Constantine

[MadsenOMC]

SPOILERS!!!

Knowing absolutely nothing about the Hellblazer comic book, I didn't know exactly what to expect with Constantine. The trailer made it look moderately intriguing and I'm fond of stories that have religious undertones and deal with faith, good and evil. So I took my seat, crossed my fingers, opened my bad of candy and hoped for the best.

Constantine begins in Mexico. Two men are digging, for what I'm not sure, and one of them steps through some boards buried under the dirt and stumbles upon some sort of a dagger. Immediately prior to this, we have been told that a specific sword holds the key to controlling mankind, and that it's been missing since WWII. It's not hard to put two and two together.

Then we are introduced to John Constantine. A priest (Pruitt Taylor Vince) calls him to save a young girl who is possessed by something. John performs an exorcism on her, which fails. Surprised, he asks for a mirror at least three feet tall. He chants and brings a "soldier demon" out of the girl. The demon is sucked into the mirror, which Constantine throws out the window, destroying it.

Since demons are not supposed to cross over, Constantine is puzzled by what has happened. As he investigates, the audience begins to learn a little bit about him. Born with the ability to see both angels and demons on Earth, he commits suicide as a teenager and is dead for two long minutes before being brought back to life.

Now attempting to save his damned soul and earn his way into heaven, Constantine uses his ability to fight the demons. As he explains to the twin sister (Rachel Weisz) of an apparent suicide victim (also Weisz), God and the devil, just for shits and giggles, have made a wager for the souls of human beings. The angels and demons, working on their behalf since they are forbidden direct contact with humans, are the intermediaries.

Angela, a police officer, does not believe that her sister, Isabel, would ever kill herself due to her unwavering belief in God. When she spots something odd on the surveillance footage from the psychiatric hospital where her sister was a patient, she enlists the help of Constantine. She has heard of the circles he travels in and hopes he can point her in the right direction. Upon leaving his apartment after wishing her luck, he spots a demon following her and soon discovers that Angela is somehow tied to the strange exorcism he performed earlier.

The problem with Constantine is that while it is always engaging, it never progresses into something more. It travels in a completely straight line. It starts off pretty good and ends up the exact same way. No momentum is built and the grand finale is anti-climactic. It fails to build into a satisfying whole and leaves one feeling a tad frustrated.

There is a lot to admire, though. For starters, Francis Lawrence makes an impressive debut behind the camera. I feel that far too many genre efforts have been over-directed lately, everything from Saw to Boogeyman. As if knowing full well that the story isn't up to snuff, the director (along with the editor and sound department) uses excessively flashy visuals in an effort to disguise or distract from a weak screenplay. They employ quick cuts and fancy angles and loud noises and whatever else they can conjure up, though it rarely, if ever, works.

Thankfully, Lawrence's direction is mostly restrained. He doesn't resort to camera tricks or pounding music or frenzied editing. He allows the story to breath and gradually reveal itself over the two-hour running time. It's a very respectable, admirable debut.

Reeves, a punching bag for so long, acquits himself nicely. Though the chain smoking Constantine is your standard anti-hero, cynical and brooding and stoic, Reeves underplays the role and is convincing from beginning to end. He doesn't have to clear a space on his mantel to make room for an Oscar or anything, but it's a good performance.

He is helped by an excellent supporting cast. In addition to Weisz, Tilda Swinton, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Djimon Hounsou, Peter Stormare and even Gavin Rossdale are a welcome presence. Only Shia LaBeouf disappoints as the nerdy wannabe sidekick character around only to offer comic relief, which doesn't really work.

The concept of a man desperately working to earn his way into heaven after committing a mortal sin is a fascinating one. And even though the religious mumbo jumbo occasionally gets a little corny, for the most part it's handled competently and never becomes tedious or convoluted.

Why, then, am I not more enthusiastic about Constantine? It isn't easy to explain. The movie is well made, entertaining and certainly worth seeing. I didn't even mind the abundant CGI (which I normally hate) because Lawrence used it to enhance the story rather than tell it for him. But once it has your attention, it seems content to hold it without ever really challenging it. It's not as dark or intense as you'd hope, and ultimately concludes in a fairly conventional manner. Close, but no cigar.

