The Reel Rejects - THE BOOK OF ELI (2010) MOVIE REVIEW!! First Time Watching!! Denzel Washington | Gary Oldman
Episode Date: February 9, 2025WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT!! Visit https://huel.com/rejects to get 15% off your order Download the PrizePicks today https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/RE... & use code REJECTS to get $50 instantly wh...en you play $5! Come see us at MULTICON!! https://www.multihouse.io/multicon The Book of Eli Full Movie Reaction Watch Along: https://www.patreon.com/thereelrejects Follow Us On Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thereelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/thereelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ This Sci-Fi Sunday we're going Post-Apocalyptic Western as Coy Jandreau, Andrew Gordon, & John Humphrey give their FIRST-TIME Reaction, Commentary, Analysis, Breakdown, & Full Movie Spoiler Review for 2010 film starring Denzel Washington (Training Day, Gladiator II, Malcolm X) as Eli, a drifter fights his way across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity's salvation. Directed by the Hughes Brothers (Menace II Society, Dead Presidents, From Hell), The Book of Eli also features performances from Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, Bram Stoker's Dracula), Ray Stevenson (Thor, King Arthur, The Punisher: War Zone), Jennifer Beals (Flashdance), Evan Jones (8 Mile), Tom Waits (Seven Psychopaths, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Michael Gambon (Gosford Park, Harry Potter), & MORE! Follow Andrew Gordon on Socials: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieSource Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agor711/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/Agor711 Follow Coy Jandreau: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coyjandreau?l... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coyjandreau/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoyJandreau YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYH2szDTuU9ImFZ9gBRH8w Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Music Used In Manscaped Ad: Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM: FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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into the book of Eli.
Turn to page one.
The Hughes Brothers.
Save us.
The Hughes Brothers.
I think they did.
The only other movie I'm aware of they did was from hell.
From Hell with Johnny Depp and Heather Graham.
That's the only other film I'm aware of the.
Oh, Jill Silver produces.
I know.
Yeah, the Hughes Brothers.
We'll have to look up because they definitely have some credits.
Wow.
We're just waiting to see the composer.
Yeah, yeah.
He's curious.
And the DP, I want to know all these things.
Susan Downey producing.
Hey.
Oh, Robert's wife.
Yeah, she's producer.
I know she also produced and they met on Gothica.
Yeah.
Gothic.
I should watch Gothica.
Never seen it.
But I do know that's where they met.
So curious.
Book of Eli.
Yeah, was this based on a comic book or something like that?
It felt that way, but I don't.
I could see it easily going either way.
Yeah, I don't know if the book could be like a comic necessarily.
RIP, buddy.
Yeah, seriously.
Definitely had some comic character actors in it.
Jennifer Beals.
Is that the mom?
I think so.
Or was it?
Or was that the tall woman?
I'm not sure.
Yeah.
Tom Waits.
My man.
Michael.
Gammon.
R.I.P.
And, yeah, what is, what is, uh, wifey's name?
I'm getting, oh, she'd get credit.
I think she might have been Jennifer Beals or was that.
Oh, Jennifer Beals is, is, is, blind mom.
Oh, Don.
Why is that name?
I don't know.
I don't know that's up man, Andrew, you'll have to be our lord of, uh, when we get to the
trivia right before, I'll, I'll quickly look it up.
The Hughes and stuff to Cindy.
But who's the composer?
Who's the composer?
Yeah, I think the last thing we need is composer.
I just need the composer, like, show it already.
We cannot leave this place.
this is an incredible score
what riveting commentary we're getting
there we go
Atticus Ross
you know man
didn't Atticus Ross do the social network
with Trent Rezner
and he's the guy who always
works at Trent Resner
I was sitting here thinking
I don't you know what
I don't think I even said nine inch nails
but especially with those
some wham those whums
and the emphatic like we're going to hit
one piano chord
and you better like it
and it's going to get a motion
and I believe social network came out
the same year 2010, if my memory serves
correct. I should have called that out down. I think you're
right? Yeah. And respect to the other composers
listed who's not. We got so excited
about it. But it's got to be also nice for
Atticus Ross to be the Trent Reznor of that conversation
for once. Instead of being the guy
who's saved Trent Resner.
