The Book of Eli (2010)
- The original script for The Book of Eli was written over a decade before production finally began in 2010.
- Many of the practical effects used in the climax were achieved without any CGI.
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
The Book of Eli is a 2010 American post-apocalyptic action film directed by Albert and Allen Hughes. Denzel Washington stars as Eli, a lone wanderer crossing a devastated, sun-scorched America 30 years after a catastrophic war, carrying the last remaining copy of the Bible โ a book so powerful in its ability to inspire and control people that Carnegie, a ruthless small-town warlord played by Gary Oldman, will kill anyone to possess it. Denzel Washington brought his trademark controlled intensity to Eli, a man of deep faith and extraordinary combat skill whose decades-long westward journey has been guided by a voice he believes to be God.
The film's twist ending, which recontextualized Eli's extraordinary abilities and his relationship with the physical book, was a genuine surprise that rewarded attentive viewers. The Hughes Brothers' post-apocalyptic vision was visually striking, all washed-out yellows and blinding sunlight. The Book of Eli earned $157 million worldwide on a $80 million budget.
