Baptism by Hollywood?  Probably not.

However, Book of Eli goes a long way toward cleansing us of our complacency, certainly around religious and human potentials – both for destruction and salvation.

Book of Eli elevates Denzel Washington to a new level, as we witness Eli “walkin’” with purpose through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, where water and peace-of-mind are at a premium, and morality is merely fallout crushed under the boot of so many desperate thugs.  Antagonist Gary Oldman plays his role perfectly – a man enthralled with religion’s power to control; and Mila Kunis lends a very capable performance in her role as a nebulous woman from a not-so-subtle Christ-motif.  This powerful triangle represents three sides of a multi-faceted issue.

However, the center of this void is Eli, a man on an unusual mission with a very familiar book.  Over time his encounters and friendships set the stage for potential salvation, but along the way, we get a fascinating glimpse into a troubled world and, possibly, the last person on earth who has any faith, or peace, in it.

As we watch Eli trudge through a devastating world, maybe we’re looking into a mirror.  Maybe a void.  Maybe something altogether different, from the depths of our humanity…or lack thereof.

Movies like Book of Eli often can have a problem in the public eye and critical arena:  They are riddled with powerful and uncomfortable subtexts that often miss the mark, not for lack of excellent movie-making or great scripts, but for an audience’s distaste for certain motifs.  In Eli’s world, much like ours in some ways, religion is seen as a tool, both for destruction and manipulation, or positive outcomes, depending on who is wielding it.  Furthermore, Book of Eli asks us to suspend our everyday notions of the importance of everything, from water to prayer, and to rethink how we waste the resource of faith.

Literally, we must suspend belief.

We often don’t like to confront these issues, telling ourselves that our faith is always true and our ways usually correct.  But what is unsettling about Eli is that in his world, he is truly alone.  All we take for granted is gone.  After the nuclear holocaust and after the wells of capitalism run dry we are left with the simple struggle for life at the expense of our humanity.

Happy yet?  Satisfied?

Me either.  It’s uncomfortable.  It’s unpleasant.  It hits close to home.

But in the end, this is the genius of Book of Eli.  Its importance rests not in its highly effective sepia-colored drudgery or fascinating, lesson-laden twist.  No.  Instead, it relies on our complacency for effect…showing us how the very thing millions clutch dearly and, often, half-heartedly, can so easily slip through our fingers.

Or, maybe it makes us realize it already has.

Purify yourself in Eli’s river.  When you come back up for air, ask yourself how clean you feel.  If you don’t like the answer…start walkin’.

-josh