Because it's always next to Trent Resner.
Man, Halshmeader, second AD. All right, let's talk about this
beast. Yes, friends. We have just
traversed the wastelands
of California
here in the wasteland
of California to bring you
the word
which is if you're listening
to this review on Apple or Spotify
go ahead and leave us
five star ratings
and you know just
just leave a
faithful prayer
there and also
hey if you want a tea
like this particular one
that Andrew's wearing today
you can go over to read
it actually was the perfect shirt to wear for this
it worked out it was the perfect shirt to wear for this
In fact, that's why we're all out of uniformed today.
Just for that special.
But I do love his shirt the best, just saying.
But favorite animated show of all time.
So guys, which Batman the animated series episode?
Was this episode most like?
I would say the underdwellers, because that's where Bruce Wayne gets captured and is sent off.
It's got a Western motif and vibe to it.
You remember that it was a yes-and-ing scenario in this room?
I did it until your last sentence.
I was trying to piece it together.
But do you remember that episode?
It's one of actually the worst episodes, but I still like it.
Western Bruce Wayne is so like, it works.
Even when he's got the gray hair and he's got amnesia,
I still like even the bad episodes,
and that's why that show is so damn good.
Where would you rank the under thingy, the underdwellers?
The underdwellers of the bad man.
Bottom third, but still better than most shows.
It's still great.
Even the bad episodes are still great.
All right, guys, we've just watched the Book of Eli.
Yeah, Book of Eli.
You know, this movie, I remember when it came out,
and I remember just seeing the vibe,
and, you know, from the outside
it certainly does encapsulate a certain
amount of that you think of like, oh, cool, badass,
Mad Max kind of thing with Denzel.
Greg Nicotero, icon of special effects.
And our burger is a K&B effects crew.
That makes some sense.
Yeah, this was an interesting one to take in.
Geek Jekts, who wants to comment first?
Whatever you want.
Coy, how do you feel?
I really like that it was
mysterious but by the time the payoff happened it didn't feel like it didn't serve you like
the payoff that he was blind i'm still not totally sure he was blind like i like that they gave us
a little flexibility interpretation which what is a religious text if not interpretive uh and i also
like that jeanne epper just i'm sorry rest in peace because i see her name in stunts all the time
and i think maybe she might have passed recently anyway but i i like that it was something that
uh kept you guessing but also like the enigmaticness was never distracted
from the badassery or vice versa.
Like, it allowed itself to be a very slow burn, methodical, thoughtful thing,
but also, like, would break into badassness.
But it never felt like the tone was disparate.
Like, they fit with each other.
And the cinematography was absolutely staggering.
I love every time it was, like, using liminal space and darkness
to really highlight a certain thing and then really washed out so any color felt like it popped.
And it just felt like such a lived-in world.
And I really liked it.
I was trying to figure out where they were and what was going on,
but I never felt like that was more important than the actual story they were telling me.
It was captivating.
And I will admit, I worked at a movie theater when this came out.
And I remember, like, two to three minutes of it over the course of the two hours.
But I always just was like, I know, what a betrayal.
Three percent of this reaction is phony.
Two to three minutes of this reaction.
It's not real.
I just remember, like, a fight, and I don't remember which one it was I saw.
And I remember being like, it's a really bright movie.
And like, that's all I remember is the movies.
Because like in the theater, it was just like so vibrant.
High contrast.
But now that I've seen it, I was like, I wonder what moments I watch because the movie is so similar throughout.
And if you're watching it in pieces.
I can't remember.
And that's beautiful because it's such a captivating story that it's ponderous, wandering, desert nature wasn't boring.
It was just similar.
So my minds I can't remember what minutes I've even seen because I was like, oh, bright and fighty.
Bright and Fighting.
But yeah, I really enjoyed this.
Well, definitely wear sunglasses next time I watch this.
Yeah, Sunglass Reaction.
But I don't even remember watching scenes.
I just remember it being loud, fighty, and then bright.
