BOOK OF ELI

The Book of Eli, reduces the world we live in now-our overdeveloped, overprocessed, hyperabundant capitalist civilization-down to its elements. What is the ground of our society? According to The Book of Eli, rape is the essence of all romantic love and the institution of marriage, violence is the essence of law and order, and cannibalism is the essence of all manner of consumption. Without law and order, without protection from violence, women would only have two options: get raped regularly or become prostitutes. Eli, a postapocalyptic prophet with a sword and shotgun, walks and walks and walks across a desert (40 days and 40 nights) to some place that's expecting the book he is carrying in a backpack-it's a Bible-the last Bible in the world. God's voice told him to do so. Those who love the novel Earth Abides will love certain aspects of the ending. Also, those who are fans of the movie A Clockwork Orange will relish the echo. (CHARLES MUDEDE)