<P> The Book of Eli is a 2010 American post-apocalyptic neo-Western action film directed by the Hughes brothers, written by Gary Whitta, and starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, and Jennifer Beals . The story revolves around Eli, a nomad in a post-apocalyptic world, who is told by a voice to deliver his copy of a mysterious book to a safe location on the West Coast of the United States . The history of the post-war world is explained along the way, as is the importance of Eli's task . Filming began in February 2009 and took place in New Mexico . </P> <P> The film has received mixed reviews from critics . Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 48% of 188 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 5.5 out of 10 . The film was released in theaters in January 2010 . Alcon Entertainment financed and co-produced the film with Silver Pictures, while it was distributed by Warner Bros. in the United States; international sales were handled by Summit Entertainment . </P> <P> Thirty years after a nuclear apocalypse, Eli (Denzel Washington) travels on foot toward the west coast of the former United States . Along the way he demonstrates uncanny survival and fighting skills, hunting wildlife and swiftly defeating a group of desert bandits who try to ambush him . Searching for water, he arrives in a ramshackle town rebuilt and overseen by Carnegie (Gary Oldman). Carnegie dreams of building more towns and of controlling the people by using the power of a certain book . His henchmen scour the desolate landscape daily in search of it, but to no avail . </P> <P> In town Eli barters with a store owner, the Engineer (Tom Waits), to recharge the battery of his portable music player . While waiting, he goes across the street to the town bar, where a gang of bikers attack, but he quickly kills all fifteen . Realizing Eli is a literate man like himself, Carnegie asks Eli to stay, making it clear that the offer is non-negotiable . After Carnegie's blind mistress Claudia (Jennifer Beals) gives Eli some food and water, Carnegie orders Claudia's daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) to seduce Eli, but he turns her down . While killing time, she finds his book . Unperturbed, Eli offers to share his food with her, and before they eat, he says grace . The following day, Solara repeats the prayer, but Carnegie overhears them and realizes Solara's words relate to the book he has been seeking . He soon forces Solara to tell him if Eli was reading a book, and realizes Eli's book is the one he wants--a Bible . </P>

What year did the book of eli take place