"The Book of Eli" worthwhile end-of-world adventure with solid performances

"The Book of Eli" is set in a post-apocalyptic, sepia-toned world and stars the older but still infinitely cool Denzel Washington as Eli. The movie has some passing similarities to Mel Gibson's "The Road Warrior," but what worthwhile post-apocalyptic film doesn't? Eli wanders the world, fighting for survival and to protect something he thinks may ultimately save the survivors from themselves. He is a man of few words, but he is also someone not to mess with. Luckily for the viewer, plenty of road pirates test Eli's mettle. The action scenes are deftly handled, very spare and brutal but without necessitating gore.

The co-directors, The Hughes Brothers, perfectly cast Washington in this solid survival story with its own moral tone. The film is discreet with its religious undertones; I found it, for the most part, to be emotionally affecting without being heavy-handed. The look of the film is stylized without losing realism. Everyone wears sunglasses outside because of "The Flash" that occurred 30 years ago, ending the world as we know it. This probably also explains the washed out look of the film, which helps emphasize the feeling of a world that is near its end.

The supporting cast behind Washington is strong and believable with one partial exception. Gary Oldman shines in another villainous role, as a warlord who runs a small town. You would expect Oldman's villains to all begin to merge together into one exaggeration by now, but he manages to bring something new to the character of Carnegie. The warlord is a debonair, intelligent, tough guy who seems to growl through his lines when upset. This is a perfect matching of the wits between protagonist and antagonist. Carnegie's right-hand man, Redridge (Ray Stevenson; "Punisher: Warzone") is also noteworthy as a loyal enforcer with his own separate agenda. The most questionable casting is Mila Kunis ("Date Night") as Solara, a young woman in the town who is under Carnegie's protection. With everyone else in the film looking disheveled and hard-bitten, Kunis seems more dirty than hard-edged. She is supposed to be Eli's eventual protege, but I just couldn't believe it. While Kunis is a decent actress she felt out-of-place in this movie.

Overall, this is Washington's picture and he is impressive in it. A tough guy role with a moral center, Eli is an unusual character in a world where every man is out for himself. The directors take their time to explore the world and the types of people inhabiting it. The story itself has a few surprises in store, especially one big one. You'll want to see the movie again to see if the surprise bears scrutiny. It is an impressive piece of filmsmanship from the makers of the ultra-violent Jack the Ripper tale "From Hell." For those who enjoy end-of-the-world pictures or adventure films with solid acting, "The Book of Eli" is a worthwhile choice.

Rated R for some brutal violence and language.