Based on characters from the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer Graphic Novels, Constantine stars the inimitable Keanu Reeves as the title character, ‘gifted’ with the ability to see the ‘half-breed’ demons and angels who walk the earth.

John Constantine is a tortured soul, dying of lung cancer thanks to years of chain-smoking and knowing that God won’t accept his sorry as* into Heaven when he dies (because as a young man unable to deal with his cursed ‘gift’, he attempted suicide) and knowing, too, that Hell would not be an acceptable alternative, as he’s responsible for sending many of its denizens there. For Constantine is an exorcist who chases demons out of the bodies of their possessed victims. He’s forever on the lookout for demons who break the rules and poke their noses into the human world. It’s work he was born to do, and he does it with a bitter vengeance, in the hopes that if he deports enough demons back to hell, God will grant him a reprieve and accept him into heaven.

Rachel Weisz puts in a great performance as Angela Dobson, the LAPD detective tormented by the apparent suicide of her twin sister at a mental hospital. Detective Dobson seeks out Constantine, hoping for help in solving what she believes is a murder with supernatural overtones. For her sister was psychic and, for this very reason, had been institutionalized. Angela herself has the same powers but denied them, and in doing so, felt she betrayed and abandoned her sister.

But unbeknownst to Constantine, a powerful relic has been recovered. The Spear of Destiny (believed to be the weapon to have killed Jesus on the cross) has surfaced, and Mannon, the son of Lucifer, is impatient to claw his way into this world, but he needs a powerful psychic medium to help him along. Was Angela’s twin sister being stalked for her powers? Could Angela be targeted after her sister’s death?

When demons start attacking Constantine out in the open, he realizes something very wicked is this way a-coming, so he enlists the help of his friend Beeman (a suitably twitchy Max Baker) to stock up on holy relics. These include not only such run-of-the-mill stuff as holy water and crosses, but also a holy beetle, a piece of Moses’ shroud and, best of all, a holy set of brass knuckledusters that’s made of gold blessed by a bishop during the holy crusades and would knock any demon’s dental work into sheer oblivion.

Having stocked up on holy weapons (not forgetting my favourite, the holy shotgun that does most of the heavy-duty demon-bashing) for himself and a special protective amulet for Detective Dobson (which she immediately leaves behind, ain’t that just grand?), they confront the demons and Lucifer himself (a delightful turn by Peter Stormare in a natty white suit).

First-time feature director, Francis Lawrence, made his name helming music videos, but instead of a flashy visual style, Constantine is blessed with a very stylish, noir look. The whole endeavour keeps well to the spirit of the graphic novels from which it derived, and while I’m not a great comic fan, I have to say that in this particular case, this has worked amazingly well.

The principal characters are well cast, and Keanu Reeves gives a suitably dark and morose performance. Arguably, the range of emotions of Constantine’s character would not tax anybody, but I’d much rather see Reeves than anyone else (Nicholas Cage was considered—eww) in the part. Rachel Weisz plumbs the depth of emotions without ever over-acting, a veritable feat in itself, though I did have trouble hearing some of her lines.

Supporting characters, especially Shia LaBeouf as Constantine’s young sidekick Chas, Max Baker as Beeman, Gavin Rossdale as a very sleek and sinister Balthazar, Pruitt Taylor Vince as the portly and flawed Father Hennessy (a composite character from 3 different characters in the graphic novel), Djimon Hounsou as Midnite, and of course Peter Stormare as Lucifer, all but steal the scenes they’re in.

All in all, Constantine was a hell of a ride, if you’ll pardon the expression, and aside from the scary bit in the beginning (a la Linda Blair in The Exorcist), I didn’t have to watch much of it from between my fingers. Not for the kiddies, though, that’s for sure, but all open-minded adults should find it a blast. The biblical mythology might be offensive to a few, but keeping in mind the origins of the script, and taking it in the spirit in which the movie’s presented, I’d say it’s on the whole inoffensive and highly entertaining.

Here’s some trivia I discovered online and found to be interesting:

· The character of Father Hennessy is a mixture of three of Constantine's allies from the comic book. They are Nigel Archer who was a psychic, Rick the Vic who was a priest, and Header who was a portly substance abuser. And, like Hennessy, all are killed for being associated with Constantine.

· Constantine slits his left wrist, and Satan reaches out to claim him with his left hand, in keeping with the traditional depiction of the left ("sinister") side being associated with evil.

· Keanu Reeves bought the Holy Shotgun prop and gave it to director Francis Lawrence as a gift.

· The character of John Constantine was originally created by Alan Moore, during his run on DC Comics' "Swamp Thing". However, following his negative experience with From Hell (2001) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), Moore decided to reject all money and credit from Hollywood on any adaptations of his work. Thus, he gave all the money he would've gotten to the artist who drew the character with him, and rejected his own "created by" credit from the film.

· On the movie's local premiere at Bergen Cinema, Norway, it had 666 visitors.

· Keep watching after the end credits for an extra scene.

· The "Holy Hand Grenades" were actually Christmas ornaments filled with water.

· The original script had hell as a black void with a floor covered with oil slick.

· According to the Director's Commentary on the DVD, the rag that Constantine lights on fire to defeat the flying demons is a piece of Moses' shroud, given to him by Beeman.

· According to the Director's Commentary on the DVD, Constantine's brass knuckles are made from gold that was blessed by a bishop during the crusades.

· The Nazi flag used to wrap the Spear of Destiny was destroyed after shooting, to prevent it from falling into the hands of Neo-Nazis.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age