A one of kind movie that sticks with you, it's unique and striking. The characters are so well cast and well acted, their chemistry drives this movie. The cinematography is perfectly dark and haunting and the effects/CGI still hold up. Constantine is just a cool dark movie that fits a niche religious/demonic genre.
979 Reviews
Sorry...I liked it...
LAKERS3425 July 2005
This is a fable...it's not supposed to be so rooted in reality that we scoff at the implausibilities and the plot holes... We're not watching it to say "look at how that happened" or "why is it all happening here in L.A. when we have these worldwide problems" or...whatever... It has to happen somewhere; either you buy off on the fable and get into the story or you flush it...
While not being Catholic, through theological edification I was able to make sense of storyline, ironies, metaphors, etc... I liked Reaves' character and again, it's a matter of preference - love or hate - but he played Constantine's miserable demon-cop just right - Reaves continues to find rolls suited to his particular, dark style. Special effects were great, and I give the film kudos for not diving in and becoming an effects extravaganza...it remains online to the story and where we're going... Weisz as heroine and Peter Stormare as Lucifer himself were well-cast. What can I say? It was great diversion and a fun DVD to watch. Check it out!
While not being Catholic, through theological edification I was able to make sense of storyline, ironies, metaphors, etc... I liked Reaves' character and again, it's a matter of preference - love or hate - but he played Constantine's miserable demon-cop just right - Reaves continues to find rolls suited to his particular, dark style. Special effects were great, and I give the film kudos for not diving in and becoming an effects extravaganza...it remains online to the story and where we're going... Weisz as heroine and Peter Stormare as Lucifer himself were well-cast. What can I say? It was great diversion and a fun DVD to watch. Check it out!
Moody, vivid occultothriller; Reeves does a fine job
dfranzen702 August 2005
John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) can see things, you know. Demons, angels, stuff like that. Oddly enough, though, people believe he can - mostly because he moonlights as an exorcist, trapping demons - who shall not stay in his plane! - in mirrors and smashing them to teeny bits. World weary and constantly sucking on a coffin nail, Constantine is beleaguered and burned out, a noir detective for the afterlife, if you will. But he's alive; he's just cursed with the gift of seeing demons and angels. And he's a suicide, having been clinically dead for two minutes once upon a time, a time during which he literally saw Hell.
Cop Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) just lost her sister, a patient who jumped off the top of a mental hospital; Angela thinks her sister also Saw Something, and so she goes to John for help. Did Isabel know something? Where is she now? Can Angela see, too? Well, she can, actually, because Isabel was her twin sister, and as we all know twins share everything. So, using Angela, Constantine learns that the Bad Guys (demons), who are supposed to stay in Hell, have been crossing over to the plane of the living, presumably to raise hell. But Constnatine knows there's something else afoot, something only witchcraft, voodoo, and other otherworldly things can uncover.
If there was ever a role that the adult Reeves was born to play (besides that of Neo), it's that of John Constantine. Constantine wanders hither and yon, doing good deeds and helping with crimes involving the occult, and so forth, all with a resigned and - pardon another pun - rather soulless attitude. Constantine knows he's doomed to a lifetime of doing this, partly because he tried to kill himself and partly because he has The Gift. It's this kind of dispassionate nihilism that plays perfectly to Reeves' own dull, emotionless acting range. He's perfect for the role, based on a comic book called Hellblazer.
Weisz is pretty good - believable, at least - as the clumsily named Angela, but the real standout among the supporting cast is Peter Stormare as Satan himself. Incredibly creepy; he looks like a kindergarten teacher but behaves like a pedophile. The hair on the back of your neck will rise when Stormare enters the picture about three-fourths through.
Two other things the movie has going for it are a rather simplistic plot and some fantastic special effects (for example, a demon made up of bugs). Movies based on comic books tend to overburden themselves and the viewer with far too many plot twists. It's not tough - you have a good guy, you have a bad guy, and the first must defeat the second. Throw in some ethical and moral conflicts, give the good guy a power of sorts, and you're off and running. Constantine does this pretty well.
The atmosphere of the film is riveting as well, with effects special and otherwise transporting the viewer to Right There, whether it's a voodoo bar, Hell, or the mean streets of the city.
If you watch the movie with the idea that it's a filmed comic book, you shouldn't be dissatisfied with the result. John Constantine lives in a world in which he sees unspeakable evil on a daily basis, and he himself has literally been to Hell and back on more than one occasion. His lot is to suffer for his sin; can he find redemption in a cutie named Angela?
Cop Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) just lost her sister, a patient who jumped off the top of a mental hospital; Angela thinks her sister also Saw Something, and so she goes to John for help. Did Isabel know something? Where is she now? Can Angela see, too? Well, she can, actually, because Isabel was her twin sister, and as we all know twins share everything. So, using Angela, Constantine learns that the Bad Guys (demons), who are supposed to stay in Hell, have been crossing over to the plane of the living, presumably to raise hell. But Constnatine knows there's something else afoot, something only witchcraft, voodoo, and other otherworldly things can uncover.
If there was ever a role that the adult Reeves was born to play (besides that of Neo), it's that of John Constantine. Constantine wanders hither and yon, doing good deeds and helping with crimes involving the occult, and so forth, all with a resigned and - pardon another pun - rather soulless attitude. Constantine knows he's doomed to a lifetime of doing this, partly because he tried to kill himself and partly because he has The Gift. It's this kind of dispassionate nihilism that plays perfectly to Reeves' own dull, emotionless acting range. He's perfect for the role, based on a comic book called Hellblazer.
Weisz is pretty good - believable, at least - as the clumsily named Angela, but the real standout among the supporting cast is Peter Stormare as Satan himself. Incredibly creepy; he looks like a kindergarten teacher but behaves like a pedophile. The hair on the back of your neck will rise when Stormare enters the picture about three-fourths through.
Two other things the movie has going for it are a rather simplistic plot and some fantastic special effects (for example, a demon made up of bugs). Movies based on comic books tend to overburden themselves and the viewer with far too many plot twists. It's not tough - you have a good guy, you have a bad guy, and the first must defeat the second. Throw in some ethical and moral conflicts, give the good guy a power of sorts, and you're off and running. Constantine does this pretty well.
The atmosphere of the film is riveting as well, with effects special and otherwise transporting the viewer to Right There, whether it's a voodoo bar, Hell, or the mean streets of the city.
If you watch the movie with the idea that it's a filmed comic book, you shouldn't be dissatisfied with the result. John Constantine lives in a world in which he sees unspeakable evil on a daily basis, and he himself has literally been to Hell and back on more than one occasion. His lot is to suffer for his sin; can he find redemption in a cutie named Angela?
Hell Strikes Back
Tweetienator30 May 2019
In my view an underrated and over-criticized movie - Constantine got nice visuals, an interesting story and some good acting. No masterpiece and not Mr. Reeves best movie but a solid piece of horror if you like to watch movies with demons and exorcism and some good ol' action. Thumbs up.
Fantastic effects + decent story = It works people!
