The Book of Eli - the Bible at the Movies

Examiner.com ^ | January 7, 2010 AD | Mariano Apologeticus

[MarianoApologeticus]

The premise is that Eli guards The Book of Eli (do not if he wrote it or why his name is also that of the book) that is said to hold the knowledge which could redeem the world. Carnegie and his posse are out to get The Book of Eli and the shenanigans ensue. Carnegie’s adopted daughter, Solara, ends up becoming Eli’s guide. The official Warner Brothers film description states that Eli is “Driven by this commitment and guided by his belief in something greater than himself.”

Actually, judging by more recent commercials; it appears that “the book” is the Bible and The Book of Eli is his story. Although, knowing Hollywood if the book is, indeed, the Bible it will turn out to be hollowed out and contain Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth—think about it: a hole in the ozone layer and the Earth is in bad shape! Also, all that it takes to go from “Eli” to “Al” is a copyist error! Perhaps Bart Ehrman will write “Misquoting Eli”…

An interesting thought experiment is to juxtapose the premise behind The Book of Eli and the Bible and consider them in more ways that just a redemptive message being guarded by some, though not kept secret, while others failingly attempt to discredit it…

let us imagine that somehow they have all…been destroyed. What now?...

Now, let us further consider that the over 34,000 manuscripts for the Bible have all been destroyed. What now?...

[ConservativeMind]

You might want to correct this:

“do not if he wrote”

[dawn53]

In the movie, the Bible was ultimately preserved...but wouldn’t want to give any spoilers, to the unique plot twist near the end of the movie.

[ChocChipCookie]

I can’t wait to see this movie.

[Skenderbej]

Boring. Both my wife and I were waiting for it to end. We almost left, but we kept expecting it to get better.

We did like the premise, but the execution was painful.

It’s just our opinion...take it for what you paid for it!

[ConservativeDude]

While this movie is NOT for the whole family, repeat it is NOT for the whole family, it has teh most profound, blatant Christian content I have ever seen in a fiction-based film.

[Antoninus]

It was a fair movie. Neat plot twist at the end. It was basically an old time western set in the future—only with lots of “R” rated stuff (rape scenes, general butchery, ugly language).

[Joe 6-pack]

"...it has the most profound, blatant Christian content I have ever seen in a fiction-based film."

I saw the film a few weekends ago and really liked it. I kept wondering how this film ever got the green light in Hollywood...

[patton]

I loved it.

[Deb]

Yes, Eli is a Christian man attempting to protect the last remaining copy of the Bible in a bleak, devastated World. The problem is, the movie is unnecessarily profane, nauseatingly violent and in the end the Bible is placed in a library between the Torah and the Koran.

If you think using Christianity as a plot gimmick and if you appreciate gang rape, hardcore brutality and a numbing overuse of the "F" word, you'll be able to sit thru "The Book of Eli". There was a way to tell this story. This wasn't it.

[LearsFool]

Now, let us further consider that the over 34,000 manuscripts for the Bible have all been destroyed. What now?...

Okay, for the sake of argument, let's take that as a hypothetical.

If such a case means the gospel is lost forever, wiped out by the enemies of God, then God has lost and His enemies have proven their superiority, right? If that's the case, then God isn't really as great as He claims, is He?

So, let 'em give it their best shot - as they've been doing ever since the serpent fooled Eve. And with what success? God still brought His plan to fruition, just as He planned. And we know all about it.

Thousands upon thousands of manuscripts. The Old Testament translated into, and the New Testament written in, a language so widespread that the Bible can be translated reliably into any language on earth. Any literate person can read it for himself, and no one is dependent on priest, prophet or preacher to tell him what God says.

This "only surviving copy" plot is a bit of a stretch, then, to say the least. No, the difficulty is not in getting a copy of the Bible - there are plenty of them gathering dust on coffee-tables. The challenge is in living the life of a disciple of Christ.

(But nobody makes movies about humble disciples bearing their everyday burdens, loving their wives and husbands and children, and laying up treasure in heaven, do they? Who would remark about such a movie, "I can't wait to see it!"? Discipleship has to be spiced up with some sex and violence and dirty language before we'll give it our attention.)

[ConservativeDude]

exactly! I kept thinking, “how did they get away with saying THAT???!!!”

talk about politically incorrect...nothing like this movie, ever!

[newheart]

If you think using Christianity as a plot gimmick and if you appreciate gang rape, hardcore brutality and a numbing overuse of the "F" word, you'll be able to sit thru "The Book of Eli".

