CONSTANTINE REVIEW

A Wager Between Heaven and Hell.

Films based on comic books don't have the best reputation in the world. Even in the years of critical and commercially successful comic films like the Spider-Man and X-Men films, there are still films like Catwoman.

The world of Constantine is a world in and of itself. It's part present day, part imagination – but it's not comic-book material. That's partially what makes it so enticing and frightening all at once. It exists in its own reality while mixing even doses of our reality at the same time.

John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) is a jaded, tough-talking, hard-boiled, smoking, drinking guy with a pretty unpleasant personality. Equally scorning heaven and hell, Constantine has a rare gift to see half-breed demons and angels that walk the streets of Earth in human disguise.

Earlier in life, Constantine was driven crazy by these visions that no one else could see. He attempted suicide and, for a few brief minutes, got a glimpse at the ultimate horrors of hell. He has been condemned to hell, so he fights for a reprieve he knows he'll never get.

The story starts off with a grisly exorcism of a young girl that unavoidably references The Exorcist. Constantine comes in and, with very little flash, pulls a really nasty demon out of the girl. As visually stylish as the film that follows, the scene takes exorcising demons to a new level, an exceptionally memorable introduction to his character.

Constantine's path soon crosses with a skeptical detective named Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) who is investigating the suicide of her sister. She believes that her twin sister, a devout Catholic, couldn't possibly have committed suicide.

Demons are also starting to cross over to Earth at an alarming pace and Constantine is trying to shut the gateway while simultaneously attempting to help Dodson solve the mystery of her twin.

Constantine is one of the most technically brilliant films I've ever seen. This is the reference for all future CGI. It's that cool. Overuse of CGI has plagued and degraded cinema for years now, often serving as more of a distraction than an enhancement, something directors use in place of imagination. Director Francis Lawrence and the visual effects crew on Constantine have given proof that, when done right, CGI can create a world never thought possible.

When the striking images of hell pass before you on screen, they literally look like Armageddon. The creature effects, from a demon made up of bugs swarming to form a bad-ass demon to little winged minions of the devil, are seamlessly integrated with reality. The facial effects on half-breed demons look very cool, mixing flesh with, well, gruesome bad looks.

The world of Constantine is totally immersive. It's always great when you get that feeling of being transported to another place, of forgetting where you are and being totally sucked into a movie.

This is an exceptionally directed film. It is stylish without being overtly flashy or showy. The pacing is nearly perfect. I've heard some critique of a few of the film's slower moments, but I gotta say, I didn't even notice them. The story was so engaging to me that, even when the action slowed down, I was just as intrigued by the story that unfolded.

There's a sort of voyeuristic fascination to darkness and depression, and watching John Constantine, a man who thumbs his nose at both heaven and hell – it just works. This is a role perfectly suited to Reeves, perhaps even more so than Neo. You empathize with him while being damn glad you aren't him.

This is a very dark adult film and it pulls no punches. It's packed with language, violence and gruesomely realistic and harrowing imagery sure to give any child who unwittingly stumbles upon these images nightmares for years to come.

It's rare that any film can provide intense discussion or debate on the issues it brings to light. I've never seen a comic film that did this. After this weekend's screening of Constantine, debates of historical lore and religion were raging in the theater lobby and continued at the press day.

I can't comment on how accurate or loyal an adaptation of the Hellblazer comics this film is. In the end, the comic audience, especially the one for a graphic novel like this one, simply isn't large enough to determine the success of a film of this magnitude.

Sometimes a comic can't be directly translated. Maybe I'd feel differently if I checked out the comics, but for my money, the director has taken the source material as a jumping-off point and made a great film. An achievement of both story and technique, Constantine is one of the best comic-based films ever made.

So till my next post ya, its bye from Ganz.

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