MinorityReporter25 August 2005
Despite what people say this film is actually quite good. Sure it had some flaws and the story kind of dragged on but the effects were very good and the acting (which is pretty amazing) didn't suck. Keanu wasn't as bad as he usually is and Rachel Weisz does a very good job with what I think is a well written part. The must annoying actor in the film is in my opinion not Keanu but Tilda Swinton. The actor who I felt brought most passion and enthusiasm to his role was Peter Stormare who obviously enjoyed playing Satan and the scenes with him are admittedly some of the most interesting in the film and even though he is only on screen for something like 5 - 10 minutes he should almost be credited as a main character thats how good he is.
Now story wise the film had some issues but they weren't as serious as many people claim they are. As I stated previously the film does drag a little and it does take a long time for the film to actually reveal its point but its the little things that are really interesting. The exorcism scene is very well done and the effects are generally very well made. Effects doesn't make a film, however, and in spite of the issues the film actually succeeds in telling the story it wants to and the ending is indeed a climax.
I haven't read the comics so I didn't really have any expectations when I saw the film. I have heard that the avid fans of the comic books complained that Keanu Reeves doesn't fit the role. That might be true but to me he really didn't seem that bad. He still has a very clear well defined body language which I feel makes up for his monotonous voice (at least to some degree). I went in to the cinema and saw the film with an open mind which is what I advise future viewers to do and not rely too heavily on what the critics say.
All in all an excellent film
8/10
Now story wise the film had some issues but they weren't as serious as many people claim they are. As I stated previously the film does drag a little and it does take a long time for the film to actually reveal its point but its the little things that are really interesting. The exorcism scene is very well done and the effects are generally very well made. Effects doesn't make a film, however, and in spite of the issues the film actually succeeds in telling the story it wants to and the ending is indeed a climax.
I haven't read the comics so I didn't really have any expectations when I saw the film. I have heard that the avid fans of the comic books complained that Keanu Reeves doesn't fit the role. That might be true but to me he really didn't seem that bad. He still has a very clear well defined body language which I feel makes up for his monotonous voice (at least to some degree). I went in to the cinema and saw the film with an open mind which is what I advise future viewers to do and not rely too heavily on what the critics say.
All in all an excellent film
8/10
Supernatural intrigue about confrontation between angels and demons
ma-cortes22 December 2005
The movie deals about John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) , a tough detective in charge of exorcisms and throwing out supernatural beings and bizarre creatures toward hell , employing only as weapons a shot-cross and holy water . He has ability to go and back from inferno . He is helped by a sympathetic apprentice (Shia LaBeouf). Constantine teams up with a gorgeous policewoman called Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) to resolve the rare suicide of her twin sister (also interpreted by the same). They try to investigate the deeds at whatever risk . In the beginning , skeptical Angela doubts on the mysterious events are happening but she is caught up by ominous demon . Both protagonists will confront against forces of evil , the devil , Balthazar and underlings (Peter Stormare , Gavin Rassdale) . It's a horrible struggle between Angels- Gabriel (Tilda Swinton)- and demons developed in contemporary city Los Angeles .
From the start to the finish the action-packed and suspense is unstopped . The movie is spectacular and exciting and the supernatural plot is narrated in stimulating and moving manner . The film is plenty of tension , thriller , terror , grisly murders and is developed in fast moving and for that reason results to be entertaining . Picture has a plethora of special effects created by computer generator describing catastrophic series of of otherworldly happenings and weird entities ; they are realized by the master Stan Winston for animatronics effects and for the make-up ; besides the visual effects are created by Phil Tippet (Starship Troopers and Jurassic Park) . Colorful and sensational cinematography by the French Philippe Rousselot . Exceptional as well as lively musical score by two excellent musicians : Klaus Badelt and Brian Tyler . Motion picture was well directed by Francis Lawrence . The flick will appeal to Keanu Reeves fans and fantastic thriller enthusiasts.
From the start to the finish the action-packed and suspense is unstopped . The movie is spectacular and exciting and the supernatural plot is narrated in stimulating and moving manner . The film is plenty of tension , thriller , terror , grisly murders and is developed in fast moving and for that reason results to be entertaining . Picture has a plethora of special effects created by computer generator describing catastrophic series of of otherworldly happenings and weird entities ; they are realized by the master Stan Winston for animatronics effects and for the make-up ; besides the visual effects are created by Phil Tippet (Starship Troopers and Jurassic Park) . Colorful and sensational cinematography by the French Philippe Rousselot . Exceptional as well as lively musical score by two excellent musicians : Klaus Badelt and Brian Tyler . Motion picture was well directed by Francis Lawrence . The flick will appeal to Keanu Reeves fans and fantastic thriller enthusiasts.
Possibly one of the greatest supernatural films of all time
A_Different_Drummer22 April 2017
Context.
You need context.
This review penned in 2017, some 12 years after the release.
In this period, Marvel and DC are at each other's throats, each trying to monetize every character, sub-character, plot device and dust bunny from their respective libraries. Regardless of merit. It is all about the dollars.
A story as pure as this one -- penned by Kevin Brodbin -- could never be done today because it lacks the setup for a dozen spinoffs and sequels, as well as the mandatory backstory and product placements.
Sporting two of the most charismatic and photogenic stars of all time, at the peak of their careers, we have a story with no bad lines, no lapses in the arcs, and no time wasted. Just pure, engrossing, film pleasure from beginning to end.
Yes, I know that it was not appreciated in its day. But the future is always the final judge.
((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))
You need context.
This review penned in 2017, some 12 years after the release.
In this period, Marvel and DC are at each other's throats, each trying to monetize every character, sub-character, plot device and dust bunny from their respective libraries. Regardless of merit. It is all about the dollars.
A story as pure as this one -- penned by Kevin Brodbin -- could never be done today because it lacks the setup for a dozen spinoffs and sequels, as well as the mandatory backstory and product placements.
Sporting two of the most charismatic and photogenic stars of all time, at the peak of their careers, we have a story with no bad lines, no lapses in the arcs, and no time wasted. Just pure, engrossing, film pleasure from beginning to end.
Yes, I know that it was not appreciated in its day. But the future is always the final judge.
((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))
What's not to like?
radhrh4 July 2022
It's a Hollywood mystery why 2005's Constantine wasn't more popular and didn't at least get a sequel. There was a TV show a decade later but that only got a single series and considering some of the dross which get several series, I'm looking at you, Hemlock Grove, that's got to be a shame.
So we have a bankable star, a strong supporting cast, a well written script, an existing lore and decent enough special effects ( for 2005 ). Oh yeah, there's also something about the eternal struggle between good and evil. So what's not to like? I guess it's a little too dark for some and the concept that humans are only the playthings of God and the other guy might be a tough bullet to chew for those who take religion seriously.
Now streaming on Netflix.
So we have a bankable star, a strong supporting cast, a well written script, an existing lore and decent enough special effects ( for 2005 ). Oh yeah, there's also something about the eternal struggle between good and evil. So what's not to like? I guess it's a little too dark for some and the concept that humans are only the playthings of God and the other guy might be a tough bullet to chew for those who take religion seriously.
