I just watched The Book Of Eli......Geesh what happened to these dudes?

The Book of Eli has to be one of the worst films I've seen this year. It shows none of the talent of their earlier movies (From Hell was only marginally better). I feel kinda mad I wasted my time watching it, but more so just disappointed because I thought that the Hughes Brothers were better than this.

Their first film, Menace to Society was amazing. They were only in their early twenties but managed to make a mature, thoughtful, albeit very violent, movie. Similarly, Dead Presidents was also impressive. It just seems like such a sharp drop in quality in a relatively short amount of time.

I don't usually rant about films I dislike, but I thought this was interesting because they wrote Menace and Dead Presidents and did a much better job than when they worked with someone else's' words. Do you think they just need to find (or write themselves) a good script and they'll be back on form, or were they just over hyped to start off with?

Anyone else watched any of their movies?

We watched The Book of Eli this weekend ... enjoyed it

I liked "Menace II Society" and didn't care much for "Book of Eli".

My boyfriend liked "The Book of Eli" but I fell asleep on it in the movie theater.

AshK said:

I just watched The Book Of Eli......Geesh what happened to these dudes?

The Book of Eli has to be one of the worst films I've seen this year. It shows none of the talent of their earlier movies (From Hell was only marginally better). I feel kinda mad I wasted my time watching it, but more so just disappointed because I thought that the Hughes Brothers were better than this.

Their first film, Menace to Society was amazing. They were only in their early twenties but managed to make a mature, thoughtful, albeit very violent, movie. Similarly, Dead Presidents was also impressive. It just seems like such a sharp drop in quality in a relatively short amount of time.

I don't usually rant about films I dislike, but I thought this was interesting because they wrote Menace and Dead Presidents and did a much better job than when they worked with someone else's' words. Do you think they just need to find (or write themselves) a good script and they'll be back on form, or were they just over hyped to start off with?

Anyone else watched any of their movies?

I thought it was just me.

I agree with u 100%.

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

AshK said:

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

That was Jennifer Beals? She looks GOOD!! I LOVED the movie. I thought it was brilliant.

ScarletScandal said:

AshK said:

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

That was Jennifer Beals? She looks GOOD!! I LOVED the movie. I thought it was brilliant.

Co-Sign. Loved it and I am not sure how you could fall asleep with people being blown up and killed left and right.

I didn't care for The Book Of Eli my boyfriend loved it tho...

laurarichardson said:

ScarletScandal said:

That was Jennifer Beals? She looks GOOD!! I LOVED the movie. I thought it was brilliant.

Co-Sign. Loved it and I am not sure how you could fall asleep with people being blown up and killed left and right.

I know right? And seeing how it ended. I thought it was a brilliant movie.

I thought The Book of Eli was decent. It was a good escapism movie.

ScarletScandal said:

AshK said:

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

That was Jennifer Beals? She looks GOOD!! I LOVED the movie. I thought it was brilliant.

Jennifer Beals always looks good lol Can't believe she's 46!

laurarichardson said:

ScarletScandal said:

That was Jennifer Beals? She looks GOOD!! I LOVED the movie. I thought it was brilliant.

Co-Sign. Loved it and I am not sure how you could fall asleep with people being blown up and killed left and right.

The action scenes are not that engaging though, especially since the whole loner-survival thing has been done a lot in the last couple of years. I thought it would have been better if Denzel's character died and then Mila Kunis had to decide what to do with the book.

Mach said:

We watched The Book of Eli this weekend ... enjoyed it

Did you enjoy the happy twist ending?

AshK said:

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

The twist ending was THE real reason why Eli was able to remember exactly everything that was in that book despite the fact that the book itself was taken away from him.

And also, the book itself was very useless to anyone that wasn't blind. That girl's mother (who was blind) was the only other person that could read the book beside Eli.

And the very fact that the book turn out to be the only surving copy of the King James Translation of the Holy Scriptures that was printed in codes that blind people read with touch instead by sight (which blind people do not have anyway) pretty much explain why Eli was commit to put his life on the line in trying to protect that rare knowledge.

AshK said:

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

Wrong.

Eli needs to protect the holy scriptures from falling into the wrong hands. Even the film's main villain admitted that THE same book can be used to control the whole world, which was why he was trying to steal it away from Eli.

TonyVanDam said:

AshK said:

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

The twist ending was THE real reason why Eli was able to remember exactly everything that was in that book despite the fact that the book itself was taken away from him.

And also, the book itself was very useless to anyone that wasn't blind. That girl's mother (who was blind) was the only other person that could read the book beside Eli.

And the very fact that the book turn out to be the only surving copy of the King James Translation of the Holy Scriptures that was printed in codes that blind people read with touch instead by sight (which blind people do not have anyway) pretty much explain why Eli was commit to put his life on the line in trying to protect that rare knowledge.

I do understand the twist and the symbolism behind it but I think it's a stupid plot device. It's just a very clumsy movie in general that would be acceptable if it were from a novice but the Hughes Brothers are far more capable.

TonyVanDam said:

AshK said:

What was up with the big twist? It was so unnecessary.

I didn't really like the idea of 'protecting' the bible from being exploited either. Like Eli has some sort of jurisdiction over the use of religion, maybe that was the point of the film, but I just thought it was stupid.

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were cute though

[Edited 6/22/10 4:49am]

Wrong.

Eli needs to protect the holy scriptures from falling into the wrong hands. Even the film's main villain admitted that THE same book can be used to control the whole world, which was why he was trying to steal it away from Eli.

How am I wrong? That's exactly what I meant by saying protecting the bible from being exploited. My point is, Eli has no right (i.e. jurisdiction) to deny people the knowledge of religion even if it will be used for bad.

AshK said:

laurarichardson said:

Co-Sign. Loved it and I am not sure how you could fall asleep with people being blown up and killed left and right.

The action scenes are not that engaging though, especially since the whole loner-survival thing has been done a lot in the last couple of years. I thought it would have been better if Denzel's character died and then Mila Kunis had to decide what to do with the book.

Sweetie, that's what happened in the end.

I "loved" Book of Eli and Menace II Society was cool too ...

ScarletScandal said:

AshK said:

The action scenes are not that engaging though, especially since the whole loner-survival thing has been done a lot in the last couple of years. I thought it would have been better if Denzel's character died and then Mila Kunis had to decide what to do with the book.

Sweetie, that's what happened in the end.

Actually, Eli only died after dictating the book to the Clockwork Orange dude (rather conveniently). Mila then heads back home presumably to save her mama.

What I meant was it would have been cool if he died earlier then Mila had to decide if she should continue to West to deliver the book or take it back home and try use it to save her town/her mama. Remember she doesn't know anything about the book or religion in general, so if she decided to continue West it would have been based soley on the idea of faith which I think is more interesting than just her tagging along with Denzel because she wanted to leave town

Urgh, I sound like such a nerd lol