The apocalypse is getting a lot of attention these days, especially in movies. 2012 showed a potential cause, and The Road displayed a potential aftermath. The Book of Eli creates a western inspired view of the apocalypse with a thought provoking premise and quite the twist of an ending. Though it may not deliver as much action as I would have liked, it did deliver a solid entertaining experience.

Thirty-one years after a cataclysmic event, the world is a much different place. Things we took for granted (soap, shoes, water, etc) are now precious and used as currency. Bands of wandering thieves/cannibals roam the roads, while others form small settlements in the ruins of former cities. Amidst all this chaos, a man named Eli (Denzel Washington, The Taking of Pelham 123) has been walking across the US for 30 years. For a reason known only to him, he is traveling west in search of a certain place. Along with weapons and supplies he carries a book, another commodity in this now illiterate world. This is not, however, a normal book. This book has immense potential power for those who understand.

The brief action scenes in the trailer sold me on The Book of Eli. I like Washington as a serious actor so I was a bit skeptical to see him in a film of this nature. Once I saw him fight a group of 6 guys with a huge blade, however, I was ready to believe. Though combat scenes like those in the trailer are minimal, they are quite exciting and well shot. Washington's Eli displays some other talents that might not be as visually impressive as his hand-to-hand skills, but they help to build a solid character who keeps you guessing as to his origins. His delivery is terrific, as usual, and he adds depth to Eli that no amount of violence can create.

The other standout role in this film is Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) who plays the owner of a settlement with big dreams that involve Eli's book. Oldman is a terrific villain and has a visible transition into madness as the film progresses. The only downside of the film, I thought, was Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall). To me, Kunis still hasn't proven herself as a serious actress. I just don't believe the emotions she tries to convey on screen through dialog. She slowly becomes more prevalent towards the end of the film which is very disappointing considering the great groundwork that Washington and Oldman lay up to that point.

The Book of Eli is one of the better post-apocalyptic films to be released lately. It may have an all too familiar setting, but it mixes some new concepts and ends with one hell of a twist that some may have trouble grasping. This film pushes the two hour mark (a feature that usually turns me away from a film) but it uses the time well. The Book of Eli provides a much more intriguing view of life after the end than most films and is just fun to watch from beginning to end (or end to beginning as the story goes).