I don't think the movie used Christianity as a plot gimmick. This was a remarkable movie about living by faith instead of sight as well as the way that God always preserves his Word regardless of how much man screws up the world. As for the violence and brutality, at times it did feel a little over the top, but there was not much you would not find in the Bible itself. The movie is clearly rated R for violence and language. You can choose not to see it.

[Bigg Red]

Thank you for that evaluation. You sound like you have my kind of sensibilities. Yet another movie I won’t be seeing.

[ConservativeDude]

moreover....the premise is that the world has basically been incinerated, and (as Eli says) many people say that whatever happened was caused by the Book. There is a real post-armageddon feel to this. The viewer is not sure just what happened, except that the Bible was at the center of it all - which, by the way, is very good theology.

Now...accept the preceding carnage at face value, and then you have to wonder: would the survivors be illiterate? yes. would they use naughty words? yes, i think they would. would they be violent? you betcha.

if they had NOT had the naughty words and the violence, then they could not have offered the opening premise.

so I think this movie just states the truth of the depravity of man.

But the larger and much more interesting Truth comes out, loud and clear: A sovereign God will preserve his Word, supernaturally.

That is an awesome (and true) message.

[chuckles]

I liked the movie because it at least showed the importance of the Bible to mankind. Of course there was nothing "Biblical" about the movie, but you takes what you can get. I think it explains to the pagan unwashed what a Prophet was about. They just heard from God and did what He said. The girl was astounded that Eli would dedicate his life to a "voice" in his head and follow it without fear for 30+ years. It also explains how God will have His way even using a blind man to accomplish what other men would never be able to do. I thought the street battle where Eli was shooting people on the roof with a pistol from 50 yards away was quite a feat for a blind man. Sorta "ninja" like. "Be the bullet", don't ya know.

The only question I had after the movie is "Why not shoot movies straight from the actual written Word"? Passion of the Christ did pretty good. The Ten Commandments also. DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons type movies just confuse people that have never read the Bible. I'm sure there are several movies in Revelations that would be scarier than The Omen and other rip offs about the end times.

In the Eli movie, you have to wonder where Jesus was in the 1000 year Reign of Christ. Was Eli a Christian that wasn't Raptured? Lots of stuff missing in the movie. Just serves to confuse the lost. If you get your religion from the Discovery Channel, I guess it fits.

[Vermont Lt]

I would suggest walking through some of the most Godless gangland’s in the SI and other hell holes in the world. They are full of people acting like animals. I thought it was a little over the top, but not too far.

[Deb]

I saw it. It was an unnecessarily vile and profane Kung Fu movie with not one single act of Christianity and the inference that religion was the cause of the apocalyptic "flash". In the end, after all that, the Bible is put on a shelf with the other great religious books to complete the set.

Like I said, there's a way to tell this story and this wasn't it.

[chuckles]

I think you "get it" for the intent of the movie. The filthy language, murder, and rape are just the way people really are. I always find it strange that Christians deny the reality of man. If anyone should realize that, it should be a redeemed Christian.

If you look at what the world would look like if there were no Christians, save Eli and his Bible, I don't think the movie would be that far from the mark. If a pagan was starving and thirsty, does anyone really think he wouldn't shoot someone for a drink and eat them?

Christ went among the pagan unwashed and I'm sure He saw and heard some salty stuff. He thought it no different from some of the people he saw and heard in the Temple. If you are going to witness to dope addicts and whores, don't be surprised to hear an "F" bomb or two. If we witness to choir members, maybe we can live in a "clean, holy, sanctified, world.

[chuckles]

....."not one single act of Christianity".....

That's the point, there were no Christians except Eli. Do you think the natural state of man is to exude kindness and morals? Christians are blamed today for the world's ills, they were blamed in Roman days, and I'm sure they will be blamed till Jesus comes. If we attacked Iran today, would the world say we did right or Iran was blameless? It has always been Christians in the way of Satan having his way. It will always be so. The "end" you spoke of was the Bible was the first book printed after they fixed their press, just as the press was invented to print the Bible for the masses.

Your "lens" for observing the movie is set and I think you missed some of the messages sent. I find it remarkable for Hollywood to make such a movie, and you think it was a disaster. It depends on your outlook I suppose. Hollywood will not team up with Billy Graham as a consultant so you takes what you can get. The movie wasn't Biblical, but there are themes that are.