6/10

[ilovemovies]

Your review is kind of confusing. You say it's worth seeing but then you say it's close but no cigar.

So does the movie have your thumbs up or not?

[gspawn]

Madsen's reviews are usually fairly trustworthy to meh (even if I disagree, I see where the dude is coming from... usually... *cough*).

Could someone do a favor and do a quick non-spoiler summary of what he said? I desperately want to see this flick, and I'd desperately like to read this review, and the two are conflicting...

[ilovemovies]

Just don't read his plot descriptions like I did. It's actually not that difficult.

You can read the first paragraph then skip to the 7th.

[gspawn]

Originally posted by ilovemovies
Just don't read his plot descriptions like I did. It's actually not that difficult.

You can read the first paragraph then skip to the 7th.

Works.

[ANTBond007]

I enjoyed the film a bit more than Madsen.

7/10

[MadsenOMC]

It's funny that you guys mention that. I have definitely gotten into a routine of first going through the plot and then the actual review. Old habits die hard. ilovemovies, it was strange watching this because while I did like it and recommend it, I feel that it falls a little short of being completely satisfying. The parts are better than the whole. I'm sorry if that's confusing. Two other things: that damn sword/dagger is called the Spear of Destiny. I couldn't think of it and it was driving me crazy. I couldn't find it in the press notes and then I thought of it randomly this morning. Second, this is one tame R. It could have been PG-13, in my opinion.

[ANTBond007]

It's hardly the worst R I've ever seen, but the film's definitely not a PG-13. Besides the demonic storyline (which "certain people" will lash out against), you have someone whose face is practically melted off, Alien-like attempted births, etc.

And, though I'm trying to be weary of spoilers here, the death of a character towards the end that probably pushed the MPAA towards an R.

[MadsenOMC]

I don't know. I hadn't forgotten any of that. I still firmly believe that it's a very tame R. Maybe one or two brief scenes make it too violent for a PG-13, but it is definitely not by much. No nudity and/or sexuality and very little cussing. Seemed like a very tame R to me.

[ChemicalRomance]

You gave it a better rating than Million Dollar Baby :(...

Out of curiousity..how do you see thse movies early Madsen?

[MadsenOMC]

A school newspaper? I'm 25. I did write for my college newspaper for two years though. Now I write for the daily newspaper where I live. Sorry, I was not crazy about Million $ Baby.

[The Heart Collector]

I'm under the impression that he writes for a school newspaper or something of the sort.

[ANTBond007]

Yeah. If you can manage press credentials, you see a lot of screenings early. That's how I do it, though I generally don't post reviews on JoBlo.

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
A school newspaper? I'm 25. I did write for my college newspaper for two years though. Now I write for the daily newspaper where I live. Sorry, I was not crazy about Million $ Baby.

Did you ever receive hate mail for your reviews? Not just from here, I mean from the newspaper readers.

[bob]

Originally posted by Jon Lyrik
Did you ever receive hate mail for your reviews? Not just from here, I mean from the newspaper readers.

Oh, snap!


Constantine looks pretty lackluster to begin with, and Madsen's review just took away any hope I really had for it. I'll pass.

[ilovemovies]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
It's funny that you guys mention that. I have definitely gotten into a routine of first going through the plot and then the actual review. Old habits die hard.

Isn't that usually how it goes with most reviews?

Anyway, I'm really looking forward this. I've always felt that Reeves is an underrated actor. After all, the guy gave a geniunly frightening performance in The Gift! He was excellent in The Devil's Advocate. And of coarse he's been solid in action movies like Point Break, Speed, Chain Reaction and, of coarse, The Matrix movies. Point Break being my favorite.

Plus, this is an incredibly dry month for movies. This, Hitch and maybe perhaps Cursed are the only movies opening that look good. Oh, actually Man of the House actually looks pretty funny.

[Joshmo]

Seeing that Madsen hardly ever likes any film and that I like on average 8 out of 10 movies he doesnt, his review for me is quite promising that Constantine will kick some mighty ass for me at the show... in other words, if he says 6/10, I'll probably find it to be an 8/10 ;)

[MadsenOMC]

I am an unapologetic fan of Reeves. Have been for a long time. He is very good in this. Fans will be extremely pleased and he might even win over some non-fans. Yes, I have received hate mail. I actually welcome it. It means something I wrote created a visceral reaction in someone. We all know how objective it all is. Many reviews make me shout in anger. I suppose that is how most reviews are structured.

