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[wingit4me]

As usual I am writing my own review:

When I saw The Book of Eli: 7:00 PM showing January 16, 2010, (I tried to get into the 4:20 show but it was sold out, so I got a ticket for the next showing and had cheeseburger at a place down the street)

Where:the local big shiny relatively new suburban multi-plex

Number in the audience:I sat by the exit and counted 155 people ... nobody left before it was over.. I don't think anyone even took a break during the movie.. it held the audience's attention. That would be 156 counting the uniformed town cop by the door. Don't know if they expected bad behavior  hmmm.......  The audience was composed of a wide variety of people young and old, very mixed race which reflects the neighborhood I live in.  The one bad thing was how many people brought very young children.. I counted at least 8 kids who looked to be under age 6.

Audience Reactions: Biggest laugh was the lines
- Is that from your book?
- No. Johnny Cash Live from Folsum Prison.
Biggest WOO was when George opened the couch to get at his arsenal.  At the end there was no overwhelming response, but one guy near me said "F##ing crazy movie"

My favorite part: can't say because that would spoil part of the plot, but it has to do with Eli achieving his goals.

What I didn't like: Rodents disgust me.. be prepared for a close up of mouseness that the directors probably thought would look cute UGH!

Biggest disappointment: Ray's role was too small (sigh)

Most unbelievable part of the plot: Mila Kunis's character is not drooling over Ray's character.. hard for a Rayver to understand

What I learned from Ray's character: if you just don't move you don't get shot

What the reviewers got wrong: there is a lot of complaining that the ending does not fit with the rest of the movie... well if you made a home made film about your trip to Disney World, part of it would be about you traveling through Florida and the end would be about you being in Disney World. Same difference. I spent 4 years getting a degree in English Lit and have spent time thinking lofty thoughts about what makes a plot point "organic".    at you bad reviewers.

Pay attention: Lots of references to other films.. much has been made about this in other articles and reviews so it is nothing new coming from me, but it was interesting to see how many things tied into previous films .. if I were still in college we could make a drinking game of it... "A Boy and His Dog" was frequently shown on campus at fundraisers when I was in college so I would have recognized the poster anywhere, but woudl not have known that Ray is whistling something that refers to another film.

Conclusion: I would have liked this movie even if Ray were not in it.  His performance here was really good and much better than the script might have demanded. Without his explicitly saying anything you get the whole picture of his character's attitude toward Gary Oldman's character.

[britmys]

I just returned from seeing the movie and may I just reiterate what many others said: It was fantastic!  Having seen the movie, I can also say it was "Fing" awesome as there were a lot of f's used in the movie and there was a lot of violence, which might turn off a lot of Christians who might otherwise have wanted to see it.  Though, as a Christian, I can definitely recommend it for its message.

Ray, as usual, gave a finely nuanced performance.  His face is so expressive, and his body is a force to reckon with by its mere presence.

Don't miss this movie!

[Camamar]

...There’s also an array of fantastic supporting performances worth mentioning from the always wonderful Tom Waits, the intimidating Ray Stevenson and the classy Michael Gambon. They’re unsurprisingly excellent even to the point where you selfishly wish for more of them. Especially with Stevenson who’s a bit underused.

http://thefilmstage.com/2010/01/16/review-the-book-of-eli/

*offers to use Ray* *snork*  

[britmys]

Adding a post to say that I feel like a proud mom, pleased with Ray's performance, and yes, I am old enough to be his mom, but yeah, I'm a cougar, hear me roar!  Hey, I only lack 22 posts to become a Rayspectable fan and THIS is not drivel, but I may resort to drivel to become Rayspectable!

[wingit4me]

My review part 2:

Did I say Ray was very good? That is not strong enough. His performance reinforced my faith in his acting abilities and helped me feel that my time spent being a fan is not wasted.

Other outstanding performances were from Chris Browning and Jennifer Beals and a surprisingly good performance by the fluffy cat.

The only bad performance was from the hairless cat.  He looked neither post-nuclear nor scavenge-ready.

[wingit4me]

A reviewer who didn't even like the movie still singled out Ray's performance:

http://www.somethingawful.com/d/current-movie-reviews/book-eli-denzel.php

Of particular interest here is Ray Stevenson as Redridge, Carnegie's right-hand man. Redridge is the kind of character that, in any other film, would just be your typical mute tough-guy henchman, but Stevenson gives him a bit of character and dimension that no other actor would have gone out of their way to provide for such a role and for that I congratulate him

[Nomad]

Notice whose name is mentioned FIRST!   

"And I got to commend the casting agent behind this sucka too! Denzel Washington was at his stoic and badass best while Ray Stevenson and Gary “EVERYONEEEEE!” Oldman once more took nothing roles on paper and elevated them to high planes of AWESOME."
http://www.joblo.com/arrow/reviews.php?id=1353

Edited to add:

"Ray Stevenson is underused, as is Jennifer Beals...My biggest problem with this film is based on its veering away from what it could have been. Ray Stevenson as Carnegie’s head of security deserved a better ending than he got, and more lines… as anyone would attest to who saw Stevenson in “Rome.” "
http://www.flix66.com/2010/01/18/the-book-of-eli/

[Nomad]

Add in Gary Oldman and Ray Stevenson (who portrayed Titus Pullo in Rome), and you've got enough genius acting power to light up a small town.   

http://drakesflames.blogspot.com/2010/01/movie-review-book-of-eli.html

 

[Nomad]

No mention of His Lordship, but an interesting and thoughtful review...

http://www.huntingtonnews.net/columns/100119-rutherford-columnsbookofelimovie.html

[britmys]

Very interesting review at http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/119310-the-gospel-according-to-the-book-of-eli/  BUT WITH SERIOUS SPOILERS!

[Nomad]

Thanks, Brit!  This film is getting interesting reviews.  I think, in spite of the violence, it's appealing to a cross-section of people.

[Nomad]

Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis, as the mother and daughter living under Carnegie’s thumb, are splashes of beauty and emotion amongst an otherwise brutal set of characters. The stand-out, though, is Ray Stevenson as Carnegie’s right-hand-man, Redridge. He’s an interesting character; it’s not a stretch to see him as a good-hearted man who has been remoulded by a violent world. It’s somewhat disappointing that we don’t get to learn more about him and his point of view.

http://www.jesuschrist.co.uk/moviereview/the-book-of-eli-2010/

[mob1]

More kudos for Ray's performance as Redridge 

Curiously, the only character who had some depth in the early writing stages is Oldman's chief henchman, played by the underrated Ray Stevenson. The fact that his character's potential isn't developed is perhaps the most questionable mistake of the lot. I mean, anything would have done.

Whole review is here:

http://aportinair.blogspot.com/2010/02/in-beginning-was-word-and-word-was-god.html

[Labiaofthejulii]

I finally got round to seeing Book of Eli meself last week. Twas very thought provoking.

[AemiliaCamilla]

Ditto Labia....and what tune is Redridge whistling....from what movie??? I recognize it and it´s driving me crazy!