Now streaming on Netflix.
Constantine Comment
ttbloodlusttt5 September 2005
This movie was really great in my opinion. If you like the horror/sci-fi genre then this is definitely for you. The effects are great and the make-up is exceptional as well. Keanu and Rachel really compliment each other in the roles they are in. I wouldn't expect something phenomenal but this genre of movies is rarely gifted with such a insightfully plotted movie such as Constantine.The character build is great and the background of the characters isn't completely clouded which is awesome, there's no feeling of confusion when it comes to whats going on. It seems in some scenes the director was going for a certain emotion which made it feel awkward but the action and reactions are nice. Keanu really came across as tough doomed and uncaring, while Rachel came across as determined and brave. There is no reason to not give this movie a chance, if it seems like something you would like, i recommend seeing it. The concepts and setups aren't something of the usual nature so its a welcomed change of pace. I don't rate this 10/10 because is was astounding and mind shattering, a movie of the century, I rate it 10/10 because it was enjoyable and i have watched it many times without feeling tired of it. The score and soundtrack are great as well, providing some depth into certain scenes. The contrast and colors are good, although looking a little too dark in some scenes. The movie takes you to many places, so there is no feeling that you are in one place, sometimes I feel that movies that take place in the same space create a feeling of urgency, not so in Constantine. Some enjoyable aspects is the historical tie ins and use of terminology. All in all, this is an exceptional movie, it moves from scene to scene with little dragging in one spot, and has a great ending.
The anti-hero in us all.
prouddog8 February 2005
Constantine was the Roman emperor who recognized Christianity and made if possible for the Church to move from the underground into the public arena. He did it out of convenience, thinking that it would be easier to work with the Christian church than try to fight it. He lived most of his life as a ruthless leader who gave the orders to kill even members of his family. Constantine accomplished much good in his life, even though he had what most would say were impure motives.
But the Roman Constantine is not the same as the same-named title character of the new film, "Constantine," from DC-Vertigo Comics and Warner Brothers Pictures. Or is he? John Constantine, from the comic novels "Hellblazer," is doomed to hell when he dies. His situation may be hopeless, but he operates as if he could buy his way into heaven by doing enough good by removing enough evil from the world. He's a chain-smoking, hard-drinking, rude and uncaring man who is the hero of our film.
Angela Dodson is a pure-hearted, loving sister who is seeking the truth to her twin sister, Isabel's, death. It would seem she has nothing but the best motives, but conflicted people and incongruous motives are what make this movie interesting.
Interesting questions surrounding the death of Jesus Christ, the existence of demons on Earth, the ultimate destination of our soul when we die and even the perfect lack of all evil in angels are woven into a screen adaptation of a character and story with a cult following. It seems as though this ambiguity regarding good and evil may exist in film as well as real life. In "Constantine," it is not good verses evil -- but rather it is good and evil taking turns messing things up and making them better. In life the rule seems to be strangely similar. John Constantine's ability to do good without pure motives may give hope to the rest of us who regularly do things for all the wrong reasons.
The visuals and the sound presentation in this film are wonderful. Philippe Rousselot's cinematography and Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt's energetic soundtrack are masterful. The acting, however, is only adequate. Keanu Reaves has long since learned how to play Keanu Reaves. He continues with what he knows best. Shia LaBeouf, after a similar role in "I, Robot," is becoming quite an accomplished "plucky sidekick" too. But the standout in this film is the emotional and endearing performance by Rachel Weisz as Angela Dodson. The movie is one worth seeing aside from her presence, but Weisz's performance take it from a "see it if you like action movies" recommendation to a "see it to admire Rachel Weisz's performance" endorsement.
Constantine is rated "R" for demonic images and violence. It opens in theatres February 18.
But the Roman Constantine is not the same as the same-named title character of the new film, "Constantine," from DC-Vertigo Comics and Warner Brothers Pictures. Or is he? John Constantine, from the comic novels "Hellblazer," is doomed to hell when he dies. His situation may be hopeless, but he operates as if he could buy his way into heaven by doing enough good by removing enough evil from the world. He's a chain-smoking, hard-drinking, rude and uncaring man who is the hero of our film.
Angela Dodson is a pure-hearted, loving sister who is seeking the truth to her twin sister, Isabel's, death. It would seem she has nothing but the best motives, but conflicted people and incongruous motives are what make this movie interesting.
Interesting questions surrounding the death of Jesus Christ, the existence of demons on Earth, the ultimate destination of our soul when we die and even the perfect lack of all evil in angels are woven into a screen adaptation of a character and story with a cult following. It seems as though this ambiguity regarding good and evil may exist in film as well as real life. In "Constantine," it is not good verses evil -- but rather it is good and evil taking turns messing things up and making them better. In life the rule seems to be strangely similar. John Constantine's ability to do good without pure motives may give hope to the rest of us who regularly do things for all the wrong reasons.
The visuals and the sound presentation in this film are wonderful. Philippe Rousselot's cinematography and Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt's energetic soundtrack are masterful. The acting, however, is only adequate. Keanu Reaves has long since learned how to play Keanu Reaves. He continues with what he knows best. Shia LaBeouf, after a similar role in "I, Robot," is becoming quite an accomplished "plucky sidekick" too. But the standout in this film is the emotional and endearing performance by Rachel Weisz as Angela Dodson. The movie is one worth seeing aside from her presence, but Weisz's performance take it from a "see it if you like action movies" recommendation to a "see it to admire Rachel Weisz's performance" endorsement.
Constantine is rated "R" for demonic images and violence. It opens in theatres February 18.
Not perfect, but still an entertaining apocalyptic horror yarn
Leofwine_draca14 May 2016
The latest comic-book offering from Hollywood is this dark, depressing supernatural thriller which sees Keanu Reeves as a Neo-like hero, this time employed as an exorcist to prevent half-breed demons from entering our plane. The plotting and back story of the film is impressive, with plenty of technobabble to delight the viewers, and the acting isn't half bad either. Reeves is very good as the laconic, chain-smoking star, giving a relaxed and mature performance, one of the reasons I like him more and more as the years progress. Rachel Weisz is also effective as the heroine, proving to be more than just a woman-in-peril, and her natural beauty shines through many of the odd sequences in which she partakes.
Further down the cast, we have a trio of outstanding performances from a) Djimon Hounsou as Papa Midnite, a voodoo practitioner with buckets of style, b) the singer Gavin Rossdale as impossible suave demon Balthazar, and c) Pruitt Taylor Vince, he of the bizarre eyes, as a sympathetic clergyman. Other, odder performances come from androgynous Tilda Swinton as the archangel Gabriel, and Peter Stormare, looking weird and repulsive, as Satan, although this latter portrayal is ultimately disappointing.
One flaw is that the film does feel lengthy, with some repetition, and is let down by a last act which is dragged out to the extreme, with anticlimax after anticlimax. Saying that, it struggles admirably with religious conundrums, and isn't afraid to shy away from violence and blasphemy to achieve horrific effects. The film is not really action-orientated, like THE MATRIX series, instead acting as more of an acopalyptic horror, and there are plenty of jump-in-your-seat scares, especially one at the opening. The best thing by far are the special effects, especially those of the demons and the glimpses of Hell we get, which are simply fantastic and surpass anything else seen recently.