[Scarface98.9]

Did you post this review on AICN?

[MartinGPB]

Ha, i DO write for my school newspaper, and i went to the CONSTANTINE screening last week... i enjoyed it more than i thought i would, and thought keanu did a pretty decent job... not one unintentionally laughable line delivery

i'd give it 7 or 7.5/10 (havent completely decided yet)

if you'd like a better idea of my opinions:
Hitch-- 5/10
Boogeyman- 2.5/10
In Good Company- 8/10
Hide and Seek- 4/10
Sideways- 10/10
Wedding Date- 1.5/10
Assault on Precinct 13- 7/10
Million Dollar Baby- 10/10

[ANTBond007]

I've seeing Constantine again on Tuesday, so I'll let you guys know how it holds up for me on repeat viewing.

[moviegroupie]

this looks decent and i 'll pry see it being that there will be nothing else for weeks ! that being said , keanu reeves is typically a terrible actor.
"You do this (awkward and forced pause)... there's no going back"



hmmmmm , that's his acting portfolio in a nutshell

the black guy in the trailer is so sweet
"angels belong in heaven , demons in hell"

it doesn't sound like he completes his phrase and thats what makes it so good. and i wanna see wet titties coming out of the tub.

i'm there for $8.75

[daddiefatsacks]

Jo's review is up, and its a 7, pretty convincing enough for me to go check out.

[max]

Reeves underplays the role and is convincing from beginning to end. He doesn't have to clear a space on his mantel to make room for an Oscar or anything, but it's a good performance.

I sure hope he underplays because I don't think he has any real acting talent to play with. And the day he wins an Oscar, I'm leaving this country quicker than you can say Neo. But I am going to check out the movie because I'm curious to see what underplaying of the Keanu kind is about. ;)

[MadsenOMC]

Max, clearly we are just going to have to agree to disagree on some things. I think Reeves is a better actor than you do, and you think De Niro is still doing good work, while I do not. I think Reeves has talent, and I think it is ridiculous to state that he has none. Renee Zellweger has an Oscar, which I think is a complete joke, and I'm still here. But it's hard to imagine Reeves ever being nominated for something, much less winning one. It's way too cool and trendy to hate him.

[max]

Max, clearly we are just going to have to agree to disagree on some things. I think Reeves is a better actor than you do, and you think De Niro is still doing good work, while I do not. I think Reeves has talent, and I think it is ridiculous to state that he has none. Renee Zellweger has an Oscar, which I think is a complete joke, and I'm still here. But it's hard to imagine Reeves ever being nominated for something, much less winning one. It's way too cool and trendy to hate him.

You seem to be contradicting yourself. If you think he's got talent, why would it be hard to imagine him getting nominated? As for Zellweger, I, too, dislike her, but there's definitely talent there.

[Lynn7]

I really enjoy Madsen's reviews and I think there is always room for criticism on any movie- even if you like it cause that is what makes for good discussion. If everyone just said that movie was great then that would be kind of boring. Sometimes in discussing a movie's faults I can get a greater appreciation for a movie then I would have if I just accepted it on face value.

The most frustrating thing for me is when you have the foundation for a great movie but they blow the opportunity and forget to flesh it out a bit to give it some depth. I think that is what Madsen is saying- it is good but could have been much better if they had worked a little on the complexity of the story.

[MadsenOMC]

Does every talented actor get an Oscar nomination in their career? Hasn't Kevin Bacon never been nominated? I don't think I am contradicting myself at all. He may just never get the right role. Never receiving a nomination does not mean an actor has no talent, just as receiving one doesn't necessarily prove anything either. I'd say there are plenty of undeserving nominations, as well as wins.

Lynn7, very well-said. That is pretty much exactly what I meant.