But it was so, so, so good.
Loud, fighty, and so bright.
I do agree with you that it was a slow burn, but you never feel that slow burn.
Like, it's still the pacing was real.
You feel the burn part of it.
Yes, that you do.
Yeah, that you do, but I love slow burns where you don't feel the time, but it's still
paced really well, you know what I mean?
And, uh...
I like agonizing slow burns.
Sorry.
Four hours.
Terrence Malich.
No, for sure.
But, like, even in the beginning right away, like, there's hardly any dialogue if, you know, but we get to know, uh, Denzel Washington, or Eli, rather, we get to know him right away, what he's about and what he's gone through and what he has to do to survive, like instantly in the first five to ten minutes. And I love films that do that with, uh, just visual narration like that. Uh, and I thought that was just brilliantly a way for us to just get to know the character right away. And just, and again, I'm, I'm not the biggest fan of, uh, animal, uh, you know,
But again, in situations like this, for survival mode, I understand and I can sympathize with the situation.
So, like, I understood.
But I found fascinating, too, when he was feeding, like, the mouse, like that.
It's such a poetic thing to do and ironic thing to do.
And I love that.
But, yeah, no, I thought that was a very interesting and methodical way to introduce the character for sure.
And then I just, I also like to, like, in this type of world, I feel like it was so in a post-apocalyptic world.
the production design was so well lived in and they did such a great job just again the visceral from the sound designs to the the visuals just everything was just so on point that you really like felt like you were in it yeah so um I loved all that this shot on film it looked like with all those close-ups all the stubble yeah and then I also like drag this reel through like some some like the neat like nastiest dune you can find
Let's go find a quarry somewhere and just like rake it through the mud.
But also too, when we're talking about the slow burn, I like how too they really take its time.
Like even just the little things like looking for stuff, you know, going through supplies because you can actually use that stuff to trade in or pay for things with stuff.
So I thought that was an interesting thing because I can't really think of too many post-apocalyptic things.
Usually it's like here pay for rations or whatever, but like actually using stuff that you find that have value to it.
I thought that was another fascinating.
Oh, yeah, that like bartering thing of like,
we have these random old things.
I like the world building in this post-apocalyptic world.
And again, we talked about many times during the reaction,
but I like that vibe between the Mad Max and the Western.
I know Mad Max is a little bit Western-y as well,
but I thought the marriage between the two
is just such a cool genre blend.
Did you see that Marikoni had the second song?
It was like they played like an old Western in one of the scenes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure.
Fun.
And the characters were, I mean, Gary Oldman's always a win for me.
I just, that pent-up rage that he was holding back and then we get that Gary Oldman,
you know, the villainous rage that we always get at some point.
Fantastic.
But also, too, I think my favorite type of villains are methodical, intelligent, intuitive villains.
And the way, like, just he went about everything, I just, again, I hated him,
but also at the same point I understood his motivations what he was trying to do.
And like you said, he was a very cynical character.
but at the same point I just I loved how intuitively intelligent he was and I appreciated that
and also too like by comparison to like everyone around yeah no and everyone like they didn't even
who it a TV was which made sense it's been like you guys said it's been 30 years or whatever
since you know the big flash or the big bang whatever they called it so that made sense
and it would make sense that someone like that with that intelligent level would be in charge
and yeah and also using fear and and you know his education level to rule amongst them like that
So I thought that was fascinating too
And I really loved
Obviously I love Denzel in this film and his character
But I loved Milakunas
And the transformation that she made throughout
Just a really well done arc
And again the way how she spent time
Like she didn't know how to read
She didn't know how to fend for herself
And again the way they slow
Took their time throughout the film
And then by the end when she is a badass
And she understands like the religious themes
And the religious stuff that she does get
Like it's actually you buy it
It's very organic
And I really love
all her interactions with Denzel with Eli really really good stuff um and the book of Denzel the book
of Denzel yes um but yeah and I mean this is a tough world that you know if it didn't harden her
it did uh and also too like getting outside of where she was like she was so like um very custom
to the lifestyle that she was in albeit it was very difficult and disgusting lifestyle that she
was made to be forced into um but now seeing it uh from a different perspective with Eli I thought that was
very eye-opening for her and yeah I just I loved her character so much and again the
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But yeah, incredible film.
