I've always liked sibling directors Albert and Allen Hughes. I even found their From Hell to be a criminally underrated film. While the post apocalyptic Book of Eli has some visual flair and another strong performance by Denzel Washington, it is perhaps, my least favorite of their work. Taking a page from Mad Max, The Book of Eli features Denzel Washington as a prophecy-spouting road warrior out to protect the last known copy of the bible. While Washington's Eli is a God fearing individual, he has no problem shedding blood if it means protecting the only important thing in his life. Again, the Hughes Brothers mount some pretty amazing action sequences including an amazing bit in which a silhouetted Washington takes out a gang of baddies with an assortment of weapons, all in a single camera take. Nary a single cut. Pretty cool. There's also an impressive, extended tracking shot later on in the film that might remind one of Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men. Unfortunately, there's isn't anything as haunting or thought provoking in The Book of Eli.

Ultimately, The Book of Eli opens strong, but the mid section of the film is surprisingly sluggish. And in the end, the entire film feels like an excuse to unload a cheat of a twist ending. Why is it a cheat? To go into it would spoil the surprise, so I won't go there. The Book of Eli isn't a bad movie. It offers up a few strong performances and a dynamic visual style, but it isn't an entirely memorable experience. The Hughes Brothers are capable of so much more.