. He says in the house in the back of the TV. One of the thugs he sends doesn't know what a TV is. You are f-king shitting me, you go. Red goes and kicks out the back and the book is there. Ask and ye shall receive. God is good. Eli says all the time. Not all the time. Carnegie shoots him in the leg and it echoes around the whole place. Solara screams no! He tries to stay up. Carnegie says you see, what did I tell you? He's just a man. They beat him up and she says no leave him alone. Where's your protection? Pray for me, OK? They leave him there stripped of all his weapons.
    Red has his sharp knife and throws it on the dashboard in front of him. Solara sits in the back and takes the bow string and gets it ready and strangles the driver. The vehicle loses control and spins around and over. Carnegie says to go back. She gets in the driver's seat and Red has been impaled on the knife. He pulls it out and gets out on the side of the road and dies. She takes off to the west. Carnegie's truck driver says we barely have enough fuel to make it back, want to go after her? No.
    She goes to the house, but he's not there. She finds him walking down the street in a daze. She asks where is he going? West. Gotta go west. She stops and lets him in the car. She's sorry. For what? This was all my fault, if I didn't follow you none of this would've happened. No, it isn't. I can't believe you gave up the book. Years of carrying it and reading it everyday I'd forgotten what I'd learned from it. What's that? Do for others more than you do for yourself. That's what I got from it anyway. They keep driving and the countryside starts to get a little green for the first time.
    You smell that? What? Salt. We are getting close to the ocean. They come upon the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It is littered with vehicles and is slow going. Near the middle there is a large hole she almost misses and hits the breaks. They have to get out and walk along the edge and walk down to the shoreline. They get down to the beach and look out into the harbor.
    Eli arrives at his final destination, Alcatraz Island. It remains in perfect condition while all of San Francisco around them is falling apart. They walk on the shore and there are many large boats sunk in the harbor. They find a two-man rowboat and head across. About half way Eli collapses from his wounds and she takes over the rest of the way. They make it to land and find it is already occupied by heavily armored guards. They say that's far enough, what is their business? Eli says he has a King James Bible in his possession. They leave and warn them to make no sudden moves or they will be fired upon. Soon the curator Lombardi opens the huge metal doors and lets them in. "We've been doing this for a long time now." It feels like a museum. "Oh, no it's much more than that. This is where we are going to start again. We've got a printing press ready to go quite soon. We are going to teach people about the world they lost. How to start to rebuild it. Look! Shakespeare, Britannica only missing a few volumes. There is a beautiful series of Mozart & Wagner records in still pristine condition, never a Bible…until now. May I ask what condition it is in?" It is beat up, but it'll get the job done.
    Meanwhile Carnegie has his electrician working on the deluxe lock mechanism on The Bible and wants him to be careful. It could be trapped.
    Lombardi tells his staff, "Get us some writing paper." Eli says a whole lot.
    He gets the Bible open and Carnegie yells It's impossible! It can't be.
    Eli says to write down everything he says exactly as he says it. The Book of Genesis Verse 1 God created the heavens and the earth. Verse 2. The earth was without light and void. Lombardi writes it all down with red pen on blank paper. He stops at the part let there be light. They shave his beard and head and put him in a white toga and lay him on a wooden table as he goes on and on and Lombardi keeps writing. The pages pile up in stack after stack while Solara sleeps at his feet.
    Claudia wants to know where Solara is when he returns. He says out there, her choice. She refused. What did you tell her when she refused? Read it! What did you do to my daughter?! READ IT! He pushes the book to her. You can read the words any time. She says it's been so long I don't remember. You have to, please! Your leg. It doesn't hurt any more. I can smell it. You have the book you sacrificed so many men, so many people. Those people who were too scared to say your name? They are downstairs tearing up your bar. You are feverish, I can't imagine having what you want so close it might as well be a million miles away. She leaves him. He yells for her. The sounds of the bar being destroyed get louder as he goes to the edge and looks down. A large man sits in the middle of the chaos loading up a shotgun and looks up to him presumably to shoot him when he is done.
    Eli is dead and Solarus is looking over a round headstone marked Eli in the corner of the yard under a guard tower. She can hear his final prayer to her "Thanks for the guidance, the strength, keeping me resolute, I fought the good fight, I kept the faith, I'm sorry for the bad things I did for your protection, the many signs along the way… Lombardi, "You don't have to leave you know, you are welcome to stay here. You'll be perfectly safe." Thank you but this is something I have to do. "Where will you go?" Home. She dresses up like Eli with his weapon presumably to head back for her mom. Eli, "Thank you for the friend I made. Knowing I did right on my time on this earth, I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith. The printing press finished a hardcover King James Bible is printed (Alcatraz Press). Lombardi puts it between other religious books on a shelf like The Qur'an and The Talmud. The End.

