Constantine (Keanu Reeves) a man with limited time on this earth
due to his constant chain smoking, and a determination to work
his way back into heaven by killing demons that have crossed our
earthly plain, since he will be denied access because of a
suicide attempt he made as a child. Since Constantine is based
on Catholic doctrine, suicide is a mortal sin and therefore
guarantees you a one way trip to hell, one Constantine is
desperately seeking to avoid.
The movie, for the most part, works. No one has ever argued that
Keanu is a great actor but Constantine is a vehicle that is
suited to his particular talents: brooding and looking confused.
High on action and low on dialogue, it's a great role for a guy
who has made his career playing such characters.
Also the story itself is engaging. Who doesn't like a little
heaven and hell, angels and demons battling it out for the souls
of humanity. Add to that an everyman kind of guy who isn't so
devout, is fighting for the good side but has ulterior motives.
You like John Constantine because he is flawed. He is the
regular Joe who finds himself in some extraordinary situations
and ultimately does some great things, albeit for selfish
reasons.
Constantine has one of the best opening sequences you can ask
for in a movie and the special effects are realistic and
believable, if occasionally slightly over the top. The
supporting cast more then makes up for Reeves lackluster acting
as they all give pretty good performances: from Djimon Hansu as
Midnight an otherworldly figure who owns a club where the demons
can come and rest to Gavin Rossdale as Beezlebub, Satan's right
hand man and John Constantine's arch Nemesis and Shia LeBouf as
Jake Constantine's young and bothersome apprentice, Chas. They
were all fun to watch.
The problems with the movie come after you've left the theatre.
You begin to realize that much of what you saw just didn't make
any sense, that you have more questions then answers and that
the holes in the plot are so gaping that you wonder how did you
mange to miss them to begin with? The answer is simple: lots of
action, loud music and killer graphics when done properly, can
mask an underdeveloped plot most days of the week.
Bottom line, if you're a Keanu Reeves fan or you enjoy the
Christian based action genre then this movie is for you. If not,
stay home I'm sure they'll be something good on cable.
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