And again, the cinematography and the score elevated what was already a captivating and interesting story
and such just emotionally adept characters that I was already, like, invested in.
But again, the score and the cinematography just like elevated it even more for me.
Yeah, I would agree with what you guys have.
said collectively speaking. It's one of those that to me is like it's it's one of those kind
of the wrong word to match the tone, but it's one of those nifty movies where it's like
kind of just the right proportions to be like a really cool high concept but with a little
bit more on its mind kind of ordeal. I do think there's like maybe one additional layer or
like rung on the depth ladder they could have attempted to dredge for me because I think
that there's something really interesting at the heart of this. And I think what it does and how it does,
it is a vibe and is, again, very gripping and compelling. And it's, it's well put together.
And I mean, watching something so desaturated and washed out can be grating. And I thought that even when
there were times where I could tell, and not in a bad way tell, but there were times where I'm like,
okay, so this is, I can see kind of what's green screen and what's on an actual, you know,
location perhaps. But I thought that, yeah, did a nice job of pulling their world together creatively
from both a visual standpoint, as well as from just, yeah, like the nuts and bolts of how the narrative
went down and the tropes they were using of, you know, the wandering prophet slash warrior and, you know,
this, this familiar scenario about like, oh, I got to transport this MacGuffin, but what is the
McGuffin? It's something a little more interesting than a bomb or a cure for, you know, a disease or whatever.
It's, you know, yeah, it's this highly valuable, but also incredibly subjective, you know,
philosophical work essentially and I think that the movie could have been richer
I get why they did it for the kind of movie this isn't to be like truly an enjoyable
like action sci-fi movie I think it needs to kind of be more streamlined and
straightforward but in that scene where Gary Oldman's basically laying it out for
you I was like this could be a theme in a whole other way and and elevate this movie
that much more the idea of like I need the book because the words are of power
but people won't believe me even if I know what the book says I need to have
the book to do it. And the whole, you know, idea that has been, you know, documented throughout
history that, you know, depending on who got the Bible and how much literacy there was,
you could spin the story any number of ways. And when I first learned the obvious, the sort of like,
oh, of course, before this was widely accessible, somebody must have just, you had to trust
them to deliver it to you. Yeah. And it's a very straightforward kind of, I've never seen
Joan Hex, but the one less than flattering. And it's not even. It's not even. It's one
the few comic movies I haven't seen it all do for some reason I kept to I don't know it made me think
of that for some odd reason and I think that what I'm trying to pull out of that is the idea that like
this is it kind of simple in a way uh hero and villain you know showdown of sorts you know you've got
this one guy who wants to use the word to you know further his most corrupt means and he's so
despicable and he's so evil and Gary oldman's so good at selling that character but I think
they could have written something
that really
wanted to unpack and probe it
the idea of like who should have the book? Should it be
the guy with the intent just
to do it justice and deliver it to people and
to use it to as he recites that
sort of golden rule? I want to help people more than I
help myself. Or should I give it to the guy
who has built this
little city here but who clearly wants this
for selfish means? What are the implications of that?
You know, and what is the importance
of the actual item versus
what it means? And I think there's a lot of beauty
in that and I think for yeah being for prioritizing a fun albeit grim at times gritty you know action
you know sci-fi story with a little bit more on its mind than normal I think it's really really well
done part of me is like oh man I'm just packed that a little bit more there was like four out of five
for me and that in that concept it's like a little bit more yeah and I'm just like and two like I really
like it's the strength of the cast that really I think ties it all together because again I kept
oftentimes especially with milakounis when I see her in more dramatic stuff I'm like oh yeah
you got chops and so like i liked her and obviously denzil and he little like tom waits is great and gary oldman
i've seen him do this before certainly a good is the professional role yeah this was so much like the
professional yeah yeah yeah and it's like i feel like those are a conch it's good casting and it saves you
the shortcut of it's weird i appreciated this movie for taking the visual kind of uh uh lyrical little
moments to shed some light on characters and it didn't have to be through dialogue and I think
that's great. I think, yeah, there's a bit kind of tied in with that theme of the, you know,
dissemination of the word and all that. I think, too, there's just a little bit more meat they could
have thrown on the bone of like, I could have loved the two of them by the end. As it stands,
I really like the both of them and there are enough elements that are working in this movie that
I'm like, yeah, I'm glad to see her carry on the mission. I'm glad that he made it all the way
and got to this sort of idyllic, you know,
archive at the end of, you know, the road with Malcolm McDowell there.