My Review

    Whatever you think this movie is about going in, it isn't. It's not The Road Warrior (1982 movie with Mel Gibson - if you haven't seen it, do so it's a classic) where whomever gas rules. It's more along the lines of whomever has the water rules. But there isn't any hardcore battle for the water out of The Road Warrior. Instead this is one man's journey to find a good civilization. Ironically Malcolm narrates the movie Blue Gold which is about a future where wars will be fought over water. 
    While everyone else seems to worry about where their next meal is coming from, only1 man is left on the world looking for a book, which Eli has the last copy. One knows it can't fall into bad hands and the other, Carnegie, wants to get a copy because he feels he'll be able to rule the world if he has it. The problem is the young generation he sends forth for the book can't read so they can't find it. Instead they just bring back whatever books they find hoping against hope they will be rewarded. We know it's a post apocalyptic nightmare world, but we don't know how it was caused. They only hint they give is the bible was to blame and because of that the powers that be decided that every copy of the books must be destroyed 30 years ago. By then it seems too late because the world that is left is a near colorless wasteland. Eli tells Solara he was basically chosen by god to find the book and was lead it to. Did he tell the truth? We have no way of knowing. The only problem is Solara and her mom are both "owned "by Carnegie, even worse her mom is blind and Solara runs away with Eli because he's a good soul and Carnegie is bad. One problem is there are few older people left, knowledge of the previous generation is nearly lost. It should be a big battle for all the water, but it seems there is enough water which could be possible with uncontaminated fresh springs. In the Road Warrior they fight for the gasoline, he who control the gas was in charge. Carnegie control the water. He has 1 town and 2 more that have springs where he wants to build more, but with the book he doesn't seem in a hurry and the problem is there just doesn't seem to be enough people out there and certainly not a big enough army to take down Carnegie. He doesn't have much of an army either from what we see. Because he is older he has some of the lost knowledge.
    There is a sub plot about cannibalism. People are giving up trying to find animals to eat, it's harder and harder to find clean meat. You can tell the cannibals because the more they eat the more their hands shake is why they can't go in open country or they'll be killed. Once you go cannibal there is no turning back and no one wants to do business with you anymore. Basically you are going to die as a cannibal. I guess they didn't go into it too much to keep away from a monster movie. The regular people are even monsters.
    We see Eli in the beginning full camo and he's never like that again. He's in some sort of nuclear wasteland and we have no idea where he is. He is hidden in the leaves because he wants to kill a feral cat who has no hair. He has to be extremely sneaky even though the cat is going for his food he's survived the long time in the wild, somehow animals are able to procreate and still be cooked and eaten with no ill effects. Then while he's cooking it's a bigger mystery how he can get a 2000s ipod to still be working on some sort of ancient charger when there is no electricity and no batteries would last on rechargers never dying. I couldn't get my digital camera working the batteries chaged Since he has an ipod, why wouldn't he get the Bible downloaded on mp3? There must be 1000s of the files left, especially when you could copy them endlessly, he can't have the last ipod too he could power them up for the book, so could Carnegie. 
    Eli ironically feeds a mouse a piece of the cat as a bit of revenge and so he can have animal contact. The song he listens to is by Al green which is much older than the ipod era as well. Then after all this care he falls asleep and his ipod dies. After 30 years he didn't have anyway to insert a sleep timer so that would never happen. Totally unbelievable. But he does get some kind of oil from the cat which he says is just like chapstick. Also for some reason a young guy killed himself in the closet and Eli is able swipe new military shows from him - seems like all too easy. No note, no explanation. Maybe the youth are too stupid to survive not having grown up in a world of parents who could teach them tricks like from the boy scout on how make fires.
    The next day he passes the first other life human on the road. She is dressed like a stripper or whore, so things can't be what they seem. This has to be an ambush, she would never last on her own like this. Plus she has nothing but junk and he can have what he wants - which is nothing. He knows it's a scam and says he can smell hijackers a mile off because they don't bathe. He's right and the men show themselves. They think they have no worries because they outnumber him. They leader tells him he wants his backpack and doesn't believe the gun he has will work. He calls Eli an old man which begs the question about what is old out here. They don't even seem 15 years apart. He grabs Eli and he says he won't get his arm back if he touches him again. He does and he cuts it off, then the man is in such shock they are all killed in a quick battle where Eli only does use the knife. He tells the whore he's going west. How far has he traveled? Even walking you would think he could've gotten across the country and back a few times in 30 years, but maybe he didn't. Maybe he started in Maine and went down the coast to Florida and came up and down in a pattern like that.
