There are no Kindles in the future, so Denzel Washington protects an actual book.

The exact cause of that apocalypse is never expressly stated, although we do get a few clues along the way. Denzel Washington plays a man named Eli who has spent 30 years walking across the barren landscape holding – and I don’t consider this a spoiler, as you find out rather early in the film - the last remaining copy of the Bible, which he has sworn to protect. Gary Oldman plays Carnegie, who has appointed himself leader of a small community of survivors who live in what’s left of an old town. Carnegie holds the key to a steady supply of fresh water, so a lot of people are willing to do what he says, including a few henchmen who will kill for him. He also has one thing he’s long been looking for: a Bible, which he believes will allow him to expand his power. When Eli crosses his path, Carnegie decides he must have that book, at any cost. Eli has no intentions of giving it up, even under threat of death. Carnegie’s adopted daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) tries to help Eli continue on his journey without having the book stolen.

That’s a thumbnail plot description. I don’t want to give much more away.

For the first half of The Book of Eli, I wasn’t sure I was liking it. Despite a typically intriguing Denzel Washington performance and a cool color-saturated visual style that almost makes the movie look like it was filmed in black-and-white, I kept thinking, Do we really need another Mad Max rip-off? The movie seemed interesting but slow, and as though it was not going anywhere.

Then, about an hour in, the real nature of Eli’s journey is revealed. Suddenly, I was very hooked. About this revelation, I will say only this: it intentionally mirrors other journeys you may have heard about. When transported to a post-apocalyptic setting, such a journey opens up a world of meaning. In this moment, everything that happens to Eli is imbued with a new weight. We don’t know where he’s going until the final moments (“West” is all he ever says) but I couldn’t wait to find out.

This is a movie that will inspire a lot of fights. People are either going to really dig the true subject matter, or they are going to really hate it. I think there is something to be said for any movie that tries to fiddle with your expectations. How many post-apocalyptic movies have we seen over the decades? Dozens? Hundreds? This one lulls you into believing you are going to see one more, then introduces a completely fresh angle that separates it from all others. Perhaps the ending will baffle some folks. I heard several at my screening confirming a significant plot detail with each other once the end credits started to roll. Is the conclusion a little over the top? Yes, but necessarily so. There is no subtle finale for this story. It wouldn’t work if it didn’t inspire awe or disbelief.

The Book of Eli was directed by Allen and Albert Hughes (Menace II Society). Not only do they give their film an appropriately eerie visual style, they also show great patience in letting the specifics of the story unfold. When action does occur, it is filmed with camera movements that are innovative without detracting from the narrative. Most of all, I give them credit for having the guts to make this movie in the first place. The Book of Eli has something extremely thoughtful to say and it was designed to make you think about what it is saying. The Hughes Brothers could have thrown in a lot more gratuitous explosions or shootouts; instead, they’ve chosen to stick with their mission, just as Eli sticks with his.

This film grew on me in a big way.

( out of four)

The Book of Eli is rated R for some brutal violence and language. The running time is 1 hour and 58 minutes.