[max]

Does every talented actor get an Oscar nomination in their career? Hasn't Kevin Bacon never been nominated? I don't think I am contradicting myself at all. He may just never get the right role. Never receiving a nomination does not mean an actor has no talent, just as receiving one doesn't necessarily prove anything either. I'd say there are plenty of undeserving nominations, as well as wins.

Fair enough, but can't you even imagine the "talented" Reeves snagging an undeserved Oscar nomination? It shouldn't be that difficult. ;) One more thing, I never thought I'd see the day when someone would mention Keanu and De Niro in the same sentence. I almost sprayed coffee all over my computer screen when I read that.

[spacemonkey]

http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/1196/posters/poster1.jpg

Title: Constantine (2005)

Director: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Keany (whoa!) Reeves, Rachel Weizs, Tilda Swinton, Djimoun Honsou

Review:

Well, after all that bad buzz at the beginning of its production about Alan Moore hating the route they were taking with the film and all that bull, I honestly thought this movie was going to be a total train wreck. Still, that curiosity was in me, and a little hope that maybe, just maybe they would not mess things up. Well, Im very happy to inform you guys that this film kicked some major ass!

The story revolves around Constantine, a chain smoking, demon seeing exorcist who is bummed out and about to die of lung cancer. In comes detective Angela Dodson whos sister has mysteriously killed herself. Angela and Constantine must investigate her death and in doing so they plunge themselves and us with them in a world filled with demons, angels, crucifixes, exorcism, trips to hell and the devil himself!

By far the coolest thing about this film is its look. Francis Lawrences experience in making preatty videos for MTV must have helped him out in seeing the importance of the visual aspect of a film like this one. I mean, we are going to go to hell right? And for the most part, every time a film goes to hell, it tends to be a tad dissapointing (Spawn anyone?) Did this film fail in that department? Heck no! Hell was a desolated desert where everything is constantly burning in hell fire and the fire and brimstone and being hit by a constant with that never seems to let down. Cool visuals there. But it doesnt stop here, theres also the dark film noir look of Los Angeles. Its dirty, shadowy and retro in style. Liked it a heck of a lot, it felt like one of those old detective movies that are in black and white.

I loved the dialogue here. I mean the story is very interesting, very well written. Its nothing mind shattering, but it manages to keep you interested all through out. The dialogue in a supernatural film like this one can sometimes lend itself to sounding goofy or moronic. Not so here. The tone of the movie is very serious and sprinkled with a few moments of funny dialogue to releave the somber and dark tone the film has for most of its running time. Also Constantines sidekick Chas Chandler (Shia Labeouf) is responsible for the comedic relief and for the most part did a good job. By far the coolest dialogue sequences are those with Belzebub himself. Which brings me to my next point...

The devil! I loved the rendition of the devil in this flick. Peter Stormare steals the show as old Satan. He was a disgusting almost animal like thing. Speaking with lots of disdain and this "I dont give a fuck I got it all covered" attitude all through out. Some of the funniest dialogue was with Constantine and Lucifer going back and forth with some double talk.

The effects were handled well, most of it was on CGI, and I think that for the most part it was well handled and not overdone. They used it only when necesary and it was well made. Only thing the demons looked very cgi, I woldve done it with mechanical effects. But this is not the 80s and Tom Savini no longer does make up effects. So we gotta get used to this sort of thing. On Constantine, the computer effects didnt distract from the story which is my main preocupation.

Keanu will be Keanu no matter what film he is in, so this wasnt a big stretch for him as far as acting goes. But I must say that he did give the character a certain air of "Fuck YOu! Im an asshole and I dont give a shit what you say!" that I enjoyed and that I felt must have come straight from the comic that the story was based in. As far as acting goes Peter Stormare was the coolest thing here.

All in all, a fun film with heavy supernatural elements all around. As far as religious themes go this one has it all! From demons to angels to exorcisms! Its all here! Grab your holy water and strap on to that electric chair cause Constantine will give you a jolt of coolness that will stay with you long after youve left the theater.

Rating 41/2 out of 5

[MadsenOMC]

Ah, but I was not comparing their acting abilities Max. Of course I would never suggest that Reeves is as good an actor as De Niro, although I truly enjoyed Reeves' performance in this movie much more than De Niro's in Hide & Seek. But obviously we all know who the better actor is.

