Realizing eli is a literate man like himself, carnegie forces him to stay the night under guard. After watching the book of eli, i started to wonder if eli was actually blind the whole time. Book of eli eli is not blind at least not in this scene. They make everything in the entire movie impossible and incomprehensible but, hey, wtf. By every thing that is shown in the movie i simply cannot accept that eli was blind. Book of eli based on the movie book of eli 2010, r, runtime 118 min. Eli has several conversations with people while looking right at them. There are also other hints when he ask solara the questions. Why doesnt redridge take a carefully aimed shot at eli, now that he is remaining still. How resurrection movies can inspire our faith right now. After carnegies blind mistress claudia brings eli food and water, carnegie orders her daughter solara to seduce eli, but he rebuffs her. Book of eli ased on the moviebiggest mistake most discussion leaders make is that they do not ook of eli 2010, r, runtime 118 min. The film opens with a really riveting scene, slowly panning across a wooded area covered in ash, and with more ash still falling from the sky. The official facebook page for the book of eli some will kill to have it.
And we learn that eli is blind and apparently has been for 30 years. Eli is a wanderer, but the film does not center on his life. If you look at roger ebert, richard roeper and the new york times we got all the good ones. Eli tries to see if the woman is blind by testing her. The book of eli the book of eli, opening january 15, is a wellmade science fiction actioner with good performances, genuine twists and thoughtful spiritual and philosophical themes that will stay with the viewer long after the film is over. Hints to eli s condition are shown throughout the movie. He puts eli up for the night and sends his blind, commonlaw wife, claudia jennifer beal, in to see that he is comfortable. Watch the movie very carefully, and its pretty apparent. The director is acutely aware that gary oldmans character is much more interesting than eli, and the focus of the film substantially shifts for the better to what he wants the. Does this imply that he is blind and has been living completely by faith his entire life or is the punchline of the movie that he is the simply the last living man on earth who can read braille.
Before dying, he recites the bible word for word so it can be printed again. Hes just going from point a to point b, and plowing through obstacles. Solara sees eli has a book, and he offers to share his food, saying grace before they eat. Now that story is in no way similar to eli mannings narrative but he did hear a voice and it happened to say geno smith is starting on sunday. Eli, who was nearly blind, was sitting at the front gate to hear the returning soldiers return was unaware of the event until he asked about all the commotion in the city. Now hes blind after a lifetime of being able to see. In the bible, the high priest eli was blind, and some might say that there are several scenes which may indicate that in the. In a violent postapocalyptic society, a drifter, eli, has been wandering westward across north america for the last thirty years. Im at a loss for words, so let me say these right away.
The book of eli stars denzel washington as a lone wanderer, making his away across a postnuclear holocaust america, scavenging and scraping to survive and well adept at it. Christianity and the book of eli believe it or not. Eli, reproduced in the preceding pages to this introduction, is a book of prophecy, written by the anonymous author eli. So were led to believe at the end that eli is blind. Now, he must choose between life and the book and ultimately comes to understand its deeper meaning. Its quite possible, however, that eli lost track of redridges location in the shooting, or is out of loaded ammunition, but for whatever reason he does not take the final kill shot at redridge.
In the movie the book of eli, was the character played by. He restores my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake, though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil for thou art with me. Eli is staring her down for her reaction to his test. In the book of eli was denzel washington blind the whole. Unlike the road, the book of eli does not linger on the bleak, morose and desolate dying earth. He can see how great something is now, but he is completely blind to the rate of change the koreans are on right now. He is able to find the pawn shop in the first place, even though hes never been there. Back in town, carnegie tries to open the bible but realizes that he didnt take elis key to the book flap. In the opening fight, he cuts the mans hand of after being pushed. Easter weekend is rapidly approaching, and movies give us a. The world in book of eli while barren and hot, is also filled with brutal killers and savages, but there always appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. This movie is almost a warning in a way and its very timely even in this day and age. According to imdb faq, yes he was possibly partially blind.
