Constantine [Blu-ray]
●Based on the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels and written by Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, Constantine tells the story of John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), a man who has literally been to hell and back. When he teams up with skeptical policewoman Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) to solve the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, their investigation takes them through the world of demons
Product Description
In the grand scheme of theological thrillers, Constantine aspires for the greatness of The Exorcist but ranks more closely with The Order. Based on the popular Hellblazer comic book series, and directed with nary a shred of intelligence by music video veteran Francis Lawrence, it's basically The Matrix with swarming demons instead of swarming machines. Keanu Reeves slightly modifies his Matrix persona as John Constantine, who roams the dark-spots of Los Angeles looking for good-evil, angel-devil half-breeds to ensure that "the balance" between God and Satan is properly maintained. An ancient artifact and the detective twin of a woman who committed evil-induced suicide (Rachel Weisz) factor into the plot, which is taken so seriously that you'll want to stand up and cheer when Tilda Swinton swoops down as the cross-dressing angel Gabriel and turns this silliness into the camp-fest it really is. The digital effects are way cool (dig those hellspawn with the tops of their heads lopped off!), so if you don't mind a juvenile lesson in pseudo-Catholic salvation, Constantine is just the movie for you! --Jeff Shannon
★★★★★ Good movie, quit nitpicking
It's a good movie, great effects, the characters all seem real, there is drama, action and some funny parts. MINOR SPOILERS: You get the usual complaints in other reviews: "i dont understand why the spear was in a nazi flag"... anyone who has heard of occult artifacts has heard that hitler was supposed to have been looking for the spear. yes they could have spelled out every occult reference and made the movie an hour longer or you can just enjoy it. "why did the cop's sister know constantine's name?" she's psychic for one, they met in hell and half of hell knows him not to mentioned that her sister who she is linked to becomes his companion! if i have to explain why angels can fly when their body weight would be too heavy for their wings i'm gonna puke. You aren't supposed to dissect it. It's a movie not a documentary.
★☆☆☆☆ Constantine the not-so-great
Is this movie a joke? A psychic guy running around in LA, killing demons with a crucifix-shaped gun. At one point, he kills a whole bunch with the aid of holy water...coming out from the sprinkler system! A Black voodoo priest called Papa Diavolo or something to that effect. Lucifer is on bad terms with his own son, named Mammon. The archangel Gabriel has a fall out with God and looses his wings. And no-no-no, you can't commit suicide, because if you do, you automatically go to Hell. Chain smoking is another sure method. And Heaven looks like...the Manhattan skyline!
Once again, is this a joke?
"Men in Black II" were better.
Once again, is this a joke?
"Men in Black II" were better.
★★★★☆ LIke it
Not sure about the biblical references but movie-wise, I like it. It was unpredictable which is good, there were twists and turns, the tension was there throughout the movie, nice special effects, so it's a good movie overall. I would watch it again if I could.
★★★★☆ Hella Interesting But for the Plotholes!
Sadly I missed out on the Hellblazer series by DC Comics under the Vertigo label when this film was first released. Based on these great graphic novels. Constantine is about a hard-smoking & drinking guy who is not just an exorcist, but a guy who can see the Other Side. In the film's mythology, both heaven and hell are in place with Earth. Hell looks like L.A. during a nuclear holocaust. So what else is new?
Anyway, the film does have its share of plotholes which I found distracting. These guys are scavenging around a junk yard in Mexico when a board breaks and a guy pulls out a knife wrapped in a Nazi flag and immediately becomes possessed by it. The Sword is explained later in the film but not the Nazi connection. How did it get there? Did the Nazis use these artifacts?
When our young possessed man walks, cattle fall dead at his feet which is a cool effect but not many others drop dead, just animals. Huh? OK, I can live with that.
Rachael Weisz is the police detective whose twin sister dies jumping off a building. I did note in these kinds of movies, glass breaking and lots of water ensue. Quite interesting how the director uses these ploys to try to evoke mood and mythology. At times it works, as with the green-eyed cat used by Constantine to check out Hell. How Rachel's character's twin knows Constantine is never explained, either.
