The Book of Eli

Play trailer

The Book of Eli

R

2010

1h 52m

Adventure

Action

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

46%

Tomatometer

206 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Thirty years after war turned the world into a wasteland, a lone warrior named Eli marches across the ruined landscape, carrying hope for humanity's redemption. Only one other man understands the power of what Eli carries and he is determined to take it for himself. Though Eli prefers peace, he must risk death to protect his precious cargo, to fulfill his destiny to help restore mankind.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

It's certainly uneven, and many viewers will find that its reach exceeds its grasp, but The Book of Eli finds the Hughes brothers injecting some fresh stylish fun into the kind of post-apocalyptic wasteland filmgoers have seen more than enough of lately.

Read Critics Reviews

Ed Koch

The Atlantic

This picture is one big waste of time, including that of the actors and those in the audience who pay to see it.

Jan 16, 2018

Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

The Book Of Eli is just one hot mess with choppy biblical undertones... The filmmakers just tried to get too deep with something that was not fully developed.

Rated: D+

Sep 11, 2017

Full Review

Dwight Brown

National Newspaper Publishers Association

Post-apocalypse films are a dime a dozen, so what makes The Book of Eli so different? Not much, except an evangelical subplot that is not strong enough to be this film's savior.

Rated: 1.5/4

Nov 8, 2016

Full Review

Sharai Bohannon

A Nightmare On Fierce Street Podcast

This is too predictable and unfun to be worth most of these actors time. Denzel Washington gives a performance worth noting, but it's not enough to save the movie from itself.

Rated: 2/5

May 23, 2025

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The most admirable aspect of the production is its use of Washington in a samurai-esque role.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 25, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

A violent action spectacle. [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 26, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Matthew J

The Book of Eli was so GOOD! Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman and Jennifer Beals were all excellent together! All the supporting casts were a great addition to the ensemble also. I really like the way they shot this movie almost devoid of color to give it that post apocalyptic feel. The triple twist was also a welcomed surprise, which I think you'll enjoy when you see the movie. I think this movie will become a cult classic into the future, especially since there is a planned prequel series (supposedly) currently in development.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/17/25

Full Review

Robert H

One of the most underrated movies of all time. I watched it 5 years ago and it was moving. Watched again now and it is even better. That is the test of time. It is inspirational.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/16/25

Full Review

Calli M

Anyone who rates this less than 5 stars, probably hates or doesn’t understand Christianity and faith. Period. This movie is so good, I enjoyed it even before I became a Christian. The acting, the plot, the ending, the characters…there is literally nothing to dislike about this movie unless you simply just don’t like anything Christian. It is so well done! I’d give 10 stars if I could.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/08/25

Full Review

Victoria N

I’m surprised it’s not as high a review score that I thought it would be. If you are a Christian, and you like post apocalyptic movies, then this is the movie for you.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

Full Review

Coleman M.

Faith is powerful, but plot armor is still best. The movie started off strong, you’ll be engrossed into the world and curious of why things are the way they are. The twist at the end was unexpected, I have neutral feelings towards it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

Full Review

Robert B

The Book of Eli is more than a post-apocalyptic action film — it’s a spiritual journey. As someone who carries the Word on the road and has seen miracles in unexpected places, Eli’s story hit me deeply. He walks not by sight, but by faith alone, trusting God for every step, every breath, every battle. The amazing and uplifting reveal at the end is like getting a film school education. The directors out Hitchcock with their message: when God gives you a mission, He gives you everything you need to complete it. This film reminded me that purpose is stronger than fear, Scripture is stronger than violence, and faith is the real source of power. A profound, moving, and unforgettable film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Allen Hughes

Director

Albert Hughes

Director

Denzel Washington

Eli

Gary Oldman

Carnegie

Mila Kunis

Solara

Ray Stevenson

Redridge

The Man With the Iron Fists

52%

40%

The Man With the Iron Fists

Watchlist

Rambo

38%

69%

Rambo

Watchlist

Pathfinder

8%

36%

Pathfinder

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Pathfinder

Apocalypto

65%

79%

Apocalypto

Watchlist

Tomorrow, When the War Began

62%

57%

Tomorrow, When the War Began

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Denzel Washington’s Best Movies

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Book of Eli and Youth in Revolt

Critics Consensus: The Book of Eli Is a So-So Read

Denzel Washington Coolest Lines Mashup

2:00

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Thirty years after war turned the world into a wasteland, a lone warrior named Eli marches across the ruined landscape, carrying hope for humanity's redemption. Only one other man understands the power of what Eli carries and he is determined to take it for himself. Though Eli prefers peace, he must risk death to protect his precious cargo, to fulfill his destiny to help restore mankind.

Director: Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes
Producer: Joel Silver, Denzel Washington, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove, David Valdes
Screenwriter: Gary Whitta
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Silver Pictures
Rating: R (Some Brutal Violence|Language)
Genre: Adventure, Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $94.8M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

Most Popular at Home Now