"The Book of Eli is, perhaps, the most explicitly Christian film I've seen come out of the secular film industry since The Passion of the Christ... The Bible—what it is and what it says—lies at the heart of this cinematic Book." (from Plugged In)
This weekend I went to the cinema to see The Book of Eli (Directed by Albert & Allen Hughes, Warner Bros, 2010), a futuristic post-nuclear story starring Denzel Washington.
There are several fine online reviews of this film already, but I think that this film is significant for thoughtful Christians in three ways:
1. It underscores the value of the Bible to our world, by contrasting our present literacy (& abundance of Bibles in our language) vs. an impoverished future world in which only one copy of the Bible exists, and few know how to even read. This movie made me want to read my Bible more, and learn more of it by heart.
2. It critiques the materialism of our time, by contrasting our present wastefulness vs. future scarcity.
3. It shows the pervasive depravity of human beings, by contrasting the kind of brutal world that follows the breakdown of morality in the absence of law vs. the enduring morality that flows from a Biblical worldview.
Be warned that the violence and language are disturbing... but I am encouraged that a film like this suggests the significance of the Bible to a new generation. We may hope that God may use stories like The Book of Eli to make people curious about the Word of God, and read it themselves.
Finally, Denzel Washington's presence as an actor is masterful. As people this week consider black Americans, I suggest we take a renewed look at Washington for his talent, his moral integrity on screen and off screen, and his Christian faith. Christianity Today interviewed him last week about his faith and his acting here.
Brian Huseland
1 comment:
We watched Man on Fire recently and it blew me away - the action was violent but the power and the ending!
The article you linked to actually confirms what I felt about Man on Fire that despite the violence there was a deeper intention in Washington's acting - intention you wouldn't find in other actors who would take it only to the level of human revenge.
Will have to watch The Book of Eli.
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