Despite the insipid acting of a police detective (I mean, would you be an L.A. cop and let yourself be placed in a tub of water by a guy who lives above a bowling alley? Yes, suspension of disbelief, but really now), the on-again-off-again Gabriel angel and the under-appreciated Shia LeBoeff, the special effects, the story and the mood went at a decent pace. Enough to keep you interested in what happens next and the surprising but underwhelming ending.
Keanu Reeves is his usual over-serious self, does a great conflicted character as he tries to buy his way into heaven despite the demerit suicide of his younger life. Long story.
My DVD had an alternate ending which was "OK" but still left me wanting. The deleted scenes were thankfully deleted. :P
I'll probably pick up the Garth Ennis graphic novels first and watch this again. Not a bad entry into the Constantine mythology.
Better:
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Bloodlines
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Rake at the Gates of Hell
Anyway, the film does have its share of plotholes which I found distracting. These guys are scavenging around a junk yard in Mexico when a board breaks and a guy pulls out a knife wrapped in a Nazi flag and immediately becomes possessed by it. The Sword is explained later in the film but not the Nazi connection. How did it get there? Did the Nazis use these artifacts?
When our young possessed man walks, cattle fall dead at his feet which is a cool effect but not many others drop dead, just animals. Huh? OK, I can live with that.
Rachael Weisz is the police detective whose twin sister dies jumping off a building. I did note in these kinds of movies, glass breaking and lots of water ensue. Quite interesting how the director uses these ploys to try to evoke mood and mythology. At times it works, as with the green-eyed cat used by Constantine to check out Hell. How Rachel's character's twin knows Constantine is never explained, either.
Despite the insipid acting of a police detective (I mean, would you be an L.A. cop and let yourself be placed in a tub of water by a guy who lives above a bowling alley? Yes, suspension of disbelief, but really now), the on-again-off-again Gabriel angel and the under-appreciated Shia LeBoeff, the special effects, the story and the mood went at a decent pace. Enough to keep you interested in what happens next and the surprising but underwhelming ending.
Keanu Reeves is his usual over-serious self, does a great conflicted character as he tries to buy his way into heaven despite the demerit suicide of his younger life. Long story.
My DVD had an alternate ending which was "OK" but still left me wanting. The deleted scenes were thankfully deleted. :P
I'll probably pick up the Garth Ennis graphic novels first and watch this again. Not a bad entry into the Constantine mythology.
Better:
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Bloodlines
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Rake at the Gates of Hell
★★★☆☆ 3 1/2 stars-More promise than results!
The Feb/2005 released movie Constantine,based on the Hellblazer comic series,comes to DVD in a widescreen edition that is interesting in its premise but falters in its' delivery.
The story involves one John Constantine(Keanu Reeves)who has always had the ability to see things people weren't "meant to see".He has done alot of bad things in his life and he has tried to atone for them by working against evil so when he goes his path will lead up and not down.One day he is approached by a police woman named Angela Dodson(Rachel Weisz)to help her regarding her twin sister's untimely death;a plunge off of a roof.At first John balks but relents,soon realizing there is more to the death than meets the eye.John journeys to the other side and back and even assists Angela in doing the same,but they realize too late that her sisters death was basically a ruse to get at Angela.
John learns that the archangel Gabriel is actually working with the son of the devil to unleash his progeny onto the world.In order to do this Angela becomes the host for the child and the angel will use the "spear of destiny"(the actual tip of the lance that was used to kill Jesus on the cross)to open her womb and release evil to rule man.Gabriel reckons that only those that survive the time to come will be worthy of God's real salvation.In the meantime John has summoned the Devil himself in a last ditch attempt to foil the Devil's son and the archangel's plans.The Devil indeed stops the birth and renders the angel wingless and earth bound.He returns to John who asks that Angela's sister be let free from Hell in his stead.This is a sacrifice and the Devil has been tricked but in one last effort to keep John from going heavenward,he removes the lung cancer that is killing him and keeps him earth bound to live out his life;hoping one day he will slip up and be his forever.