The film does feel somewhat corny in places, and there are familiar elements from THE EXORCIST and HELLBOY which crop up in a clichéd light. It is also pretty dark and depressing, dealing as it does with death, destruction and sin, so don't expect much in the way of enjoyment. Instead, sit back and watch as this visionary ride offers something new and half-original, and ignore the shortcomings which are easily made up for by the good stuff.
Further down the cast, we have a trio of outstanding performances from a) Djimon Hounsou as Papa Midnite, a voodoo practitioner with buckets of style, b) the singer Gavin Rossdale as impossible suave demon Balthazar, and c) Pruitt Taylor Vince, he of the bizarre eyes, as a sympathetic clergyman. Other, odder performances come from androgynous Tilda Swinton as the archangel Gabriel, and Peter Stormare, looking weird and repulsive, as Satan, although this latter portrayal is ultimately disappointing.
One flaw is that the film does feel lengthy, with some repetition, and is let down by a last act which is dragged out to the extreme, with anticlimax after anticlimax. Saying that, it struggles admirably with religious conundrums, and isn't afraid to shy away from violence and blasphemy to achieve horrific effects. The film is not really action-orientated, like THE MATRIX series, instead acting as more of an acopalyptic horror, and there are plenty of jump-in-your-seat scares, especially one at the opening. The best thing by far are the special effects, especially those of the demons and the glimpses of Hell we get, which are simply fantastic and surpass anything else seen recently.
The film does feel somewhat corny in places, and there are familiar elements from THE EXORCIST and HELLBOY which crop up in a clichéd light. It is also pretty dark and depressing, dealing as it does with death, destruction and sin, so don't expect much in the way of enjoyment. Instead, sit back and watch as this visionary ride offers something new and half-original, and ignore the shortcomings which are easily made up for by the good stuff.
A good movie if you're not a Constantine fan
mega-1416 February 2006
This movie is actually pretty good. The story is not bad and the acting is not really as bad as people make it to be. Keanu Reeves plays a decent Constantine and manages to maintain the mysterious aura about the character. The only thing wrong about this movie, and it's a big thing for a comic book movie, is that it completely goes against the comics it was based upon...
The movie was designed to depict Christian catholicism and make John out as some sort of exorcist slaying demons and talking to angels. If it's true that in a mainly Christian USA that may attract more audience, it also goes against everything the comic stands for. John is nothing like that, he's never been a Christian in his life, he's a magician.
No religion has favor in the comics, John is capable of talking to angels one day and find himself in the Aztec hell talking to some weird Aztec demon the next day. He doesn't have superpowers and in no way is he a regular hero, he's capable of killing his friends to survive... He's only human, that's what made the comics so compelling.
If it's true that the movie is rather good in his own right, it's also true that it should have no association whatsoever with Constantine or Hellblazer and I'm surprised that the authors allowed them to place Constantine's name in the title...
The movie was designed to depict Christian catholicism and make John out as some sort of exorcist slaying demons and talking to angels. If it's true that in a mainly Christian USA that may attract more audience, it also goes against everything the comic stands for. John is nothing like that, he's never been a Christian in his life, he's a magician.
No religion has favor in the comics, John is capable of talking to angels one day and find himself in the Aztec hell talking to some weird Aztec demon the next day. He doesn't have superpowers and in no way is he a regular hero, he's capable of killing his friends to survive... He's only human, that's what made the comics so compelling.
If it's true that the movie is rather good in his own right, it's also true that it should have no association whatsoever with Constantine or Hellblazer and I'm surprised that the authors allowed them to place Constantine's name in the title...
Solid and entertaining, but cliché ridden
ereinion2 March 2005
I went to see this movie last Sunday and my expectations were not too high, so I got what I expected, perhaps even more. "Constantine" is another Keanu Reeves fantasy vehicle, but this time it's about demons and angels and not a parallel world aka The Matrix. It's hard to judge Reeves' acting as it shifts from poor and uninspired to solid and credible all the time. Perhaps the scriptwriter or the director are to blame. The direction really could have been better. The effects are on par with what one can expect from a big blockbuster flick, yet they tend to get overwhelming and exhausting.
Rachel Weisz is undoubtedly the film's strongest point and her performance is excellent and as good as it can be in such a film. Her character is also among the few well-crafted ones in the movie. Djimon Hounsou doesn't make much impact this time and Peter Stormare's cameo as Lucifer is...well, entertaining. Although one can wonder what he's doing in this movie. Tilda Swinton's bizarre incarnation as Gabriel is just weird, hard to comprehend. I'm against all this "womanising" of archangels, it's so absurd and cliché-ish, typical product of the 21st century culture. Like "why can't a woman play Gabriel?" Well...because Gabriel was a male, not some androgynous creature.
The biggest downside with this flick is the inexhaustive arsenal of bad jokes and typical Hollywood clichés which never seem to cease. Constantine's finger to Lucifer in the climax of the film is perhaps the only joke that is tasteful. The exorcism scene in the beginning was very intense and is among the better parts of the movie. All said, this is probably as good as a movie based on a comic can get, so I think it deserves a 6.
Rachel Weisz is undoubtedly the film's strongest point and her performance is excellent and as good as it can be in such a film. Her character is also among the few well-crafted ones in the movie. Djimon Hounsou doesn't make much impact this time and Peter Stormare's cameo as Lucifer is...well, entertaining. Although one can wonder what he's doing in this movie. Tilda Swinton's bizarre incarnation as Gabriel is just weird, hard to comprehend. I'm against all this "womanising" of archangels, it's so absurd and cliché-ish, typical product of the 21st century culture. Like "why can't a woman play Gabriel?" Well...because Gabriel was a male, not some androgynous creature.
The biggest downside with this flick is the inexhaustive arsenal of bad jokes and typical Hollywood clichés which never seem to cease. Constantine's finger to Lucifer in the climax of the film is perhaps the only joke that is tasteful. The exorcism scene in the beginning was very intense and is among the better parts of the movie. All said, this is probably as good as a movie based on a comic can get, so I think it deserves a 6.
Constantine is another one of those movies that you either love or hate.
Karilee4 September 2005
And I loved it.
I just watched Constantine on PPV, and like all films, it does have its minor flaws, but overall the story was interesting, and the special effects were nothing short of amazing.
Critics have been saying that Keanu Reeves' acting was horrible, but I disagree. Even though I can't deny that this wasn't him at his best, John Constantine is and angry and distant character, so Reeves couldn't display much emotion. All in all, he didn't do too bad.
Rachel Weisz was the star of the movie, giving a heartfelt performance. Gavin Rossdale was good, playing the bad guy card too perfection. And Djimon Housan, and Tilda Swinton were also great in their small roles. Shia LeBlouf, like Reeves, could have done a little better. Peter Stormare was perfect as Satan and my favorite character. He added a bit of humor to his demonic role.
