The Book of Eli

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The Book of Eli

R

2010

1h 52m

Adventure

Action

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

46%

Tomatometer

205 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Thirty years after war turned the world into a wasteland, a lone warrior named Eli marches across the ruined landscape, carrying hope for humanity's redemption. Only one other man understands the power of what Eli carries, and he is determined to take it for himself. Though Eli prefers peace, he must risk death to protect his precious cargo, to fulfill his destiny to help restore mankind.

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Critics Consensus

It's certainly uneven, and many viewers will find that its reach exceeds its grasp, but The Book of Eli finds the Hughes brothers injecting some fresh stylish fun into the kind of post-apocalyptic wasteland filmgoers have seen more than enough of lately.

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

Jan 16, 2018

This picture is one big waste of time, including that of the actors and those in the audience who pay to see it.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Sep 11, 2017

D+

The Book Of Eli is just one hot mess with choppy biblical undertones... The filmmakers just tried to get too deep with something that was not fully developed.

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Dwight Brown

National Newspaper Publishers Association

Nov 8, 2016

1.5/4

Post-apocalypse films are a dime a dozen, so what makes The Book of Eli so different? Not much, except an evangelical subplot that is not strong enough to be this film's savior.

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Sharai Bohannon

A Nightmare On Fierce Street Podcast

May 23, 2025

2/5

This is too predictable and unfun to be worth most of these actors time. Denzel Washington gives a performance worth noting, but it's not enough to save the movie from itself.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 25, 2023

2.5/4

The most admirable aspect of the production is its use of Washington in a samurai-esque role.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Oct 26, 2022

A violent action spectacle. [Full review in Spanish]

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Mike T

@RT10644161 Aug 16, 2026

Loved the easy paced movie that really had a great twist for an ending. Great message here for we should think about in present times.

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d W

@doublebrovo Jul 22, 2026

This one of the best (top 3) apocalypse movies I've seen. It was unpredictable from the start to finish. I only wish there would be a sequel.

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Les N

@Vegas628 Jul 20, 2026

Why this got a bad review, many, I'm not quite sure?

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Toxicnukem T

@Toxicnukem Jul 18, 2026

I have a soft spot for apocalyptic movies and this definitely hits the spot. the end was very rewarding.

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Emerson F

@emersonfs1980 Jul 17, 2026

A visceral post-apocalyptic film with spectacular desaturated cinematography and great action, though the final twist demands an extra dose of suspension of disbelief and Gary Oldman's villain borders on caricaturish. The feeling watching it at home was a deep reflection on the future of humanity and the power of faith; it encouraged me to memorize and keep the words of the Bible in my mind and heart, knowing that is the one place where no one can take them from me, leaving a strong wish to have experienced it in a theater.

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Claudio C

@Claudio666 Jul 10, 2026

The Book of Eli (2010) Mad Max, Fahrenheit 451 and Blind Fury Together (12,559 – 12 Jun 2010 / 09 Jul 2026 – Claudio Carvalho) "The Book of Eli" (2010) is an adventure post-apocalyptic fiction film that blends the environment of "Mad Max" with the concept of memorializing a book of "Fahrenheit 451" and a blind hero that recalls Hutger Hauer in "Blind Fury". The story is entertaining, but the plot is too religious. There are many flaws like, for example, Solara cannot read but is skilled in driving a car in a world without cars; Eli is shot in the stomach but is able to walk and row a boat to Alcatraz. Denzel Washington is always excellent, but Gary Oldman has a disappointing histrionic performance. My vote is six. Title (Brazil): "O Livro de Eli" ("The Book of Eli")

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Allen Hughes

Director

Albert Hughes

Director

Denzel Washington

Eli

Gary Oldman

Carnegie

Mila Kunis

Solara

Ray Stevenson

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Synopsis

Thirty years after war turned the world into a wasteland, a lone warrior named Eli marches across the ruined landscape, carrying hope for humanity's redemption. Only one other man understands the power of what Eli carries, and he is determined to take it for himself. Though Eli prefers peace, he must risk death to protect his precious cargo, to fulfill his destiny to help restore mankind.

Director: Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes
Producer: Joel Silver, Denzel Washington, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove, David Valdes
Screenwriter: Gary Whitta
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Silver Pictures
Rating: R (Some Brutal Violence|Language)
Genre: Adventure, Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $94.8M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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