[TornDaredevil]

I just saw CONSTANTINE... and it pissed me off. There were bits and pieces I enjoyed, but the movie didn't make any fucking sense and KEANU REEVES CANNOT ACT!!! The people calling his performance in this movie a "revelation" should be committed. Rachel Weisz should never do anything but Mummy movies, she is horrible. So, the film looked pretty good, but there were some real tonal inconsistencies. What the HELL was up with that insect/crustacean demon??? I almost laughed out loud at how dumb that was. I FUCKING FELL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOVIE FOR A FEW MINUTES. It really dragged in that middle section. I also thought the effects (besides the depiction of Hell) weren't that good. Casting Peter Stormare was the obvious choice for Satan, but I thought he sucked. The dude got fat! YOU DON'T FUCKING WRITE SATAN AS SOME DUMB, MANIACAL, JOKING MORON. Also, ENOUGH with the close-ups on the cigarettes! We get that he smokes!!!

What did I like? Tilda Swinton was badass as Gabriel. Ummmmmm, what else... The movie had some nice visuals going on and I thought the directing was solid. Shia LeBeouf was actually kinda funny (usually I find him annoying), but very underused. The evil Mexican with the Spear (I shit you not) was funny, but didn't make sense. There was a lot of humor in this film, but I just didn't get that much of a kick out of Constantine giving Satan the finger...

It's not totally awful, and I wouldn't rule out catching it again on DVD, but the folks heralding this movie as the savior of makind need to get their heads checked. I think the movies thus far in 2005 have severely lowered their expectations.

I DID think the House of Wax trailer was creepy, though, even if it went on too long.

Oh, and the Hitchhikers trailer, I've never read the book(s), but it looked really whacked out and very reminiscent of Galaxy Quest.

[MadsenOMC]

Better watch the insults there TomDaredevil. No need to call people names.

[TornDaredevil]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
Better watch the insults there TomDaredevil. No need to call people names. Where did I do that?

[KcMsterpce]

I thought it was OK. It wasn't excellent, but also not terrible.

I say go see it if you're in the mood for something to detract you from 'the real world' for a while.

6/10 overall (http://www.angelfire.com/film/kcmsterpce0/reviews/constantine.html)

[LordSimen]

I really loved it.

[mreeez]

Stay 'til the very end of the credits. Don't know if anyone posted that yet :D

BTW, I liked it 8/10

[Joshmo]

People..do NOT I repeat DO NOT listen to Ebert's hit piece on Constantine! He rips this movie for no good reason! Joblo is MUCH CLOSER to what this film is.

An enjoyable fantasy & horror movie!

I had no problem understanding the movie..though I am sure a second viewing at home without fuckwads distracting me will clear up some minor questions I had..but all in all this was the TITS! Reeves was MADE for movies like these and he does an admirable job. There's enough fun meat in this flick to chew on for sure. The CGI is VERY GOOD, the plot is enough to get by without lowering ones hopes & hypes going into the movie..and Peter Stomare is wicked as the devil in a cameo! Note what Constantine does to the devil toward the end as he gets ready to um...well...just see it! Cool ass flick!

7.5/10

[Browntown]

Review: Constantine
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php


Shit...another disappointing bigass comic book movie. "Constantine" is an adaptation of the DC/Vertigo "Hellblazer" comic that has it's fine moments. The first 15 minutes is engrossing for hardcore fantasy fans, an exorcism that rocks, good lensing and Keanu Reeves is well cast as John Constantine (looking like 'Agent Smith' with a black lung problem). This is at heart a detective thriller that falls off the charts into something routine, a 'Matrix' clone. Bad Move!

John Constantine is a troubled demon hunter (like Blade without the vampyres) who has cancer and will go to hell. His penance is to rid the world of crossover demons (which he does to get on Gods good side). He knows how to go into Hell and back to help a woman LA detective (Rachael Weisz starred with Reeves in 'Chain Reaction') find her twin sister (who committed suicide and is now in Hell). But there is a major problem, the Anti-Christ is coming to earth and will destroy all souls (am I watching a serious version of 'Little Nicky'?). John must figure out a way to stop Satan Jr. from crossing the line to Earth. The payoff is very good but the middle stretch of this movie is just too damn much TALKTALKTALKBLAH for me to take. The acting is OK and the production hits high marks for originality. The script has little action and confrontation, so it pulls it's punches.

