The latest film from the Hughes brothers, The Book of Eli, is not only filled with gunfights, but it is also filled with reams of biblical subtext – some are as obvious as an Easter sermon, while others are subtle allusions to prophesy. Arguably, such references would make this action film appealing to Christian audiences, but it should be noted that The Book of Eli is less about infallible Christian belief, as it is about archetypal Christian imagery.

The title is, of course, a reference to a book from the Old Testament. What, there isn’t? Are you sure? I think it’s, somewhere in the back. All right, fine, I believe you. But it sounds like it could be though. That’s my point.

Filmed in moody browns and muted blues, the colour palette provides a haunting backdrop for the dwindling race of humanity. A war that ended three decades ago has cumulated in an apocalyptic event, which has then resulted in crumbled infrastructure, desolate landscapes, and godforsaken anarchy. In short, human beings are in desperate need of good news.

Enter Eli, a solitary wanderer (Denzil Washington), who claims to have been walking west for 30 years. One of the last remaining literates, Eli carries with him a Bible, an object that he regularly reads with fervor and protects vigor. Aside from the harsh terrain and the thieving cannibals, Eli also crosses paths with Carnegie (Gary Oldman), a prototypical evildoer of the Western film genre. He runs the town, controls a posse, and more than anything, he wants his hands on Eli’s book.

Apart from the Bible itself, the film does generally seem to serve the Christian cause. On multiple occasions, Eli’s book is heralded as a means to redemption. Not to mention that it is also protected by a latter-day knock-out prophet-type, who is guided throughout this narrative by miraculous feats of survival.

Another allusion to scripture comes from the resemblance between this Eli, and the biblical priest of the same name. Eli from the Book of Samuel is a high priest who takes in a young boy named Samuel who one day is chosen to speak with God. While Eli from The Book of Eli is a lowly traveler who takes in a young girl named Solara (Mila Kunis) whom he teaches to pray, and communicate with God.

As this film unravels, you learn that the story is not so much about the Holy Scriptures, or even about organized religion. Instead, it is about faith, and how it sometimes stands between political ideology and political control. In this post-apocalyptic setting, faith is equally embraced by the pure-hearted who seek solace, and the evil-doers who seek dominance. For an action movie, The Book of Eli carries with it some unexpected grace.

On the whole, while The Book of Eli presents a strong storyline in support of Christianity, but it is careful not to deliver a strictly Christian message. Despite Judeo-Christian subtext, The Book of Eli is ultimately just about faith, maybe not The Faith, but any kind of faith. It is a message about the indomitable spirit of man – and gunfights.