Constantine/Francis Lawrence/March 2005
Based on the comic book series Hellblazer, Constantine charts the attempt of the forces of evil to upset the balance of Heaven and Hell by conquering Earth. John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), a dying man who battles both personal and physical demons, must help police office Angela (Rachel Weisz) investigate the death of her supposedly insane twin sister whilst averting the destruction of Earth.
It’s not the most faithful adaptation (with Reeves looking nothing like the original character), but somehow it has moderate success as a stand-alone film. Reeves’ grouchy, fairly unpleasant character is wryly played and the chemistry between him and Weisz is palpable. Weisz is a little too obvious in her acting, though some scenes – especially in her sister’s room – redeem her. The supporting cast actually stand out more than the main protagonists. Tilda Swinton (as Gabriel) is the epitome of eerie fanaticism and androgyny. Equally engaging are Djimon Hounsou (as Papa Midnight), Peter Stormare (as Satan) and Gavin Rossdale (as Balthazar). Each provides some excellent character acting: Hounsou with his gravitas, Stormare with his thrillingly unpleasant demeanour and Rossdale with his suave cruelty. In his typical light-hearted-relief role, Shia LaBeouf is unsurprising, but the usage of his character as emotional fodder was unexpected.
It’s visually impressive, with some excellent CGI. The demons are downright creepy, and the possession scenes are convincing (and give another meaning to getting under someone’s skin!). The cinematography’s occasional echoing of the comic book style is clever, most notable in the scene depicting the demons flying past Constantine’s gallery windows and his consequent exit out of the door. The score is suitably unsettling, but understated. The wardrobe is particularly good, with Satan’s white suit (stained in a visceral black liquid) and Gabriel’s sharp men’s suit being apt choices. Even Papa Midnight’s 70s-esque pimp-like outfit doesn’t detract from the overall look.
Constantine is successful in that it avoids the typical pitfalls of a comic book adaptation: cheesy lines, two-dimensional characters and pained plot attempts. Constantine, while nothing groundbreaking, is enjoyable enough as a film to overlook the minor flaws in acting and plot. It’s not afraid to be brutal, and this is what makes it a relatively appealing supernatural thriller.
Review Length: 365 words
Serious Rating: 6.25/10
Superficial Rating: 7/10. I have a special love for Keanu Reeves, ageless man that he is. Weisz looks gorgeous as usual, and Hounsou is very striking to look at. He can pray for my soul any time he likes! (Whether he’s successful or not is another matter!)
DISCLAIMER: I love this film, I’m not going to lie (or be in any way ashamed). An inclusion of two songs I happen to quite like (Dave Brubeck Quartet’s ‘Take Five’ and A Perfect Circle’s ‘Passive’) just adds to everything I like: Reeves, supernatural shenanigans, and comic books. It’s definitely one of my guilty pleasures!
FilmFriki 