Re: The Book of Eli (Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman) Grading & Discuss
Do realize to some of those bigoted against religion or specifically christianity, its very existence is heavy handed propaganda.
Such people's opinions are as meaningful as a KKK man's opinions on de-segregation laws.
People who're strongly, vehemently, opposed to religion are just as bad as those they're against.
I've flipped through The Bible some, I'm meaning to read my paraphrased version of it I have, I've some Belief, but other than that I woudln't call myself religous. I don't attend Church, though I may if I had more time to.
I respect that people believe in different things, including atheists, but if you're so commited to your cause that you close your eyes to any other way of thinking to the point of screaming about every, single, little thing that supports a way of thinking then I have no use to you. And this goes for the strongly religious too.
This movie, yeah, has a heavy "message" in it about God, The Bible, and Religion but you know what?
SO what? If one doesn't like it that is their problem and they shouldn't criticize this movie for having such a message. It's dumb and ignorant to criticize a movie for delivering its message just because its message happens to be one you do not agree with.
Further, though the movie's trailers don't advertise it as one, the symbolism, tag lines, and heck the very name of the movie all point the suggestion of what the underline themes of the movie was going to be. (The trailer people really dropped the ball on this movie) So one hasn't themselves to blame for not liking this movie for having religious themes in it.
More people just need to shrug off things like this as in the real world for the vast majority of the population of this planet there's Belief in some form of deity or interpetation of a religious text. So, yeah, people are going to like movies like this as religion is a driving force on this planet.
The message in this movie, ironicaly, infact couldn't be more of one for those who would criticize and blast this movie for its message. Oldman's character wanted The Bible for Its power and influence. He wanted to use It to control people's motivations and thoughts. People who're strong in their belief to the point of criticizing people, other faiths, and thumping The Bible and shouting Its word and using that to demand the way things should be are just as bad as Carneige was. They want to use The Bible to scare, empower, and control.
Eli is far more simple and open minded. He sees the power in The Bible and, instead, wants to use Its power to inspire people, give them Faith, and guide them which he believes the motivations of the people at the "Alcatraz Ark" are for, and from the other books on the shelf there (the Torah, the Qua'ran) they also intend to give people a choice in what to follow, Carneige's interests seemd to only lie in what he felt was THE word. He wanted to use The Bible as a weapon. Eli and the Ark wanted to use It as a tool to shape society, what It was meant for.
