Mix the elements of an aggressive and graphic western, give it a divine twist and position it in the future, you will get your film, ‘The Book of Eli’. Denzel Washington is a recluse who has been wandering across barren lands for the past many years desperately holding the only Bible that exists, which the villain badly wishes to possess. Obviously, Denzel fans should move in fast and with some shrewd marketing techniques, Eli could attain huge success.

Eli is the first picture of Hughes Brothers in a decade and it definitely provides all the necessary ingredients you anticipate, its spiritual air makes it distinct from other movies and is a must for religiously inclined.

Thirty years after the apocalypse war, a solitary man Eli (Washington) roams through the remnants of America. He frustrates all the baddies on the way to protect the Bible, which he considers important for the future of the human society. Blocking his way is Carnegie (Oldman), the only person aware about Eli’s persona and is obsessed to take possession of the book in the hope of controlling the remnants of the world. Carnegie’s daughter, Sonara (Mila Kunis) who gets captivated by Eli, complicates the issue.

There are a lot of parallels in ‘Eli’ with films of the past. The anarchic Old-West and the chaotic New-West are quietly similar in many ways. Eli, an aloof character with unlimited action strategies reminds you of Clint Eastwood in his classic westerns. Eli represents the limited few who have any recollection of the world prior to its end and Carnegie, his adversary is the one person who grasps the import of the situation. The set up has immense potential for confrontation and the Hughes Brothers do it in style.

Washington is a marvel and the loner character is played with comfortable ease and élan. Oldman is excellent and a revelation when he is malevolence personified. Kunis as the female lead is perfect for the role and Jennifer Beals is good as the sightless wife of Carnegie. Supporting actors too do justice to their roles and stimulating hilarity is provided by Michael Gambon and Frances de la Tour.

With continuous and spellbinding action, The Book of Eli has commenced with an enormously thrilling start and should bring in substantial revenue.