    Soon after he has to hide from a biker crew because they are heavily armed and he is upset there is nothing he can do to fight them all. We learn later that he is armed and seemingly as long as he has the book he can't be shot, so it's possible he could've fought them, but if one took off for reinforcements it might've be all over. That's probably why he laid low. After we see our first glimpse of civilization and it's a big bad, dirty town. This is where the bikers went, another good idea he didn't confront them. They would have endless backup.
    Some things never change when we see our fist store is a pawn shop. There is no money to be had, but the business of trade is always alive and well. He knows he's an outsider and just wants his battery charged. He gives a hint of the time and rarity of it saying he hasn't seen one since the 90s which would make it 40 years old in this world. It can even be done and turn it into self charging, maybe with a crank? He doesn't want the catoil, but now KFC wetnaps are a delicacy, I can't imagine the pouches would be wet inside even if sealed for so long. I recently used wetnaps for dinner and in less that an hour they were totally dry. At first Eli says he'll stay there even if it takes a couple hours.
    The biker crew arrives and he knows it's trouble, they have their own barter for the evil Carnegie. They have books, but they are all junk, but a trial size bottle of shampoo is very rare and he'll give it to his woman. This earns them beer and women. The only man who he'll listen to is Redridge, one of the only with guys brains out there. He warns him they are spending a fortune looking for this book. He's warning him that he faces revolt because people don't know or care about books these days and can't even read. Why doesn't he just make it up from what he remembers as a kid? They won't know the difference and he can just be like a Jim Jones type leader if he wanted.
    Suddenly Eli does go to the bar because he sees they have water, hence changing the complete course of the film. For a full flask of water it costs him 2 shawls and biker gloves. It seams steep and an odd choice for a man, maybe he can get women with the shawls. Before  he can get the water or even think of his battery charger one  of the regular bikers doesn't like him pushing a cat away. He's not looking for trouble, but a fight ensues and we also see the Redridge has a thing for Solara who is quite a bit younger than him.
    Whenever Eli fights he quotes the Bible first. This seems to give him power and he slaughters all the men on the floor without noticing every gun in the balcony trained down on him. Carnegie doesn't even care about the men he killed saying they were nobody, once again not inspiring any leadership. He wants to hire him to help start 2 new cities. Eli wants to go west. Carnegie says there is nothing there. He heard different. He also know about Eli's quoting the Bible and admitting he reads everyday, so he wants to keep him around. He puts him up in a room where everything is on the house, food, drink & shelter. He even sends his blind girlfriend to him for the night. She goes, but he's not interested, he wants to read. Claudia says you'll never get him to do what you want. He agrees and has a better idea, send Solara, find out what he reads. Claudia flips and Red isn't happy either. He tries to send Solara away, but her mom is enslaved to Carnegie and if she goes back with nothing he'll beat her. She'll sleep on the floor. We don't know if any of this is true, but Claudia really is horrified. I think she is telling the truth and he would love to torture her mom. She asks about his age and he doesn't know since the flash make it seem like it was a nuclear attack. She wants to know all about the book, but he won't let her see it. She won't tell him about the water source so they are even. He shows her how they used to sit and pray before they ate.
    The next day she shows her mom what she learned which was a big mistake. She didn't tell Carnegie that part and he gets violent with her mom just like she said and makes a cross to show the cover. They go to his room, but he's not there, somehow he snuck out and is getting his battery. The guard who was there all night is now killed. They all run  outside and find him. He wants him and the book. He admits for the power. Then he didn't learn anything from 30 years ago when they got rid of it. He had to do so many wrong things to get them book. Eli opens fire and hits everyone in sight including Carnegie in the leg. He seems to have never ending ammo, never misses and never gets hit. Even from point blank as long as he has the book. He gets away and so does Solara and he knows she's following him. He wants nothing to do with her. She agrees to show him one of the secret water sources. They go in and it's a cave than goes down for miles that he found here as a kid, no one else knows it's there. They fill up and he asks her if she saw his glasses and she goes back and he locks her in. We see a guard on the ground all taped up. Not comfortable for him. At least one other person knows something's there. She's mad he betrayed her. He didn't, he never promised to take her with him. He did use her, but maybe he thinks she's a spy and will give him away or maybe he doesn't want to take care of her and wants to stay on his own like he always did.
