The Book of Eli

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The Book of Eli

R

2010

1h 52m

Adventure

Action

Drama

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

A violent action spectacle. [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 26, 2022

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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

Diego C

Don't know why but it got that mad max feeling

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/06/25

Full Review

Bea G

What amazing writing and direction! So much unspoken and to be understood. And the fantastic twist in the end! Brilliant movie. Dunno why critics are spewing hate - maybe they didn't understand it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/04/25

Full Review

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Director

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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

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