First time director Francis Lawrence has talent (reminded me of Brian DePalma) but the producers played it safe by not going far enough with the horror. Hellboy was far better....and Kevin Smith had more fun with 'Dogma' (which the story gets to resemble in the final act). At least it is watchable. Maybe I might like it more on cable. Yer Call.

[MovieDragon]

Well, visually this movie is amazing. CGI is well integrated, and although it is clear when it is used, it's not like it's annoying (for an example of annoying CGI, see Blade 2).

My only real problems were the numerous confusing scenes, and the abundance of plot holes.
(SPOILERS)
.
.
.
.
.

1) What was with the Mexican? Was he a guy that was simply possessed, or was he a half-breed, or was he a normal human that happened to be searching for the spear of Destiny? If so, why the hell did he become evil after getting it?
2) What the fuck happened with the fat priest? Please, someone explain this to me.
3) Why would Angela go to hell when Constantine drowns her? It wasn't suicide (which is why he held her down, otherwise, she would be willingly killing herself), and it was my understanding that she was a devout Catholic.
4) How the hell is Satan un-aware of what's going on in the room RIGHT NEXT TO HIM?
5) If John Constantine was DEAD, then how would taking out his cancer bring him back to life? He still slit his wrists, he still was dead...doesn't make any sense. Another thing here: how would slitting his wrists result in him dying in 30 seconds? Utter bullshit.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
End spoilers

Bah, I could go on forever. The more I think about the movie, the more blatant plot holes and confusing things I think of. It WAS a very entertaining movie, but it obviously wasn't meant to be a logical/thinking movie. It COULD have been...it could have been consistent and very interesting on a plot-level, but obviously, that wasn't there focus.

7/10...for the action, well-integrated CGI, and for being worth my 7 bucks at the theater.

[chinton]

Ill post a longer review later but I have to say I thought the plot was kind of muddled with lots of unexplained things like the power of his tattosd and the cat power

[electriclite]

I think Madsen's review is right on the mark, especially about the film's inability to reach any peaks. for all its talk about God, the devil and the heafty topics of damnation and redemption, there really isn't much meat to this movie. I know its a comic book movie but so was Hellboy and I felt there was more sympathetic and interesting characters there then in here. You really feel like you don't know anything about anyone, which means you don't care. Anti-heroes are great but there has to be something genuinely sympathetic about them to root for. Actually, you don't really care all that much about teh supporting cast either ESPECIALLY WEISZ! Something just didn't click as authentic or genuine. That's quite bad. Djimon Hounsou was one of the more cooler characters who seemed to have more too him mainly because we don't see him all that much.

A lot of scenes in the movie seemed either pulled out the cliche hand bag of movie making or they feel like a "Wait a minute, how did we get here?" .You feel like you missed something even though you were paying full attention.

I felt that i knew I had made a BAD decision in the very beginning when the Mexican(?) (Speaking of which: Knowing the history of what happened to teh Nazis after World war 2 wouldn't it be more correct for him to be South American?) guy finds the Spear of Longines. I mean, it was just TOO easy to find! A nazi attifact missing for 60 years hidden in a shallow cavity under what? A millimeter of dirt?! And then after that things just didn't seem to mesh quite right. It seemed too much like a Kindergarten cut and paste project, which is such a waste because you really feel like more could've been hung on this meaty a premise.


4/10

[The Delfonics]

What a sweet movie. Constantine was a great little comic book movie and Keanu Reeves is solid like always (despite 90% of peoples opinion). I just like Keanu, he gets solid roles does what he can with them.

[TornDaredevil]

Blonde-haired, British accented, chain-smoking Guy Pearce. Think of how awesome that would have been.

But no, they get fucking Keanu Reeves.

[CyclicNightmare]

Originally posted by TornDaredevil
Blonde-haired, British accented, chain-smoking Guy Pearce. Think of how awesome that would have been.

But no, they get fucking Keanu Reeves.
Holy ahit that would have been amazing.