There are some major differences between the comic book Hellblazer and the movie, like John Constantine was supposed to be British and resemble a rocker named Sting. But I've never read the comics, so I can't complain about these contradictions. But it seems to have the Hellblazer fans disappointed.
I do feel I should advise that this movie has nothing to do with Satanism. And to my knowledge, it was religiously correct. Save the part about demons and angels living on earth.
In the end, like I said before, you either love it or hate it. Simple as that.
my rating : 9/10
I just watched Constantine on PPV, and like all films, it does have its minor flaws, but overall the story was interesting, and the special effects were nothing short of amazing.
Critics have been saying that Keanu Reeves' acting was horrible, but I disagree. Even though I can't deny that this wasn't him at his best, John Constantine is and angry and distant character, so Reeves couldn't display much emotion. All in all, he didn't do too bad.
Rachel Weisz was the star of the movie, giving a heartfelt performance. Gavin Rossdale was good, playing the bad guy card too perfection. And Djimon Housan, and Tilda Swinton were also great in their small roles. Shia LeBlouf, like Reeves, could have done a little better. Peter Stormare was perfect as Satan and my favorite character. He added a bit of humor to his demonic role.
There are some major differences between the comic book Hellblazer and the movie, like John Constantine was supposed to be British and resemble a rocker named Sting. But I've never read the comics, so I can't complain about these contradictions. But it seems to have the Hellblazer fans disappointed.
I do feel I should advise that this movie has nothing to do with Satanism. And to my knowledge, it was religiously correct. Save the part about demons and angels living on earth.
In the end, like I said before, you either love it or hate it. Simple as that.
my rating : 9/10
There's always a catch
BrandtSponseller21 February 2005
When a Mexican finds the Spear of Destiny (aka the Spear of Longinus) amidst ruins, it sets off a chain of events that could lead to a Hell-fueled Armageddon on Earth. Enter John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), freelance demon-hunter, and Los Angeles detective Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), who are to play roles in the ongoing "battle" between heaven and hell.
Judging Constantine on visuals, style and attitude, it would easily earn a 10. But as we learn in the film, "there's always a catch". The catch is that the story is a bit of a mess. It was problematic enough to earn a 7 out of 10, or a C, and just barely. For much of its length, I was prepared to give it a 6.
Scriptwriters Kevin Brodbin and Frank A. Cappello seem to want to throw in everything, including the kitchen sink and a lot of other water receptacles, and they want to do it without having to explain very much. So the beginning of the film takes us from the Mexican to an exorcism to a woman in a mental hospital to a detective who looks oddly like her, and so on. During all of this, there are numerous ancillary characters. It takes a long time to be told who anyone is, what they're doing, and what their relationship is to any other characters. It doesn't help that this is one of countless films where the dialogue is mixed at about negative 5 to the sound effects' 11, and where actors are encouraged to mumble. You finally learn that the mental patient and the detective who looks too much like her are twins, but it takes awhile to figure it out.
And it's not just the beginning of the film that is like this. Throughout its length, Constantine keeps introducing new characters, settings, subplots and ideas, with nary an explanation for any of them. Many you eventually figure out, and that led me to believing that I might enjoy the film more on a second viewing, now that I have a half-completed scribbly score card, but I can't guarantee that. There were far too many characters who could have been excised (and probably exorcised) with no ill effect.
The production design, though incredibly attractive and intriguing, is also extremely dense and bizarre but unexplained. Why was Constantine living in a bowling alley? Was he living in a bowling alley, or did he or his friend just have an office there? I couldn't tell for sure. What were all of those odd jars of stuff hanging from the ceiling? What was the deal with the nightclub, anyway? What was all of that stuff they had stashed in the back? What was the deal with the tattoos and the other occurrences of those symbols? No one ever attempts to explain any of this stuff. It's just there and seems important to the story but we're not told very much about it. The film plays a bit like a joke that you're not in on. Like eavesdropping on the middle of a conversation from a group of people in turmoil, where you needed to hear the beginning to put the delectable gossip into context.
I would guess that the problem is that Constantine is based on the Hellblazer comic books, which are already up to number 200-something. John Constantine is a character with an extensive mythology surrounding him. I'm sure a lot of it is fascinating. Unfortunately, I've never read the comic so I'm not familiar with the mythology, and the film isn't about to explain it to me; it thinks I should know what everything means already. Films, at least those that aren't later entries in a series, should not have prerequisites for understanding.
From what I could gather, the basic scenario in the Hellblazer universe is that Heaven and Hell exist as parallel worlds to the universe that most humans know. Full-fledged angels and demons are not supposed to directly interfere with humans, but there are "half-breeds" that can exist in our world and indirectly try to influence events. The basic idea is that God and Satan have a sort of wager going to see who can get more souls. Like a metaphysical game of poker. Occasionally, demons cross over into our world, like interdimensional illegal aliens, and John Constantine acts as a sort of superhero Immigration and Naturalization Service agent with a bad attitude. In the film, beings are crossing over who don't usually, and it's portentous of doom. Much of the latter half of Constantine starts to closely resemble the Prophecy films starring Christopher Walken. The problem with that is that I like the Prophecy films a lot better. They have good stories.
It also didn't help much when I read some of the comments from the filmmakers that resulted from their promo press junkets--for example, in Fangoria #240. Apparently, the stuff that looks like hell in the film--the mostly reddish, very hot, nuclear-fallout-wind-with-demons-chasing-you-and-trying-to-eat-you stuff is supposed to be Heaven. That didn't make sense to me, and not surprisingly, no one bothered to explain why that's supposed to be heaven. I also don't remember anyone mentioning that in the film, but admittedly, I couldn't make out some dialogue. I don't mind heaven looking that way, but when it's so unusual--basically the opposite of what we'd expect, it seems to deserve some explanation.
Still, Constantine is worth a watch for the fantastic visuals and for individual scenes--most of which are very good. Some are even breathtaking, like the opening where the Mexican is hit by a car. Or the beautiful exorcism scene that follows. The film deals with a lot of serious subject matter. It's very visceral. Occasionally it's funny and a bit campy. It has great effects. Reeves and Weisz turn in excellent performances. It's just a shame that director Francis Lawrence didn't ensure that it would make more sense and have more significance as a whole.
Judging Constantine on visuals, style and attitude, it would easily earn a 10. But as we learn in the film, "there's always a catch". The catch is that the story is a bit of a mess. It was problematic enough to earn a 7 out of 10, or a C, and just barely. For much of its length, I was prepared to give it a 6.
Scriptwriters Kevin Brodbin and Frank A. Cappello seem to want to throw in everything, including the kitchen sink and a lot of other water receptacles, and they want to do it without having to explain very much. So the beginning of the film takes us from the Mexican to an exorcism to a woman in a mental hospital to a detective who looks oddly like her, and so on. During all of this, there are numerous ancillary characters. It takes a long time to be told who anyone is, what they're doing, and what their relationship is to any other characters. It doesn't help that this is one of countless films where the dialogue is mixed at about negative 5 to the sound effects' 11, and where actors are encouraged to mumble. You finally learn that the mental patient and the detective who looks too much like her are twins, but it takes awhile to figure it out.
