| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Movie Name | Constantine (2005) |
| Director | Francis Lawrence |
| Writer | Kevin Brodbin, Frank Cappello (based on DC/Vertigo’s “Hellblazer” comics) |
| Lead Actor | Keanu Reeves |
| Cast | Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, Djimon Hounsou, Peter Stormare, Gavin Rossdale |
| Genre | Fantasy, Horror, Thriller |
| Release Date | February 18, 2005 (USA) |
| Duration | 2 hours 1 minute |
| Budget | Approx. $100 million |
| Language | English |
| IMDb Rating | 7.0/10 |
WATCH NOW
Does Keanu Reeves suffer from a messianic complex? In the Matrix trilogy, the laconic star saved humankind from being exterminated by machines. And now, in Constantine, the above average adaptation of DC graphics novel Hellblazer, Reeves goes mano a mano with Satan’s minions to prevent the apocalypse. Whatever Reeve’s motivation, he’s surprisingly effective as the tortured, chain smoking exorcist in this noir flavored occult thriller from music video director Francis Lawrence.
Making his feature film directorial debut, Lawrence doesn’t completely sacrifice character and story on the altar of special effects. For the most part, the film’s atmospheric visuals complement, rather than overwhelm, this showdown between the forces of Heaven and Hell. What’s missing from Constantine is a sense of dramatic urgency. It’s a clever and stylish film, with welcome flashes of tongue in-cheek humor, that’s never especially gripping.
Looking suitably haunted, Reeves portrays John Constantine, who’s long been able to see the half breed demons and angels who take human form on Earth. For Constantine, this “gift” as the angel Gabriel (Tilda Swinton) describes it is a curse that years ago drove him to attempt suicide. Resuscitated at the last minute, Constantine now makes it his mission to rid the Earth of half-demons. What drives him isn’t altruism, however, but fear of spending eternity in Hell for attempting suicide, an unforgivable sin according to this film’s strict Roman Catholic sensibility. If Constantine kills enough half-demons, Gabriel may consider leading him to the pearly gates.
Meanwhile, LAPD detective Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) is grappling with the suicide of her mentally ill twin sister, Isabel. Her investigation into Isabel’s death eventually leads Angela to Constantine. At the same time, he’s baffled by the appearance of real demons not half breeds on Earth. As he and Angela discover, there’s a link between Isabel’s suicide and the demonic invasion. Unless he acts quickly, humanity will soon be consumed in fire and brimstone.
Co-starring Shia LaBeouf and Djimon Hounsou as Reeve’s would-be allies against the forces of darkness, Constantine is an imaginatively realized film that’s more interesting than genuinely exciting. There are a handful of eerie moments and the occasional jolt, but Constantine doesn’t transport you into some strange, unfamiliar world like the first of the Matrix films. The movie’s version of Hell is your standard Dante’s Inferno, with CGI-generated demons slithering over molten rock.
And while Lawrence stages the action sequences impressively, he doesn’t sufficiently ratchet up the narrative tension. That said, he deserves kudos for not taking the filmmaking path of least resistance that music video directors usually follow on the big screen hyper-kinetic visuals, slam-cut edits, and a deafening soundtrack. Lawrence takes the fairly radical step of developing Constantine’s storyline and fleshing out the characters to a greater degree than you normally see in this type of film.
To watch more movies like Constantine (2005) visit Fmovies.
Also watch