    With all his power, there is nothing Carnegie can do about his leg in a real operation. He has to be awake and have his man do it with his hands and he's paranoid of infection. It's funny how he yells, but he can't get the sanitary, sterile environment he wants. After he's ready to go after Eli. Red wants Solara if he's going to lead the operation. He should have some idea that she isn't some pushover pretty girl since she was able to escape and survive. Carnegie thinks if he is able to preach from the book he is going to attract people from miles around, just like before the war. How re they going to hear and if the book I guess he's just waiting to enslave them so he can build his new cities around the other water supplies he's found. We also learn he doesn't have the The Road Warrior problem. Somehow he has plenty of gas and even 4 armored trucks ready to go. How can they be refining their own gasoline and keep vehicles working after decades?
    Somehow Solara escapes from being locked in the cavern, she shows her strength once again. Maybe she had a knife and made a deal with tied up guard and slipped it to him allowing him to save his own butt for when Carnegie shows up. Then she comes upon the same pitiful woman Eli came upon with the shopping cart in the road. I don't know why she stayed in the same spot after he killed all those guys. She should've taken off in the opposite direction right  away and would be free. But she must really like her job because she stayed around long enough for more men to keep her there. Solara has no idea it's a trap and the woman tries to warn her, but not fast enough or obvious enough and soon enough she is jumped and the men start to rape her. Somehow Eli was right in the area and is able to dispatch them with arrows. He then has time to hunt a bird with his last arrow, but leaves the other arrows for Carnegie to easily keep his trail going. Soon enough he does find them and a piece of Solara's clothes so they know they are together. A simple cleanup to take them off the trail seems safer. Or maybe it was to spook them, because others now think he's unstoppable and Carnegie has to convince them otherwise. Now they worry about the dark and plan on stopping the hunt worried about an ambush or going right by them.
    Of all the places in the world for them to sleep, they pick the most ironic, the floor of a nuclear power plant core, one of those giant concrete ones that go up 100s of feet in the air. Somehow it is cleaned out and safe too? The rods are all gone, the nuclear waste hast been safely cleaned and shipped off? She wants him to read the book to her and for the first time openly mocks her that he wrote it. He can't believe she has no clue about the book. She thinks the book isn't that old or he is very old. Either way she's off by about 2000 years. It's more sad than funny. The upcoming generation really has no grasp of anything. There is no schools, no one to help them in any way. It's become survival over ignorance. He says the war put a hole in the sky that burned everything. It doesn't seem to make sense. Either he's making it up or it's just what people.
    That's what's interesting about the film. We have no clue to the history of it, we are just dropped in and given tidbits here and there with no way to verify them. We do know it's our world based on few of the locations we are shown, so something absolutely catastrophic happened with maybe 95% of the people in the US have died. He says they hid underground for a year before they wandered around. Seems like a perfect time, how would anyone have stay alive. He also says a voice in his head lead him to the book making him a prophet, or is it another game he's playing? Seems like he's telling the truth because from what we've seen he can't be shot if he has the book on him. This is also the only error I saw in the film. When he is reading Solara's hands are up to her chin in one shot and down in her lap the next.
    He wants bed and now more questions, he has his new ipod he doesn't want to share. Another interesting think happens at night. She thinks he's sleep and tries to too look at the book and that there is a sticker that shows he worked at Kmart. Kmart is no place to be proud of to work, so it's interesting why he would keep that. What it shows up is that he's just an absolute regular guy and certainly not a high priest or anything so really a normal guy had been lead to save the world. He says she can't read it and once again wants to be taught. 
    Carnegie arrives the next day just a little too late. Solara asks another important question. If he's been going 30 years how do you know you aren't lost? He admits it's faith, but not by got, Johnny Cash. This is funny to us, but she has no idea who he his The Man in Black as god is much better and inspired than Alanis Morissette in Dogma...guess that film wasn't made in this time line. Not a big loss. They come across a complete intact house that looks like a tornado wiped out everything around it, It's munch to easy, it had to be a trap I can't believe he walked into it so easily after 30 years of living like a soldier. He goes for the door and it drops them into a sandy pit, they are trapped and can easily be killed. No spikes or anything vicious to finish them off though. Eli says they didn't see the sign and have no business here and will be on their way. The man doesn't buy it, but the woman can't see harm with him and a little girl. She's just so lonely and wants company and lets them up for tea.