The movie has ALOT of promise throughout with an interesting plot of good versus evil playing out between a man desperate to be redeemed and the evil that would take over the world.The special effects are well done especially in the fight scenes and those involving the glimpses of Hell.However the side plots of Angela and her sister,his side kick Chas Kramer(Shia LaBeouf),his priest friend Father Hennessy(Pruitt Vince)and other characters are just dealt with so heavy handedly,that the plot's narrative flow suffers considerably everytime we go from the action scenes and back to the plot/character advancement.It's a stop/start of a roller coaster ride that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the film.The only three characters I found engaging at all and enhanced the film to any degree,besides Reeve's Constantine,were John's friend Scavenger(Jesse Ramirez),Gabriel(Tilda Swinton) and a beautifully played evil Satan by Peter Stormare.The others were just nondescript window dressing.
Technically this film has been transferred well and is presented in its wide screen format.Extras include 18 minutes of so called "additional scenes" which are nothing other than expanded or alternate scenes;with or without commentary.There is also the theatrical trailer.This DVD is actually Disc One of the original two disc release version,just so you know.
In conclusion I found Constantine one with a unique and different take on the whole Angels versus Demons,good versus evil chestnut,but overall the plot is a roller coaster of stops and starts which detract from its flow and overall enjoyment;despite the good S/FX.It could/should have been better.I recommend it as a little above average.
The story involves one John Constantine(Keanu Reeves)who has always had the ability to see things people weren't "meant to see".He has done alot of bad things in his life and he has tried to atone for them by working against evil so when he goes his path will lead up and not down.One day he is approached by a police woman named Angela Dodson(Rachel Weisz)to help her regarding her twin sister's untimely death;a plunge off of a roof.At first John balks but relents,soon realizing there is more to the death than meets the eye.John journeys to the other side and back and even assists Angela in doing the same,but they realize too late that her sisters death was basically a ruse to get at Angela.
John learns that the archangel Gabriel is actually working with the son of the devil to unleash his progeny onto the world.In order to do this Angela becomes the host for the child and the angel will use the "spear of destiny"(the actual tip of the lance that was used to kill Jesus on the cross)to open her womb and release evil to rule man.Gabriel reckons that only those that survive the time to come will be worthy of God's real salvation.In the meantime John has summoned the Devil himself in a last ditch attempt to foil the Devil's son and the archangel's plans.The Devil indeed stops the birth and renders the angel wingless and earth bound.He returns to John who asks that Angela's sister be let free from Hell in his stead.This is a sacrifice and the Devil has been tricked but in one last effort to keep John from going heavenward,he removes the lung cancer that is killing him and keeps him earth bound to live out his life;hoping one day he will slip up and be his forever.
The movie has ALOT of promise throughout with an interesting plot of good versus evil playing out between a man desperate to be redeemed and the evil that would take over the world.The special effects are well done especially in the fight scenes and those involving the glimpses of Hell.However the side plots of Angela and her sister,his side kick Chas Kramer(Shia LaBeouf),his priest friend Father Hennessy(Pruitt Vince)and other characters are just dealt with so heavy handedly,that the plot's narrative flow suffers considerably everytime we go from the action scenes and back to the plot/character advancement.It's a stop/start of a roller coaster ride that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the film.The only three characters I found engaging at all and enhanced the film to any degree,besides Reeve's Constantine,were John's friend Scavenger(Jesse Ramirez),Gabriel(Tilda Swinton) and a beautifully played evil Satan by Peter Stormare.The others were just nondescript window dressing.
Technically this film has been transferred well and is presented in its wide screen format.Extras include 18 minutes of so called "additional scenes" which are nothing other than expanded or alternate scenes;with or without commentary.There is also the theatrical trailer.This DVD is actually Disc One of the original two disc release version,just so you know.
In conclusion I found Constantine one with a unique and different take on the whole Angels versus Demons,good versus evil chestnut,but overall the plot is a roller coaster of stops and starts which detract from its flow and overall enjoyment;despite the good S/FX.It could/should have been better.I recommend it as a little above average.
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