Like, I'm affected.
But, you know, what saves it from being that, like, Sarah Connor level of like,
man, though, I'm going to remember this character, you know, is a little bit,
it could be more, but it's almost not even like a big,
I'm not really holding it against the movie.
It's just one of those things where you see something.
You're like, man, this is so good in so many ways.
It's like an appetizer.
I'm like, I would like a little more, but I like this taste.
This could be a full entree.
And I thought the third act could have had a little bit,
but I still,
four out of five for me for that.
Yeah,
yeah.
And like there's good choreography.
And again,
all those like stitched,
that one sequence that was a very compelling like,
it's always nice in a stitch together,
one or where you know that some element of trickery is happening,
but you can't quite spot it.
It's where the patches are.
And it took a while to get to a point where I was like,
well,
that has to be a cut.
You know,
even with the whole like going in the window that first time,
I'm sitting there going,
Well, maybe they handed off the camera to a different
Steadicam guy.
Like, you know, it's happened before.
They fight all sorts of weird methods of like,
we're going to start on a crane,
and then we're going to give it to the steady cam,
and then he's going to change it to another guy.
Then he's going to get a rollerblade.
And then we're going to put him on a hang glider.
Anyway, I think you had a point.
But no, I wasn't making a point.
I was just saying that there is an entire episode
dedicated to Jonah Hex in Batman the Animated Series.
Oh, yes.
That's all I wanted to say.
Because you mentioned Jonah Hex.
But also, Houston brothers, what do they got?
Do we have, I just found out to the Danny Houston and Angelica Houston are related.
Are they really?
That is news to me.
Are they really?
I think so.
Maybe I've got a fact check that, but I saw it infographic.
By the way, Don Burgess, the cinematographer, Spider-Man 1 with Tommy McGuire.
Now we go.
Forrest Gump cast away.
Contact.
He also did Aquaman 1 and 2.
All right.
Okay.
Book of Eli like from the Hughes Brothers Menace to Society.
Oh, snap.
See, okay.
Never, never seen it.
Never seen it.
From hell, which we knew.
Yeah.
Dead presidents.
Two.
Ninety-five's dead presidents.
Who's in that one?
Alpha.
Oh, I vaguely remember this coming out.
Cody Smith-McPhee Alpha.
They've definitely graduated from...
The Continental from the world of John Wick.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, the TV.
Did you see that?
I need to, but I haven't.
The good Lord Bird, I heard was dope.
Oh, yeah.
I want to see that.
So they got some stuff.
Yeah, one.
And yeah, I was going to say, naming some of their older stuff.
I feel like they have that trajectory of like,
okay, they've made some, like, you know, more dramatic grittier stuff.
And then also have, like, they do sometimes that stuff.
And then sometimes they do stuff like this.
That's very blockbustery, but, you know, with some grit on it and with some, yeah.
And Eli was a badass, too.
I mean, those accent sequences, I love that, that open.
He took the gun off of top weights.
That's what I would have loved, I would love to see that in super slowmo.
Just watch how it happened.
Those dudes who are good at quick disarms a while.
It visually reminded me of when Chris Todd's.
Tucker, you know, was showing Jackie Chan and I do that in Rush Hour, just super quicker.
Yeah. So, yeah, that was sick. But also, too, the hand-to-hand combat was incredible in this film.
Absolutely stunning. I love, again, there was a lot of tracking shots, a lot of wide shots where we could actually see Denzel was doing these scenes.