    She actually does serve them tea on some ancient, dirty set. Unbelievably they have music too. This is even harder to believe. It's an ancient phonograph from the 30s that plays at the wrong speed. I've never seen one in my live working because the needles didn't last more than a couple plays and unless he had a few million he never would keep it working at this point around 100 years after it's new. Playing the music at the wrong speed makes it all like some bad drug trip. They show them out back all the graves of the people they killed. Eli now knows they are being kept around because they are cannibals. Probably most were just killed at the trap door. They even come back with meat and Eli wants to go. They don't need to worry about George now the Carnegie has showed up. Of course they want the girl and the book. George at least is loaded with more modern weapons.
    It's Amazing someone makes a bomb shaped book in about 30 seconds and throws it out the upstairs window and it blows up a truck. I guess they keep bomb shaped wrapped books around too. It blows up a truck which is 1/3 of his fleet. A firefight ensues including a rocket launcher that they must have only one or they'd use more. Instead they open they back of the other truck and it has a huge gattling gun. Once again there is nothing recent. Instead it dates back to World War I - another 100 year old relic in perfect condition loaded with bullets. Yes, it works perfect and one man turns a handle and it just unloads 100s of rounds. Everyone is captured alive. He says the book is in the TV. One doesn't even know what a TV is! A 100 year old gun he knows though. He is shot for that. Crazy stuff when it comes to age. Eli is shot is in the leg and without the book he has pain for the first time. They beat him and leave him for dead. 
    Solara is the back of the second vehicle and with Eli's bow strangles the driver and the armored car flips. Red had Eli's sharp knife, but doesn't get to use it, he's impaled on it. Very convenient, but hey, at least he's not dead. He dies trying to get her. She runs off west hoping to find Eli and Carnegie lets her go. The driver says they are low on fuel, but they could've siphoned from the dead vehicles. He's got the book anyway, he doesn't care about the girl as his deal with Red also terminated there.
    Eli isn't at the house, he's actually doing OK going down the street in a heat daze. If a bad guy found him, if there are any left, he would be in trouble. Somehow magically a 100 pound girl flips a car on her own and what the hell, it works too. She picks him up and they have plenty of gas. She can't believe he gave up the book. He says it's not important, he's supposed to help others first. Suddenly the closer they get to the coat things turn more green. So much for the heartland of the country being where all the green is. Suddenly they are at the Golden Gate bridge. A 1000 miles melted away. It's smooth sailing until the middle where there is a huge hole in the middle. Surprising no traps, bombs, or impassible sites with buses or trucks until know. So they have to go back and find a boat and head to the one place that hasn't collapsed. No one attacks, there is no one around anywhere. Once again the girl can easy paddle them across with no problems after Eli collapses with the currents and gets them there easily.
    Alcatraz is in great shape. Luckily for everyone the prison was closed down in 1963 so there is no fight. There is no shootout because the guards can see they can't be much threat. Once he says he has a King James Bible that let him right in. It's a good thing they don't have a copy or they'd be screwed. Finally Malcolm appears and has long white hair like a wild old curators. He mentions a printing press about to starts and they are going to teach people about the world that is gone. Somehow they are going to bring education to the masses.  How are they going to do that? Are people going to come to the prison for glasses? Are they sending people to come to the prison? Are they sending them across the land to set up schools? No idea, would've been interesting to see what the plan was
    I was really surprised that they let him in without the book. I would think they would think they would've pull a gun or something. Instead he just completely believes him that he remembers an entire book!? Could anyone possibly do that? It must be 1000 pages and since it's written in a little different language that ours with thus and thine and such.
    One of the best switches in the secret of movies happens to Carnegie, something no one would ever see coming. First Carnegie is worries the book is trapped because it has a lock. Will it explode? Will it shoot you with acid? So he gets it open and I'm thinking it's going to be the old style Latin that they used about 50 years ago. But it wasn't that. I supposed it could've been in written in code or any language whatsoever to trick him unexpectedly. Instead for it to be in Braille for the blind only makes it impossible for only less that a handful of people in the world could read it. But then his pseudo wife is blind, so we think ah ha, that's what he's going to do, she can read it to him. So she either lies to him or tells him that it's been so long se forgot it. she won't read it to him! Plus he's dying. It was such a great crushing blow. Much better than having his head blown off or something violent. I think it'll go down as one of those great fake outs in movie history.
    Eli is able to deliver and Malcolm just writes away page after page. I would think he would have an assistant do it. I can't believe the have all this paper in the first place. Why not record it into his iPod or something that can be charged instead of just reading it. It would take forever and cramp your hand to do it that way. Then people wash and shave him down completely as he keeps going like in a trance.
