Given the Book of Eli's premise of a loner surviving the post-apocalypse, there are plenty of quality films in the genre that are very similar to it.
Summary
- The upcoming The Book of Eli prequel TV series starring John Boyega will be the closest thing to a sequel that audiences familiar with the 2010 movie will get, answering lingering questions from the movie and expanding on its interesting world.
- Movies in the post-apocalypse genre like The Book of Eli need to craft an engaging story around the destruction of the universe and leave audiences with thought-provoking questions to consider and an optimistic tone.
- Hollywood has produced many great movies in the post-apocalypse genre, such as The Book of Eli, which have become classics and continue to engage audiences with their compelling stories of survival and exploration of humanity.
Although 2010's post-apocalypse movie The Book of Eli flew under the radar for many people, its gritty cinematography and heavy themes of survival put it in league with plenty of other movies in the post-apocalypse genre. Starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman, The Book of Eli 2 never happened despite the first being a moderate success both with critics and audiences. Nevertheless, the upcoming The Book of Eli prequel TV series starring John Boyega will be the closest thing to a sequel that audiences familiar with the 2010 movie will get.
Moreover, The Book of Eli prequel series can answer lingering questions from the movie, thus expanding on the interesting world established by the movie. This is important since the success of many movies in the post-apocalypse genre hinges on their ability to craft an engaging story around the destruction of the universe. Additionally, movies like The Book of Eli need to leave audiences with thought-provoking questions to consider and, ideally, with an ending that's optimistic in tone. Whether classics from years past or modern marvels, Hollywood has produced many great movies, like The Book of Eli.
The Book Of Eli Prequel TV Series Missed A Brilliant Opportunity
Although the news of John Boyega's upcoming The Book of Eli prequel TV series is exciting, Hollywood missed a great casting opportunity for its lead.10 The Rover (2014)
The Rover's themes of paranoia and trust are examined through its unlikely duo.
Directed by David Michôd, The Rover sees Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson as Eric and Rey respectively, as two men surviving in the Australian outback by any means necessary after a global economic collapse causes the destruction of society. While Eric is a mysterious, yet simple man, merely wanting to care for his car and survive his circumstances, Rey is a thief who winds up stealing Eric's car with his brothers, thus forming the genesis for an unlikely friendship after Eric spares Rey's life, and works with him to retrieve his stolen property.
Rife with the desolate landscapes and unscrupulous characters necessary for a post-apocalyptic story, The Rover's greatest strength is its ability to tell a compelling story about survival through the lens of its unlikely duo, thus reinforcing the importance of a society maintaining its humanity irrespective of the challenges it faces. Additionally, the strong performances of Pearce, Pattinson, and Scoot MnCairy display the archetypal loner, thief, and ruthless warlord characters against a more modern backdrop, thus provoking its audience to consider the role they might play in the degradation of society.
9 Oblivion (2013)
Tom Cruise's Jack experiences plenty of character growth and rediscovers himself while on a perilous solo mission.
Oblivion sees Tom Cruise as Jack, a repair technician, sent on a solo mission to extract valuable resources on Earth in 2077 after nuclear warheads ravaged the planet to an uninhabitable state in 2017. Although Oblivion leans more into its science fiction strengths than other post-apocalypse movies, Oblivion's use of character growth and development against the familiar desolate setting distinguishes it from many other movies in the genre. Whereas Jack starts the movie off as a staunchly loyal protagonist, he questions the ethics of what led to the destruction of the Earth and the role his superiors played in it.
Not only does Jack come to a shocking revelation that causes him to disobey orders, but its unique twist is meant to compel audiences to reconsider their own thoughts and feelings about the state of the world. Although Oblivion received mixed reviews, it has since been reexamined by critics as a brilliant cautionary tale regarding what can happen to the world if too many egos are left unchecked. Additionally, Cruise's proclivities for ensuring his projects are as authentic as possible, irrespective of their subjects, contribute greatly to Oblivion's drama being more compelling than its action.