[Scarface98.9]

I'll try to post a longer review later, but suffice to say, I enjoyed Constantine, even with some issues I had. Keanu was pretty stiff for the first half hour, but I think he acquitted himself well by the end of it. I got very confused about certain parts, but the movie looked great, the cast was great, and was worth the $7.

7.5/10

[Mystique963]

Let me start off by saying that I thought that there was no way that the movie could hold a candle to the awesome trailer line-up we saw before it including Stealth, Batman Begins, Sahara, and my personal favorite which I didn't even know had a trailer, House of Wax (holy sh*t, that movie looks wicked. I don't even care that Paris Hilton's in it anymore)

Anyway, about Constantine. I really enjoyed it. I thought that they took a lot of really cool ideas and made a decent flick. I really enjoyed the overall story that they used and I thought that they really made it work. I enjoyed the effects that they used and loved all of the demonic details they had. Hell was cool :)

While I am not a fan of Keanu, I was not totally dissapointed with his performance. i think that Scarface nailed it right on the head with his performance and how he seemed to loosen up and geta little more impressive as the movie went on. I thought that Rachel Weisz did well. She really is a impressive actress and played the troubled cop thing well. Keep in mind, neither of the roles we played brilliantly or anything, but I thought they both did okay. Oh, and I must mention Shia LaBeouf and how much I love that kid. He didn't have a big part or anything, but I love him :)

Overall, not bad. It held my attention through the entire thing and was quite enjoyable.

7/10 or **1/2 out of ****

[jackson13]

I went to this today straight after work. When I got home, my Entertainment Weekly was waiting for me, and low and behold, I read the review for Constantine and found that something happens after the credits.

I liked the movie, but not enough to go see it again just to sit through the credits to find out what it is. Could someone please tell me? Either in here or a PM, I dont care which.

Movie gets a 7.5/10 from me.

[Scarface98.9]

Originally posted by jackson13


I liked the movie, but not enough to go see it again just to sit through the credits to find out what it is. Could someone please tell me? Either in here or a PM, I dont care which.

**********************SPOILERS******************** ******













John visits Chas's grave, and puts his lighter on it. He says he did good, and walks away from the grave. He turns around and sees Chas's spirit, with angel wings on. Chas looks at him, then flies up towards heaven. I actually thought it was a very good moment.











***************************END SPOILERS************************

[Arc]

Constantine? Darker than the comic, but not as witty, as I expected from the trailer.

The special effects serve the story, the story is fleshed out by naturally developed characters, the characters are handled professionally. The film is worth respecting for one major reason; a lack of heavy exposition. For such a bizarre environment, the viewer is actually allowed to travel through the plot with the cast, instead of just watching from the sidelines. The downside? Reeves wasn't intimidating when pissed, and Weisz sheds a tear in nearly all her scenes like clockwork.

Surprisingly, the negative reviews have been entirely worthless reads. Instead of getting to the heart of the matter, they choose to ignore plot points, and ask questions that were clearly answered or irrelevant. Ebert's column was especially lazy and bare boned.

(SPOILERS)

Originally posted by MovieDragon
1) What was with the Mexican?
2) What the fuck happened with the fat priest?
3) Why would Angela go to hell when Constantine drowns her?
4) How the hell is Satan un-aware of what's going on in the room RIGHT NEXT TO HIM?
5) If John Constantine was DEAD, then how would taking out his cancer bring him back to life?

1)The Mexican was just a possessed scavenger.
2) He drank himself to death. Balthazar put a curse on him tricking him into thinking he couldn't drink, however he actually WAS downing all of that alcohol. As the coroner states, he killed himself in less than a minute.
3) The water was just a major medium, she wasn't drowned to the point of death.
4) Satan was unaware of all kinds of things, including the entire plot to birth his son.
5) Lou (heh) is one powerful son-of-a-bitch, but this is a valid question.

One other point... In the epilogue, Chas is dessed EXACTLY like Gabriel, dark wings and all. Maybe he is the new Archangel?


(END SPOILERS)

9/10

[jaw2929]

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

I went and saw Constantine today, a movie based off of a DC Comic book character about an exorcist who can see demons walking about us named John Constantine, who's basically trying to buy his way into heaven, after committing the mortal (re: catholic) sin of suicide at a young age....

