The Book of Eli (2010)

After the end of the world, the most precious thing Eli carries, apart from the book, seems to be a stash of fried chicken wet wipes. That’s the most fun detail in The Book of Eli. Everything else is bleached to the color of old dishwater, and the story is a slow walk west with lots of pauses to look solemn. Mila Kunis is stuck with a thin role, mostly asking Eli questions so he can explain the plot. And the big reveal asks you to rethink every fight scene, which doesn’t hold up if you actually do it. Still, Denzel Washington swinging a machete in silhouette under a highway overpass is a terrific scene. Gary Oldman plays Carnegie like a small-town boss who read one book about tyrants and loved it. It pulled $157.1 million worldwide against a reported $80M budget. A 5.5 because Denzel and Oldman are worth watching and the movie mistakes gloomy for deep. $9,574 says you go digging through a drawer tonight to see if your old iPod still turns on.

What works: Denzel Washington is a commanding, quiet presence, and the silhouette fight under the overpass is a genuinely great action scene.

What doesn’t: The washed-out look and slow, solemn pacing make it a slog, and the final twist raises more questions than it answers.

Who it’s for: Denzel fans and post-apocalypse junkies who’ll forgive a heavy-handed story for a few sharp fights.