Oblivion
- Release Date
- April 19, 2013
- Director
- Joseph Kosinski
- Runtime
- 124minute
8 The Road (2009)
The Road is an unrelenting drama that provides viewers with a bleak interpretation of the post-apocalypse.
Based on the 2006 Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, The Road sees Viggo Mortensen as an ailing father simply named Man, as he and his son, aptly named Boy, traverse through the post-apocalypse on a journey to reach the sea for safer passage. Although an adaptation of McCarthy's work, the film adaptation of The Road largely remains faithful to the source material by maintaining the unrelentingly bleak and brutal atmosphere of the novel. Combined with its minimalist approach to storytelling, The Road depicts a faithful adaptation of an unforgiving post-apocalypse.
Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of The Road is that it doesn't stray too far away from the vision of McCarthy. Whereas many other entries in the post-apocalypse genre sprinkle in moments of joy and happiness and even offer an optimistic ending for its audience, The Road is largely devoid of any moments of reprieve save for an occasional flashback. Brutal as it may be, The Road's commitment to its premise is what not only sets it apart from its contemporaries and competitors, but it leaves a lasting impression on viewers by provoking viewers to reassess their feelings about society.
The Road
- Release Date
- November 25, 2009
- Director
- John Hillcoat
- Runtime
- 111 minutes
7 28 Days Later (2002)
Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later examines themes of trust and survival in his early 2000s zombie movie classic.
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's 28 Days Later centers around a man named Jim surviving the effects of a virus that has turned many of the citizens of London into zombie-like beings. Renowned for its brilliant interpretation of faster and more intelligent zombies along with its haunting score, 28 Days Later excels in highlighting themes of survival and trust in a movie that's filled with as much political subtext as it is violence and gore. With the upcoming 28 Years Later looking to continue the franchise, audiences will once again be thrust into a desolate world of violence and paranoia.
28 Days Later
- Release Date
- June 27, 2003
- Director
- Danny Boyle
- Cast
- Megan Burns , Cillian Murphy , Christopher Eccleston , Brendan Gleeson , Naomie Harris
- Runtime
- 113 minutes
6 I Am Legend (2007)
Will Smith delivers a powerful performance in a movie rife with drama and themes of mental health.
Loosely based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name, I Am Legend centers around Dr. Robert Neville and his valiant attempts to find a cure for a virus that has wiped out all of humanity. Rife with tension, I Am Legend is a superb thought experiment that highlights one's mental health in times of isolation. Despite its lackluster ending, the movie leaves audiences with hard-hitting concepts to consider that hold more weight in the early 2020s than its 2007 release. With I Am Legend 2 in development, I Am Legend's themes can be explored even further.
I Am Legend
- Release Date
- December 14, 2007
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Cast
- willow smith , Salli Richardson-Whitfield , Will Smith , Alice Braga , Charlie Tahan
- Runtime
- 101 minutes
The Book Of Eli Ending & Meaning Explained
The post-apocalyptic action movie The Book of Eli features a surprise twist ending that leaves audiences with a lot of unanswered questions.5 Snowpiercer (2013)
Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer examines the nature of society collapsing on itself because of greed.
Based on the 1982 French comic book, Le Transperceneige, Snowpiercer sees a group of people aboard the Snowpiercer, a train that includes survivors who survived a failed climate change experiment. Although filled with great acting and thrilling action, Snowpiercer's greatest strength lies in its interesting premise that sees its characters undergoing immense character changes. While the characters ardently fight for their survival, they slowly lose sight of their humanity, thus establishing a new class system not too dissimilar from the one that put them in the very situation that they're in.
Furthermore, Snowpiercer's themes of survival, greed, and selfishness are meant to provoke its viewers' thoughts, thus enhancing engagement with the material, and it accomplishes this with its largely morally gray characters. Rife with Bong Joon-ho's signature flare for minimalist storytelling, Snowpiercer is a unique examination of the human condition when thrust into a situation where people have very little control. While Tilda Swinton's Mason is one of her greatest villainous roles, Snowpiercer brilliantly demonstrates how easy it is for even its most valiant heroes to end up like her under considerable stress, thus highlighting the cyclical nature of evil.