And it's not just the beginning of the film that is like this. Throughout its length, Constantine keeps introducing new characters, settings, subplots and ideas, with nary an explanation for any of them. Many you eventually figure out, and that led me to believing that I might enjoy the film more on a second viewing, now that I have a half-completed scribbly score card, but I can't guarantee that. There were far too many characters who could have been excised (and probably exorcised) with no ill effect.
The production design, though incredibly attractive and intriguing, is also extremely dense and bizarre but unexplained. Why was Constantine living in a bowling alley? Was he living in a bowling alley, or did he or his friend just have an office there? I couldn't tell for sure. What were all of those odd jars of stuff hanging from the ceiling? What was the deal with the nightclub, anyway? What was all of that stuff they had stashed in the back? What was the deal with the tattoos and the other occurrences of those symbols? No one ever attempts to explain any of this stuff. It's just there and seems important to the story but we're not told very much about it. The film plays a bit like a joke that you're not in on. Like eavesdropping on the middle of a conversation from a group of people in turmoil, where you needed to hear the beginning to put the delectable gossip into context.
I would guess that the problem is that Constantine is based on the Hellblazer comic books, which are already up to number 200-something. John Constantine is a character with an extensive mythology surrounding him. I'm sure a lot of it is fascinating. Unfortunately, I've never read the comic so I'm not familiar with the mythology, and the film isn't about to explain it to me; it thinks I should know what everything means already. Films, at least those that aren't later entries in a series, should not have prerequisites for understanding.
From what I could gather, the basic scenario in the Hellblazer universe is that Heaven and Hell exist as parallel worlds to the universe that most humans know. Full-fledged angels and demons are not supposed to directly interfere with humans, but there are "half-breeds" that can exist in our world and indirectly try to influence events. The basic idea is that God and Satan have a sort of wager going to see who can get more souls. Like a metaphysical game of poker. Occasionally, demons cross over into our world, like interdimensional illegal aliens, and John Constantine acts as a sort of superhero Immigration and Naturalization Service agent with a bad attitude. In the film, beings are crossing over who don't usually, and it's portentous of doom. Much of the latter half of Constantine starts to closely resemble the Prophecy films starring Christopher Walken. The problem with that is that I like the Prophecy films a lot better. They have good stories.
It also didn't help much when I read some of the comments from the filmmakers that resulted from their promo press junkets--for example, in Fangoria #240. Apparently, the stuff that looks like hell in the film--the mostly reddish, very hot, nuclear-fallout-wind-with-demons-chasing-you-and-trying-to-eat-you stuff is supposed to be Heaven. That didn't make sense to me, and not surprisingly, no one bothered to explain why that's supposed to be heaven. I also don't remember anyone mentioning that in the film, but admittedly, I couldn't make out some dialogue. I don't mind heaven looking that way, but when it's so unusual--basically the opposite of what we'd expect, it seems to deserve some explanation.
Still, Constantine is worth a watch for the fantastic visuals and for individual scenes--most of which are very good. Some are even breathtaking, like the opening where the Mexican is hit by a car. Or the beautiful exorcism scene that follows. The film deals with a lot of serious subject matter. It's very visceral. Occasionally it's funny and a bit campy. It has great effects. Reeves and Weisz turn in excellent performances. It's just a shame that director Francis Lawrence didn't ensure that it would make more sense and have more significance as a whole.
It was an okay film I guess
TheLittleSongbird22 January 2010
There were some good things about Constantine. The special effects and cinematography are outstanding and keeps you interested. The music score is excellent, and there are some good performances. I do not care for Keanu Reeves, but he does an okay job in the title role, though his character could've done with more development. Rachel Weisz is a lovely actress and she is good here in two roles. Peter Stormare is fantastically suave and debonair in his villainous role. Tilda Swinton is the best though, she is absolutely delicious as the androgynous angel. Francis Laurence directs efficiently as well, and there are some good scenes such as the discovery of the relic in the desert- daft I admit though. However, the plot is very convoluted, and lacks a clear sense of direction, and the script feels rather sticky. In terms of character and storytelling, the film feels diluted. It certainly isn't a bad film, with the visuals, direction and decent performances, making up for the plot convolutions and the sticky moments in the screenplay. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Excellent fantasy/horror movie
bonnie915 May 2006
I've seen Constantine three times and I enjoy it more each time I watch it! It is truly well-done and extremely entertaining, and I can guarantee that if you like horror, suspense and/or fantasy you will love this movie! Keanu Reeves plays a very cool Constantine, who is a modern-day exorcist but most certainly not to be confused with a priest, as he has his issues and a burden of sins from his past that he carries with him. Constantine is a very realistic and human hero who is devoid of superpowers but has all the cool gadgets and the kick-ass attitude needed to survive in a world slowly being invaded by demons and scheming angels. He meets Angela (Rachel Wiesz) after she loses her sister, Isabel to the forces of evil. She comes to Constantine in search of an answer on where Isabel has ended up following her apparent suicide. Constantine journeys to other realms/dimensions in an attempt to get those answers, even paying a couple of visits to hell. Needless to say, with such a plot the special effects, acting, sets, script and even wardrobe have to be carefully conceived and executed to make it believable, and they are... in spades.
Constantine achieves what all great movies always do: it takes you into another world that makes you forget everything about your own world the whole time you are watching it. And really, in the end, isn't that what great cinema is all about?
Constantine achieves what all great movies always do: it takes you into another world that makes you forget everything about your own world the whole time you are watching it. And really, in the end, isn't that what great cinema is all about?
Elizabeth Sings
tedg29 January 2006
I knew from the very beginning that this would be a little different from the title sequence. It uses a font that is put together in an odd way. It is a rather jarring effect, just in that one word denoting that we'll have ordinary things presented in extraordinary ways.
This told me before the movie started that they had some professional help in the production and art design... and they gave those folks power. They are the people who gave us that dancing bag in "American Beauty" around which that whole movie is constructed.
This movie is getting panned, and I wonder if folks are seeing the same thing I saw. Yes, the characters are unengaging and superficially drawn, sort of well like in a comic book or a music video. Yes, the story is a bit incoherent. Some script doctoring is apparent, but the important thing in stories like this is the part they get right: the cosmology makes sense. At least it makes sense if you have exposure to biblical cosmology: I think it true that in all the key regards this is much more biblically accurate than Mel's adventure in pain and blame.
What we want from things like this is the ability to tap into another world. The details of the story are superfluous. There are three ways to do this, all exploited here.
1) Use folding. In this case, the fold is us seeing something which has a story about people seeing things that others do not. It seems a simple trick, but it has profound power. It is not done very well here, but it is done ambitiously. We assume subliminally that what _we_ see is something no one else can.
2) Be novel in the design of the alternative worlds. In other words, make it look like we are seeing something no one else has. That's rough in movies where everything must refer to a prior vision. That's the way our minds work. So they have to show us something we have already seen in other films but make it seem different.
