Some Thoughts on the Post Apocalyptic Subgenre and ‘The Book of Eli’
With 2012 around the corner and the end of the world on every ones mind, it is no wonder why we are having such an increase in doomsday movies. Well, one mans worries are this mans pleasures as I can now look forward to movie after movie regarding my favorite genre. Maybe it’s the thought of waking up to a desolate endless wasteland. Where the only worry left is to survive on an open field rather than the reality of a maze with endless walls that has made me a fan of this genre since my first movie. Regardless, if it is post apocalyptic arid landscapes or zombie infested city streets, it doesn’t matter as both roads are travelled by the same type of weathered warrior. In search not of money or fame but of safety and companionship. There is no rest for the weary and there certainly is no love for the timid. These movies are about thinking fast, always being on the move and making sure that the day is seen through the same living eyes as yesterday rather than decaying ones of a could be tomorrow.
I continue to enjoy one of my favorite past times and watching ‘The Book of Eli’ made me a happy man. The Hughes brothers did an excellent job in having us put hope into one mans faith by telling us the story of Eli’s righteous quest through a dark and troubled time. I really liked the religious aspect and having Gary Oldman as the nemesis didn’t hurt the picture. It is no wonder Denzel Washington agreed to make the movie, as it was filled with wit, clever use of religion, and amazing choreographed fight scenes.
In a time when man should be casting away his religious superstitions we’re once again bombarded with nonsensical religious propaganda, “All you need is faith.”
No, all you need is science.
Funny isn’t it that the most violent place on earth is also the center of most religions?
At the risk of turning this into yet another science vs religion debate I’m going to respond.
1. That’s a very cynical outlook on life Mitur.
2. If you actually read the article or understood the Post-Apocalyptic genre you’d know that 99% of the time it’s science that’s the cause of the worlds destruction in the first place.
3. People need hope and people find that in religion, whilst science might bring hope to some it also instills fear in many. Science has been the cause of some of the biggest catastrophes this planet has ever known, Hiroshima, global warming, Thalidomide, need I go on?
4. Whilst you might counter argue that with “religion has caused many deaths through war”, science has also caused many deaths through war and continues to give us even more effective ways of killing ourselves.
As for your final statement, yes indeed and that’s why people need hope, even more now than ever before. Violence, global instability, environmental issues, poverty.. We’re on the brink and people choose either one path or another.
To sum up yes to a degree science can save us but without the right moral grounding science can also destroy us.
Can science teach us morality? NO
End of sermon.
If you watch the film you might notice that the main caricature’s is muslim some people just don’t pay attention.
Good article, Luis. And interesting discussion here, people. I loved BOE for much the same reasons as all of you. I tend to like a little crazy religion sprinkled into my post-apocalyptic films. This was a very good film.