Thank you lord for a warm bed to sleep on, thank you for the food we are about to eat, thank you for a roof over our heads on cold nights such as this, thank you for companionship in hard times like these, amen. He doesnt put on his sunglasses right away when walking outside, like everyone else does he even appears to be staring directly at the sun. Eli was blind, if you didnt understand at the end of the movie, there may have been some parts that didnt make that clear. A soldier had returned through the back gate and given the news of the battle to the people. Ill be honest with you, the book of eli panel at last summers san diego comiccon garnered little attention, despite having stars denzel washington, gary oldman, and mila kunis in attendance, as. Hints to elis condition are shown throughout the movie. He had excellent hearing and youll notice he never shots first, having to use the enemies gunshot to locate the shooter. He calls the engineer in to unlock the book and once its unlocked they see the bible is in braille in alcatraz, a closeup of elis face shows us that he is blind as well. Eli does not notice the car with the skeleton until he hears the sound of rattling metal. Yes he was blind, his corneas were completely opaque. His wife, finally tired of elis extracurricular activities, puts a gypsy curse on him. He is able to find the pawn shop in the first place, even though he s never been there. Also subverted when eli is trying to explain the concept of faith to solara with the metaphor flower of light in a field of darkness.
She asks if he got that from the book, and he admits that its a quote from johnny cash. It grips your attention, and then at the end throws in several wtf. The book of eli continues hollywoods obsession with postapocalyptic tales, and in many ways feels like it belongs in the same world as the road. After carnegies blind mistress claudia brings eli food and water, carnegie. In the film the book of eli, eli was led to a book by a voice in his head and he made it his mission to protect that book with his life. He is well known by local lawyers as pretty blind to the facts of a case and commonly issues unfair and unjust orders. Eli wears dark sunglasses, as blind people often do. The book of eli is a little like the popcorn version of john hillcoats adaptation of cormac mccarthys postapocalyptic novel. The book of eli begins as eli is engaged in one of his regular affairs. Eli has to feel the feet to see if there are boots on the skeleton. In a violent postapocalyp tic society, a drifter, eli, has been wandering westward across north america for the last thirty years. After looking around i saw that im not the only one who questions whether or not he is.
In the movie the book of eli we discover at the end that the bible eli has been carrying the entire movie is written in braille. Eli closes his eyes every time he reads the bible in order to more focus his sense of touch and cut off the visual stimuli. There are several examples throughout the film of him looking at things and people at the very beginning of the film he looks out and around to observe his environment, he aims with his gun, he is able to. No, the book of eli has nothing to do with from hell, but it does show a certain loosely interpreted fascination the filmmaking siblings have for timely tales of things not fully understood. Spoilers every clue in the book of eli that explains the. Overall i enjoyed its message and its a really good action movie as well. Until then, nothing could deter eli from his mission. Throughout the movie, eli shot animal s for food including a flying bird with a bow, and defended himself with. There is also an oral tradition of eli, which i have on good authority, and which has helped guide me in the writing of this book. Despite the two answers you have already received to the contrary, yes the character eli in the book of eli was blind. The book of eli might also suffer over its uncanny resemblance to john hillcoats current release the road in that it follows a man heading westwards across america after an apocalyptic event. Thebook of eli cant have a sequel actress mila kunis speaks about her forthcoming gary oldman, denzel washington starrer. If eli was actually blind then thats one of the crappiest shyamalanesque twist ive seen. Hi, i made this video to prove that eli is not blind at least not in this scene.
I started surfing forums and reading all of these discussions arguing about whether or not eli was fully blind or if he just had cataracts and honestly i feel like people who have these discussions missed out on a truly profound movie. Perhaps its the freshness of that movie, and the popularity and respect afforded mccarthys book, that will make the road so prevalent in any evaluation of the hughes bros. The book of eli 2010 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. There is deffinitely a lot going on and i wont say my interpretation or anyone elses is the right one. Sure he has a good sense of smell and hearing ability but at no point in the movie does it imply that he is blind. He cheats on his wife with pretty much anything that will move.