3) Use at least a few actors that have the ability to link for us the folds among the four worlds: ours, the "real" world of the movie: the real world of the movie but with demons (Men-in-Black-like); and hell. I suppose they thought at first that Keanu could carry the weight merely by association with the similar layers of "The Matrix."
But it is the amazing Tilda Swinton that does the heavy lifting in the folds here. She's another redheaded Australian-influenced actress that can do folding. You may not know her; she gets few parts I think because her appearance is so striking. But if you have a chance you may want to see her in "Orlando," where she plays much the same character (also ambisexual) and "Conceiving Ada" where she literally conjures up an alternative world. She's been a talisman of folding in other films: "Vanilla Sky" (together with Alicia Witt) and "Adaptation," where she is the ultimate customer of all the folded worlds.
For this character, I believe she channels Jenny Runacre's "Queen Elizabeth" in the punk folded "Jubilee," which is one spooky movie. She's the real thing and I hope we see more of her. In true folding tradition, both her and her character trigger the folds here.
Who cares if the thing doesn't flow well or is poorly constructed in how any of the worlds forms a story. I think it is a point of honor that it doesn't in this case. For a point of reference on this: I thought "The Hulk" was cinematic.
Hell is never really shown. What we see is a vision as it would be translated to someone without the tools: a ruined road in a desiccating landscape. Seems apt. Same thing was done to similar jarring effect in "Songs from the Second Floor," from which this borrows artistically.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
This told me before the movie started that they had some professional help in the production and art design... and they gave those folks power. They are the people who gave us that dancing bag in "American Beauty" around which that whole movie is constructed.
This movie is getting panned, and I wonder if folks are seeing the same thing I saw. Yes, the characters are unengaging and superficially drawn, sort of well like in a comic book or a music video. Yes, the story is a bit incoherent. Some script doctoring is apparent, but the important thing in stories like this is the part they get right: the cosmology makes sense. At least it makes sense if you have exposure to biblical cosmology: I think it true that in all the key regards this is much more biblically accurate than Mel's adventure in pain and blame.
What we want from things like this is the ability to tap into another world. The details of the story are superfluous. There are three ways to do this, all exploited here.
1) Use folding. In this case, the fold is us seeing something which has a story about people seeing things that others do not. It seems a simple trick, but it has profound power. It is not done very well here, but it is done ambitiously. We assume subliminally that what _we_ see is something no one else can.
2) Be novel in the design of the alternative worlds. In other words, make it look like we are seeing something no one else has. That's rough in movies where everything must refer to a prior vision. That's the way our minds work. So they have to show us something we have already seen in other films but make it seem different.
3) Use at least a few actors that have the ability to link for us the folds among the four worlds: ours, the "real" world of the movie: the real world of the movie but with demons (Men-in-Black-like); and hell. I suppose they thought at first that Keanu could carry the weight merely by association with the similar layers of "The Matrix."
But it is the amazing Tilda Swinton that does the heavy lifting in the folds here. She's another redheaded Australian-influenced actress that can do folding. You may not know her; she gets few parts I think because her appearance is so striking. But if you have a chance you may want to see her in "Orlando," where she plays much the same character (also ambisexual) and "Conceiving Ada" where she literally conjures up an alternative world. She's been a talisman of folding in other films: "Vanilla Sky" (together with Alicia Witt) and "Adaptation," where she is the ultimate customer of all the folded worlds.
For this character, I believe she channels Jenny Runacre's "Queen Elizabeth" in the punk folded "Jubilee," which is one spooky movie. She's the real thing and I hope we see more of her. In true folding tradition, both her and her character trigger the folds here.
Who cares if the thing doesn't flow well or is poorly constructed in how any of the worlds forms a story. I think it is a point of honor that it doesn't in this case. For a point of reference on this: I thought "The Hulk" was cinematic.
Hell is never really shown. What we see is a vision as it would be translated to someone without the tools: a ruined road in a desiccating landscape. Seems apt. Same thing was done to similar jarring effect in "Songs from the Second Floor," from which this borrows artistically.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
A solid effort
kevinosborne_992 May 2022
Very well acted tale of making the devil take the hindmost. This could have been a topflight film for the genre if director/scriptwriter had shown more interest in keeping the pace up. As it is the highs, scenes with Gabriel and Lucifer and a trip into hell, are outstanding, vastly better than the best of an average horror movie. Tilda Swinton is tantalizing in her Gabriel role and leaves us wanting more. Reeves' laconic acting style fits the personality of the lead but doesn't add much. Definitely worth a couple hours especially if you like modern horror.
Hidden gem
james-631-10154027 July 2022
A Very Entertaining Film
christian1239 May 2005
John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) is a die-hard cynic with the unwanted childhood gift of being able to see angels and demons that walk the earth. When a police detective (Rachel Weisz) comes to him for help finding out why her twin sister committed suicide, the duo is thrown headlong into a war between heaven and hell.
Constantine is a very enjoyable and exciting film to watch. The execution of the premise was done pretty well. I found the film to be engaging even though I was unfamiliar with material. I liked the way director Francis Lawrence handled the movie. He made it stylish but he also added plenty of substance to back it up. The majority of the first half was just talking and the film did a decent job of introducing the characters and story. Actually, the first half featured a bit too much talking and it was a little dull. However, the second half was very nicely done with a lot of cool scenes and dialog.
At first, the running time of 121 minutes seemed to be really long but the second half was wonderfully paced and the film just zoomed to the end. The script was a little weak but that wasn't the movie's main draw so it wasn't a major flaw. The script wasn't too original but I wouldn't say the entire film was derivative. Also, there weren't too many characters so it wasn't hard to figure things out. The special effects were awesome though and it was the best thing the film had to offer.
I think Constantine worked so well because of Keanu Reeves. A lot of people have blasted him for being a bad and boring actor. However, I think his mundane personality suited the role perfectly and he did a fine job. Rachel Weisz also played her role well and she's kind of underrated. Shia LaBeouf gave an awful performance as Chas. He was just annoying and over-the-top. I liked Tilda Swinton's performance and I think she's also a pretty underrated actress. Surprisingly, Gavin Rossdale gave a good performance. It wasn't amazing but it was much better than I expected. I think Constantine is a love it or hate it type of film. The movie will either wow the viewer or bore the viewer with it's story and effects. In the end, Constantine is a pretty good movie that's worth checking out. Rating 7/10
Constantine is a very enjoyable and exciting film to watch. The execution of the premise was done pretty well. I found the film to be engaging even though I was unfamiliar with material. I liked the way director Francis Lawrence handled the movie. He made it stylish but he also added plenty of substance to back it up. The majority of the first half was just talking and the film did a decent job of introducing the characters and story. Actually, the first half featured a bit too much talking and it was a little dull. However, the second half was very nicely done with a lot of cool scenes and dialog.
