The Book of Eli - the Bible at the Movies

Examiner.com ^ | January 7, 2010 AD | Mariano Apologeticus

[MarianoApologeticus]

The premise is that Eli guards The Book of Eli (do not if he wrote it or why his name is also that of the book) that is said to hold the knowledge which could redeem the world. Carnegie and his posse are out to get The Book of Eli and the shenanigans ensue. Carnegie’s adopted daughter, Solara, ends up becoming Eli’s guide. The official Warner Brothers film description states that Eli is “Driven by this commitment and guided by his belief in something greater than himself.”

Actually, judging by more recent commercials; it appears that “the book” is the Bible and The Book of Eli is his story. Although, knowing Hollywood if the book is, indeed, the Bible it will turn out to be hollowed out and contain Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth—think about it: a hole in the ozone layer and the Earth is in bad shape! Also, all that it takes to go from “Eli” to “Al” is a copyist error! Perhaps Bart Ehrman will write “Misquoting Eli”…

An interesting thought experiment is to juxtapose the premise behind The Book of Eli and the Bible and consider them in more ways that just a redemptive message being guarded by some, though not kept secret, while others failingly attempt to discredit it…

let us imagine that somehow they have all…been destroyed. What now?...

Now, let us further consider that the over 34,000 manuscripts for the Bible have all been destroyed. What now?...

[Terabitten]

Christ went among the pagan unwashed and I'm sure He saw and heard some salty stuff. He thought it no different from some of the people he saw and heard in the Temple.

I seem to recall the Apostle Paul wishing (in writing, no less!) that some of his detractors would emasculate themselves....If he wrote that down, one can only imagine what he was thinking.

[Deb]

Well, my "lens" was re-set while I was watching it. And I didn't say I didn't like it. I got it. I love Denzel and the backstory to the movie is it wouldn't have gotten made without him. But telling people it has a "Christian theme" is not true. It has a Christian plot thread which you may feel is worth sitting thru 2 hours of brutality, injustice and vile language. I was sorry I brought my sweet, Christian teenage niece who was horrified by it.

I'm a writer in Hollywood and my late hubby wrote more than one "edgy" movie in his career so I'm not some emotionally fragile, wisp of a girl who faints when "Ragging Bull" comes on. I was just sorry the screenplay was so heavy-handed. It could have been a blessing to a wide audience. And Denzel could have gotten that one made too.

[newheart]

Well, I suppose we can agree to disagree. The movie isn’t perfect, but as a work of art coming out of Hollywood, it is amazing and your suggestion that there is not one act of Christianity in it is even more amazing. But it certainly your choice to view it in that way.

BTW, just curious, but what is the reference for your tag line? Sounds a bit violent to me.

[chuckles]

Some of the Psalms had a kick to them as well. David, a man after God's own heart, prayed some nasty stuff on some of his enemies.

Also probably one of the the most controversial verses in the Bible was when Jesus told his Apostles to sell their cloaks and buy a sword. What was He saying there? He had just spoke about being persecuted and I feel He was saying that you don't start a fight, but you have every right to defend yourself because the avalanche of criticism is coming. It seems many Christians today feel Christ wants them to lay down and be slaughtered for the cause. Jesus did that FOR us so we don't have to.

[Deb]

My tag means what you think it means, punk.

(just kidding)

[trisham]

LOL!

[American_Centurion]

moreover....the premise is that the world has basically been incinerated, and (as Eli says) many people say that whatever happened was caused by the Book. There is a real post-armageddon feel to this. The viewer is not sure just what happened, except that the Bible was at the center of it all - which, by the way, is very good theology.

Now...accept the preceding carnage at face value, and then you have to wonder: would the survivors be illiterate? yes. would they use naughty words? yes, i think they would. would they be violent? you betcha.

if they had NOT had the naughty words and the violence, then they could not have offered the opening premise.

so I think this movie just states the truth of the depravity of man.

But the larger and much more interesting Truth comes out, loud and clear: A sovereign God will preserve his Word, supernaturally.

That is an awesome (and true) message.

I agree with you 100% about this movie. My wife, was turned off by the violence and the language, but I simply told her "Do you really think that a world in which there is one remaining Bible, and one remaining believer, that was so utterly destroyed by war/famine/pestilence would be like Sunday School?" I don't know exactly where in theology a story like this could fit (tribulation maybe?) but even if it's a million Bibles and a million Believers, as some point the real world will make this movie look tame.

[Brett66]

I generally liked this movie, just one question about part of the movie though, where did he get that cool machete?

I need to add it to my sword collection.

[ConservativeDude]

absolutely...the sword/machete work was fantastic....

[newheart]

ROFL.

[kingcanuteus]

Well, when I knew his name was Eli, I was reminded of Elijah, who was a man of God who did a slice and dice number on the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel.

[redgolum]

But consider this.

Ten years ago the book would have been the Koran or some such thing. Society is gradually shifting.

[chuckles]

Half the time I speak of Jesus, I have to counter the flower child image that has been etched into people’s minds over the decades. Jesus is the same God that killed every person and animal on the planet, save 8, in a flood. He destroyed two cities for their sexual sin, and will eventually judge the world in Revelations. He did show mercy and grace on the cross, but He does have another side that people seem to forget about.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

*** I kept wondering how this film ever got the green light in Hollywood...***

Perhaps the Christian theme was so open that Hollywood didn’t recognize it!;-)

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons type movies just confuse people that have never read the Bible.***

My worthless Brother-in-law (If you know him he probably owes you money)actually believes there is something to this “DaVinci Code”. He also knows more about religion than anyone even though he never reads the Bible. If you don’t believe it just ask him! ;-) His bible is the History, Discover and NGO TV channels.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Yes, Eli is a Christian man attempting to protect the last remaining copy of the Bible in a bleak, devastated World.***

Any difference between this and THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW in which an atheist is trying to protect a Gutenberg Bible from being burned for heat?