By Chris McGuinness

With the year 2012 looming just over the horizon, it is not surprising that moviegoers have seen a glut of Apocalyptic films come out within the last year or so. The Knowing, John Hillcoat’s The Road and the obligatory 2012 have all brought the end of the world to the silver screen.

The Book of Eli, is yet another entry into this well worn genre. While one might be quick to lump it in with all the others, the movie does has some interesting elements in both its story and style that make it worth checking out in theaters or later on DVD.

The movie follows the journey of Eli, a man who wanders in the aftermath of a great disaster with the last remaining copy of the King James Bible. The plot revolves around Eli’s efforts to take the book “west” while being pursued by

Carnegie (played by Gary Oldman), a despot seeking the book for his own nefarious purposes.

The acting is above par for this kind of movie. Denzel Washington delivers as always as Eli, bringing the darker edge we have seen in other movies like Training Day, creating a brooding hero that is easy to root for. Oldman once again plays a great villain who is an excellent foil for the protagonist. Mila Kunis also stars in the film, but her acting looks stunted and forced next to Washington and Oldman.

One of the more interesting aspects of this film is the incorporation  “western” motifs into the movie. With the story revolving around a steely stranger coming into a dusty town, complete with a saloon fight and a shootout on a narrow dirt street, it seems that this film owes more to Fist Full of Dollars than it does to Mad Max. The mix of these elements into the often-tired “end of the world” format creates a refreshing and enjoyable experience.

The visuals of the movie live up to what you would expect from a post-apocalyptic film. The environments are desert-themed, punctuated by larger set pieces such as a devastated San Francisco and the ruble of California’s freeway system. However, these both appear very briefly in the background and the rest of the movie consists of vast, bleak expanses. The downplaying of CG in this film creates a more believable world.

All these elements come together in a way that would have made this movie great. Instead it is only “good”. Despite the originality of the story, the wonderful acting, and fresh take on a well-worn genre; The Book of Eli contains one major flaw.

That flaw is the “twist” ending, which takes this film off the rails and makes the last ten to fifteen minuets a head scratching letdown. While I won’t reveal the ending here and ruin it, I will only say that viewers should seriously consider leaving the film before the story takes its wild turn off the rails and jumps the proverbial shark.

What is so disappointing is that up until this Shyamalan-esque plot twist, the film is a joy to watch. Once its over, though, you are so fixated on how ridiculous the ending is that all good things that came before it are easily forgotten.

In the end Book of Eli is still a fun movie and worth the time. With a cool look, solid acting, and an interesting story, this movie stands out among its recent brethren. It’s just a shame that its last moments are bound to leave a bad taste in the mouths of most viewers.

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