At first, the running time of 121 minutes seemed to be really long but the second half was wonderfully paced and the film just zoomed to the end. The script was a little weak but that wasn't the movie's main draw so it wasn't a major flaw. The script wasn't too original but I wouldn't say the entire film was derivative. Also, there weren't too many characters so it wasn't hard to figure things out. The special effects were awesome though and it was the best thing the film had to offer.
I think Constantine worked so well because of Keanu Reeves. A lot of people have blasted him for being a bad and boring actor. However, I think his mundane personality suited the role perfectly and he did a fine job. Rachel Weisz also played her role well and she's kind of underrated. Shia LaBeouf gave an awful performance as Chas. He was just annoying and over-the-top. I liked Tilda Swinton's performance and I think she's also a pretty underrated actress. Surprisingly, Gavin Rossdale gave a good performance. It wasn't amazing but it was much better than I expected. I think Constantine is a love it or hate it type of film. The movie will either wow the viewer or bore the viewer with it's story and effects. In the end, Constantine is a pretty good movie that's worth checking out. Rating 7/10
Fun film!
jchin-2454126 October 2022
Funny enough watching another really original film brought me here. I was telling someone about it and they said oh you have to watch Constantine, The prophecy, and Devil's Advocate.
Loved The Harbinger and now love all Four of these! This movie has a great ambience and darkness without being a pure jump scare movie. I love the overall mood.
I've seen enough devil movies to know that a lot of them are not very original but these 4 are.
Won't give spoilers, but love the endings to all of them. The Harbinger and The Prophecy have a native American element which I thought was cool, but these two Constantine and Devil's Advocate still have master storytelling and a much higher production value than The Harbinger. Devils Advocate is slightly ahead of Constantine for me. But Thumbs up on Constantine and fun watch!
Loved The Harbinger and now love all Four of these! This movie has a great ambience and darkness without being a pure jump scare movie. I love the overall mood.
I've seen enough devil movies to know that a lot of them are not very original but these 4 are.
Won't give spoilers, but love the endings to all of them. The Harbinger and The Prophecy have a native American element which I thought was cool, but these two Constantine and Devil's Advocate still have master storytelling and a much higher production value than The Harbinger. Devils Advocate is slightly ahead of Constantine for me. But Thumbs up on Constantine and fun watch!
Great film, but too religious for some...
Baraxis4 September 2005
Constantine is a great movie, though most people do not respect it in the way that it should be. It has a very deep religious background, that is difficult to catch onto if you have little-to-no religious knowledge. The DVD speaks of the religious aspects of this film, so if you are someone who didn't necessarily enjoy it in theatres, I highly recommend you check it out.
With religion out of the way, the film itself could have been quite a bit better. I have never really read the "Hellblazer" comics, so i can't really judge the film on its loyalty to the comic's themes and plot lines. The script wasn't the best, but the special effects were wonderful. The background of the main character "John Constantine" could have been touched on a little more, but the character development was still well done. Though very dark and demonic, the film is quite enjoyable unlike many other horror-esquire movies.
As said before, this film is very well done, but is much more enjoyable if you have a knowledge of religion. I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in demonology, Christianity, or just want a little thrill. Check out the DVD for the background of the film and comic.
With religion out of the way, the film itself could have been quite a bit better. I have never really read the "Hellblazer" comics, so i can't really judge the film on its loyalty to the comic's themes and plot lines. The script wasn't the best, but the special effects were wonderful. The background of the main character "John Constantine" could have been touched on a little more, but the character development was still well done. Though very dark and demonic, the film is quite enjoyable unlike many other horror-esquire movies.
As said before, this film is very well done, but is much more enjoyable if you have a knowledge of religion. I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in demonology, Christianity, or just want a little thrill. Check out the DVD for the background of the film and comic.
See it! You won't be sorry!
kevinspaceysgrl20 February 2005
"Constantine" is a dark, yet dazzling film. A terrific story backed up by spectacular special effects and great cinematography pull us into a dark and dangerous world - a world where half-angels and half-demons whisper to us mortals as God and Satan use us as pawns in an apocalyptic game of chess. Cursed with ability too see these spirits, John Constantine finds himself right in the middle of this showdown.
Keanu Reeves gives a fantastic turn as John Constantine. He infuses Constantine with a grim sense of purpose and dark humor. He is the ultimate anti-hero, and Reeves deftly takes Constantine from being someone we simply root for to someone we actually like and respect.
Rachel Weisz is terrific as well. Her tortured and soulful performance is the best of the film. Shia LaBeouf also blew me away.
I have not read the Hellblazer comics, but standing alone "Constantine" is a great film. This one is a must see!
Keanu Reeves gives a fantastic turn as John Constantine. He infuses Constantine with a grim sense of purpose and dark humor. He is the ultimate anti-hero, and Reeves deftly takes Constantine from being someone we simply root for to someone we actually like and respect.
Rachel Weisz is terrific as well. Her tortured and soulful performance is the best of the film. Shia LaBeouf also blew me away.
I have not read the Hellblazer comics, but standing alone "Constantine" is a great film. This one is a must see!
Very good, could have been better
manicv21 February 2005
I thought this movie was very good. The constant close-up face shots of the characters often made me uneasy, but always kept me in suspense. The fleeting moments of humor couldn't have been timed more perfectly in a movie like this.
Though the film has heavy catholic undertones, you don't need to be a scholar of the religion to understand what is going on. The script does a good job of being a sort of "Cliff's Notes" on catholicism. But if you are catholic, or are at least familiar with the religion, you will probably have a better understanding of the film compared to those that aren't.
Keanu's acting was hard to digest at times. He simply does not play a good bad-ass. A smart-ass maybe, but not a bad-ass. This goes back to my mention of the humor. Keanu has a few quips in the film, and it was these times that I found his acting to be the most believable. It was cool to see Keanu with a quick-witted rudeness.
Rachel's acting was superb, as always. She is an excellent actress and really knows how to pull off a character. Though I found it hard to attach myself to her character. I wish they would have given more of a background on her earlier in the film. She's just sort of thrown into the story without any real explanation on who she is. This made it hard to feel scared for her when she was in danger.
Constantine is definitely worth seeing. It's a great film to see with a large group of friends, I wouldn't recommend it as a date movie.
Though the film has heavy catholic undertones, you don't need to be a scholar of the religion to understand what is going on. The script does a good job of being a sort of "Cliff's Notes" on catholicism. But if you are catholic, or are at least familiar with the religion, you will probably have a better understanding of the film compared to those that aren't.
Keanu's acting was hard to digest at times. He simply does not play a good bad-ass. A smart-ass maybe, but not a bad-ass. This goes back to my mention of the humor. Keanu has a few quips in the film, and it was these times that I found his acting to be the most believable. It was cool to see Keanu with a quick-witted rudeness.
Rachel's acting was superb, as always. She is an excellent actress and really knows how to pull off a character. Though I found it hard to attach myself to her character. I wish they would have given more of a background on her earlier in the film. She's just sort of thrown into the story without any real explanation on who she is. This made it hard to feel scared for her when she was in danger.
Constantine is definitely worth seeing. It's a great film to see with a large group of friends, I wouldn't recommend it as a date movie.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