4 The Revenant (2015)
The Academy Award-winner sees Leonardo DiCaprio surviving in the 19th-century wilderness.
The Revenant sees Leonardo DiCaprio as the frontiersman Hugh Glass on a fur trading expedition fighting for his survival in the wilderness after being mauled by a bear. Supported by excellent acting performances and lush cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki, The Revenant highlights the arduous nature of survival while also putting a spotlight on the evils of man when desperation settles in. Although The Revenant garnered a lot of critical acclaim for DiCaprio's performance, the film's underrated yet best qualities lie in its depiction of the perseverance of the human spirit through insurmountable odds.
The Revenant
- Release Date
- December 25, 2015
- Director
- Alejandro González Iñárritu
- Runtime
- 156minutes
3 The Planet of the Apes Franchise
Themes of humanity and survival are explored through various sequels and reboots.
Loosely based on the 1963 Pierre Boulle novel of the same name, Planet of the Apes sees a group of astronauts led by George Taylor crash-land on an alternate version of Earth where humans serve their primate leaders. Although Planet of the Apes is admired for its twist ending, the film's makeup and themes of society turning in on itself due to its inability to reach common ground through peaceful means solidifies it as a cinematic classic. With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on the way, the 1968 classic's legacy continues to provoke thoughts relating to society.
Planet of the Apes
- Release Date
- April 3, 1968
- Director
- Franklin J. Schaffner
- Cast
- Kim Hunter , Charlton Heston , James Whitmore , Roddy McDowall , Maurice Evans
- Runtime
- 112 minutes
2 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
The early 90s classic shows society collapsing on itself due to greed and unchecked advances in technology.
James Cameron's early 90s classic, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, continues Sarah and John Connor's fight for survival against the impending threat of the ruthless T-1000. Filled with some of cinema's most visually stunning effects and brilliant performances from all of its cast, Terminator 2: Judgment Day serves as not only a cautionary tale about the growing threats surrounding unchecked technological advancements in society, but also as a brilliant examination of the oppressive forces such as corrupt politicians and law enforcement that leads to the creation of such creations as the T-100 and T-1000.
Although The Terminator franchise has seen plenty of lackluster follow-ups to the excellent first two installments in the franchise, its continuing legacy speaks volumes to its legacy and impact not just on cinema, but on the world, as The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day are renowned for their contributions to advancing the scope of cinematic storytelling. With Terminator 2: Judgment Day's emphasis on a mother's undying love for her son, and its iconic visual and special effects-driven flare, Terminator 2: Judgment Day is arguably the second most impactful post-apocalypse franchise.
1 The Mad Max Franchise
George Miller's Mad Max franchise shows the impact of the post-apocalypse across various decades.
George Miller's Mad Max franchise sees the titular Max surviving in the Australian outback after a post-apocalypse causes many of its survivors to develop warring factions in a never-ending war for survival. What makes Mad Max special is its commitment to its themes of preserving oneself despite the challenges one might face. As seen in 1979's Mad Max, Max was an honest police officer who went above and beyond to help others. Fast-forward to the post-apocalypse, and despite witnessing his family murdered in front of him, he still preserves his integrity and sense of duty to others.
As such, each subsequent sequel and even soft reboot, Mad Max: Fury Road, shows Max continuing to endure the rigors of the unrelenting post-apocalypse while going out of his way to help others in any way that he can. Arguably the quintessential post-apocalypse franchise, Mad Max works as a staunch reminder to its audience to never lose sight of their goals, despite how challenging life inevitably gets. Furthermore, it's barren setting and atmospherically bleak tone help reinforce the importance of its themes. With Furiosa on the way, audiences will see yet another movie similar to The Book of Eli.
The Book of Eli is available on Amazon Prime Video.
The Book of Eli
- Release Date
- January 11, 2010
- Director
- Allen Hughes
- Runtime
- 118minutes