    Claudia wants to know where her daughter is, there's no way she could've gotten away unless he let her go. She knows he chose the book over her. Maybe that's why she did it. Then all his men are destroying his place and planning on killing him. Either way he's a dead man. If it was in English he's time is up.
    Eli doesn't make it, but it's not a tear jerker or anything, he did what he had to do to and passed away. Malcolm offers her a a place there. Or would be a good chance for her to finally learn to read, but it seems like she is in a hurry to go get revenge and rescue her mom. Maybe then she will bring her back to the island. I like how it ended where they got the printing press up and running and it was their first book and said Alcatraz press on the bottom like a limited collector's edition.
    Or course I knew going in there wasn't going to be much Malcolm and Kelly warned me and yeah I would like more Malcolm, but it was still a damn good movie even if he wasn't in it. He did have a cool little role that was important. Like he was given the task of putting all the libraries of the world back together which is very cool. The movie had a a look that was different where they gave it a white washed out look that was different and then it gave it move life when they got to the west coast.
    I'm used to Solara from the 70s show, but mainly the voice of Meg in Family Guy. I even remember her as a kid on Baywatch. She did a god job. Denzel was kind of like a robot, like a human Robocop or something, so his role is weird in that way. I subtract a point for not enough Malcolm and how ancient, ancient technology easily works. TODAY that same stuff would be tough to get going. I would've liked a little more history on what happened to make the world what it is..
    The soundtrack is really great stuff. Nine inch Nails are my favorite band and Atticus works with them a lot so this is some great instrumental work. I just with they offered the whole thing on CD.. I bought the $10 CD because it was signed by Atticus and the directors, but it didn't have all the music which is weak. Some were on vinyl, iTunes, etc. Making it an expensive undertaking if you want it all. There is also a kind of music video around online called Panoramic with the music from the Passenger Remix which features topless people holding onto themselves as black murky water is dumped on them. Nothing that goes with the movie. I definitely recommend the soundtrack as well, it is great stuff. Now iTunes has 38 songs more than double what comes on the CD.

Rating: 8/10

Trailers

• The first trailer is 2 minutes and looks like The Road Warrior, a post-apocalyptic nightmare future where all the roads are empty and no life is to be found until Eli walks into pockets of people in a city. This time there are no cars and Eli is just walking. In town all are armed right up to heavy military gear and fight and blow things up. Eli is under attack and a man uses a bazooka to blow up a house. Basically we learn very little and no Malcolm.

• The second trailer is 2:30 minutes and gets into many details. Eli narrates: 30 winters ago the war tore a hole in the sky, only a few survived. Our only hope is in my hands (the last copy of The Bible he found.) Eli is confronted by a group of men. One man grabs for his backpack and says to take it off nice and slow. Eli warns him he will lose his hand if he touches him again. He reaches and it is cut off in a second. Eli narrates: Cursed be the ground for our sake for out of the ground we are taken down and dust we shall return. He then fights them all and kills them except the first guy and says, 'I told you - you weren't going to get that back' then finishes him. In town it's like a modern version of the wild west. You can walk around if you are tough enough. After a huge fight he meets with Carnegie who says all we need is that book. He is warned by Claudia he is different than the others and he won't do what you want him to. This is your last chance. He says he wants the book and Eli says he doesn't want any trouble. He is told that is what he has and a barroom brawl breaks out. He wins and leaves. He says no one touches that book, but me. Outside Carnegie says I love this guy - someone please shoot him and Eli shows he can work with a gun as well as his fists. He escapes and Solara a young lady in her 20s joins up with him saying to search her. Carnegie seems to be the only one with vehicles and says put a crew together, we are going after him, which he sends after Eli to get the book in a large showdown. Eli tells Solara to get back inside and they hold up in a house. He says to close her eyes after. Some will kill to have it. He will kill to protect it. A lot of the shots from the first trailer are expanded to show more battle scenes. Eli is not only good with his knife, fists, guns, but a bow and arrow too. Solara uses grenades to help out. Lots of cars blow up. Eli kills many men hand to hand. Carnegie screams it's not just a book. (Eli expands to Believe) Still no Malcolm.

• TV Trailers appeared later 12/09 like above, but in book format like Chapter 1 to Chapter 4, but none feature Malcolm, Making me think he only has a small part.

• He quotes from Genesis 2/26

© 2009-10 Alex D. Thrawn for www.MalcolmMcDowell.net