So, yeah, yeah. I dug it. That was a really fun elevated action movie. Absolutely. And also, too, was grounded, too, because when he did cut off his name, he's like, kiss him. He's like, he's in shock. I think he meant to kill him.
Yeah, that's probably what would happen.
You'd be in the darkness.
Yeah, I had fun with this.
What it maybe didn't hit for me
quite in terms of potential depth,
I thought I did make up for in like little pieces of personality,
a little observational flourishes.
Just shit you don't have to do.
Andrew, are there any interesting facts we should know about?
And is this based on a comic book?
Let's find out.
Denzel Washington performed all of his own stunts
in the hand-to-hand fight sequences.
Dope.
Cool.
Book of Eli.
For the movie, Denzel Washington's stunt.
studied martial arts under Bruce Lee's protégé Dan Innosanto.
Damn, okay.
Gary Oldman was cast at the suggestion of Denzel, Washington.
Good choice.
Sure.
The job, Denzel.
Yes.
When Eli first sits in the room in which Carnegie imprisons him, a poster, I did notice
that poster, a poster of the movie, a boy in his dog, which was from 1975, is visible.
A boy in his dog is recognized as one of the earliest post-apocalyptic films and a source
of inspiration for many dystopian and post-apocalyptic films.
and video games.
I did notice that.
I was like,
what is that?
I pointed out.
I thought on the poster, too,
it said like the year 2024 or something like that,
which is kind of funny.
But anyway.
Eli's speech before he fights Carnegie's men
in the bar is taken from Genesis 317 to 19
where God expels Adam and Eve
from the Garden of Eden.
Get it.
Not bad.
The Al Green track playing on the iPod that Eli is listening to
is in fact a song by the band Incubis.
Denzel Washington spoke
about it in an interview stating, and I quote,
my son had picked Incubis. If you
see it in the movie, my head is bopping to a
different beat than the music because we were actually
playing a song from Incubis.
Funny, I wonder which one. Love that. I wonder which.
Denzel Washington shed about
50 pounds in preparation for this role.
Not bad, man. Given the travel time
before they reached the Golden Gate Bridge, the
cooling towers where Eli and Salara take refuge
are most likely the cooling towers of the
former Rancho Seco
Nuclear Power
plan outside Sacramento, California.
Oh, okay, all right.
The first line of dialogue is not spoken
until almost eight minutes in.
Love it.
After the bar fight,
Carnegie appears when Eli looks up at him,
there's a blood stain in the shape
of a cross on Eli's forehead.
I did not notice that.
A little Ash Sunday style.
The world map behind Gary Oldman's
Day, Koi.
Go back to church, Koi.
The world.
The world map behind Gary Oldman
in his office shows.
Catholic school kids.
The world map behind Gary Oldman in his office shows a very large depiction of North Korea,
possibly the reason for the nuclear war.
Whoa, cray.
A couple of times during the film, Red Ridge can be heard whistling cocky's theme from once upon a time in America by Ennio Marcon.
There you go.
No wonder.
Yeah.
Is it based on a graphic novel?
And you can find some spoilers.
I'm doing spoilers right now.
The cannibals handshakes because they suffer from Kuru disease, a form of.
Critsfield Jacob disease caused by eating human brains or spinal columns.
The first symptom is shaking limbs,
which is why people check Eli's hands throughout the film.
Got to stop eating spinal columns.
You know, it's not good.
I've got a bit of trivia for Andrew.
Oh, I will stop.
Do you want me?
Just really quick.
The cinematographer not only shot that, yeah,
Don Burgess, not only shot Spider-Man,
but also shot one of your two first DVDs.
Oh, Forest Cump.
No way.
Andrew Trivia.
Yes.
Hell yeah.
That's one of my top 10 favorite movies ever.
Now we have a new segment.
Also shot 13 going on 30.
Oh, it's a great film.
The first Aquaman.
Yeah.
Castaway.
Yep.
Conjuring 2.
Yeah.
Source code, which I love quite a bit.
The goddamn Muppets.
Oh, I've got to see source code.
I've never seen source code.
Christmas with the cranks, which I watched for the first time because it's one of my fiance's favorite
Christmas movie, boy, oh boy, is that a choice?
That's a doozy.
a famously maligned movie.
Yeah, what a choice. I was going to say, is she aware?
I've seen Christmas with the cranks. She has to defend herself
always. What's great about her is she is so removed
from pop culture that she's like, I like it, I like it's a gift.
Like what you like. I appreciate that. Also, I have
a piece of trivia. It's comic book.
It's what? No, it's not based on anything, Andrew, except the
screenplay written by Gary Huitta and Anthony Peckman.
Based on the words that was written to film the words.
Based on the Word of God.
gang. So there is no source material. No source code. This was really well done. This had great action.
This had great cast. This has some good production values, some good effects of the physical, special, and visual variety. Compelling. I like, I like a movie like this that aims the way that it does. Even small gripes aside, I'm like, hell yeah, this was a joy. This was a treat despite the heft of some of the subject matter. What did you guys think of the book of Eli? Hey, real quick, I forgot to ask you, how are you feeling?
How did this affect your day?
We just watch something pretty heavy, pretty grim.
Yeah.
I feel better.
You know?
Feel better than I'm,
I mean, I'm real tired because, you know, the world.
But I felt good to see someone get, you know, some come up and see.
I like, I like, when I'm angry at the world, seeing some people get beaten to death helps.
Well, I was curious about you, actually, because you are not the most religiously inclined.
But, you know, I feel like a movie like this, though, it does lean heavily on the particular motif of Christian Bible stuff.
like the story of like just this guy has a very sort of clear line of like this is what I'm committed to and this is how I can help the world you know like the the nugget of that I thought was just kind of nice to have at the moment what I like about religion is that if it's interpreted in a way that is altruistic and makes you want to help without you thinking that you'll be rewarded if you help yeah that to me is a great.
interpretation of good words.
To me, if you are only doing nice things for a cookie, then you have diabetes.
And I like that this was, there was no reward.
There was no reward for Denzel's goal.
It was Denzel doing it for the sake of the work.
And I think that if people are good for the sake of being good, then if your path to
be good involves a book that I think is a wonderful work of fiction that is often misinterpreted,
then I can appreciate religion.
What I liked about this was that it was also a cautionary tale in that the villain
was weaponizing a thing that I think is often weaponized,
but the lig protagonist was using it as a source of good
for only good.
So I can, while being someone who fears the power of religions,
malignance, can also appreciate its good.
And I think this movie wields both weapons well.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well said.
Well put.
And Andrew, yeah, no, I mean, I'm feeling good.
And I agree with everything Coy just said.
Yeah, I appreciated that too from Eli as well.
and to, you know, do onto others what you would want to yourself and that, you know, he was doing it, you know, out of the goodness of his heart and, you know, out of faith and all that stuff. And, you know, I'm, I'm, for me at least, and I think you can all attest, I am a giver. I do not expect anything ever in return. So that's how I think, you know, the world ought to be, but I don't expect it to be. But that's how I, you know, like to treat people. And I like that in characters and I resonate with that. And that's how I connect.
so much with his character.
Absolutely.
Yeah, no, I appreciated that.
Whereas versus with, you know, Gary Oldman's
character was the exact opposite, but
that was a good contrast between the two for sure.
I think that's, to wrap
it up, I guess. I think that would have been one
detail I would have liked to see is if he had some kind
congregation that weren't just his goons.
You know, if we could have seen some people,
he's trying to kind of lead as his flock,
you know, to make it
fleshed out a little further. But yeah, no,
this was a nice escape.
Definitely could add it a little more
runtime on the film for sure well you know then it becomes the road or whatever yeah it's
already two hours which you know I didn't feel is it negative but I definitely felt like I was aware
it was two hours that it being a negative yeah it's like just about the amount of time it's like
it doesn't feel any longer shorter than it was you're just like yeah credit that sounds about right
yeah so we're going to go chill we're going to go back in our waistland read some braille
be well leave your favorite bible version the comments down below and we'll catch you next time
Thank you.