This movie was nothing special, here ya've got old Neo doin his regular character, where you barely can hear him talk, in a wild sci-fi type flick... It seems to me that Reeves plays the same character in almost every movie, he hardly ever changes his appearance, so a lotta his movies come off like Adam Sandler's, they both got that in common... Don't get me wrong, I loved his Matrix/Bill and Ted movies, and of course the good Point Blank.... But anyhow, the movie itself wasn't that great...

To sum it up, think of a cross between the flicks of Stigmata, End of Days and part of What Dreams May Come (with Constantine's cool conceptual hell scenes).... The demons are crossing over into the real world, which is against religious rules, and Keanu just keeps dispatching them back into hell in hopes to get into the good graces of God and into heaven... The BEST thing about this flick is it's very well done visuals, so see it for those, if anything else.... Also beware, that his 12 yr old taxi-driving "kid friend" CONSTANTLY says his name "John" throughout the entire flick, and I just wanted to rip the mother fucking pricks head off (this is the same little fuckin kid who was tryin to be the smartass to Will Smith's character in "I, Robot"),,, Also, the focus on Reeves's character being a chain smoker is WAY too fuckin forced, I GET IT, HE'S A CHAINSMOKER, OK!!!

Otherwise, it killed about an hour and 40 mins, and parts of it dragged (mostly just the boring dialogue parts) and I got a bit impatient at times.... Save this for a rental if your bored during a week night ;) :P

[outsyder]

I enjoyed Constantine. I felt the acting was pretty good, with some good actors, and even Keanu was doing well. Some good action, interesting situations, and even a few memorable characters. Although I did feel that the story was tacked together near the beginning of the main storyline, it worked itself out and was an entertaining movie that had my full attention by the end (which was a good one, BTW). A very cautious direction style, but it did work. And I do like the restrained use of CGI, as too many movies are using it as the only reason for people to buy tickets.


7.5/10

[KLash]

Found it to be much better than most people have been reviewing it within this thread. I think this is due to the pretty damn original storyline and good direction more than the acting performances but i still feel Keanu deserves some credit for not having any truly laughable lines in this feature.

CGI was used at the right moments and never overused. The depiction of hell was a great feature, very much fire & brimstone!

Few plot holes that can be looked into including the un-awareness of mighty Satan.....i would've presumed him to be on a pretty equal level with God in being able to see and know all. But these can be overlooked as the religious and mystical aspects of Constantine were well done, never pushing the boundaries of complete speculation.

Overall definately one of the better films of the first part of 2005! Is an all round good story and exciting thrill ride in the titanic struggle between good and evil.

8.5/10

[chinton]

“Constantine” Certainly Looks Cool By Blake Hinton

John Constantine(Keanu Reeves) couldn’t be more of a film noir character. He has the requisite dark suit. Naturally, he smokes constantly. Also, he has the I’m-pissed-at-the-world attitude that every noir character must have. What makes Constantine different though is that instead of tracking down criminals in the seedier parts of LA he is tracking down rogue demons and half-breeds in the seedier parts of LA. This makes the lead character in Constantine absolutely fascinating. It’s just too bad the movie, due to a muddled storyline, isn’t as great as the lead character.
Although the central story is absolutely fascinating and one can easily see why it would look promising as a film. The movie is based on the Hellblazer graphic novels and follows demon hunter and exorcist John Constantine. Constantine has the power to see the world behind the world. He is able to spot demons and half-breeds and puts this to good use, but Constantine has a major problem.
When John was a kid he found these powers a curse and killed himself. Instead of staying in Hell though, suicide is a mortal sin in the film, he was sent back to Earth most likely because his powers are useful. Once back on Earth, he learns the truth of Heaven and Hell. God and the Devil made a pact over the souls of the people on Earth. Nobody can be directly affected as pure demons are not allowed on our plane, but rather influenced but people like half-breeds that are both supernatural and human. On top of this John is dying again of lung cancer. The central conceit remains the most interesting and coherent piece of the film.
When the movie opens some Mexican worker has found the Spear of Destiny that posses him with some kind of power, probably the soul of Satan’s son. The rest of the film deals with impending disaster of Satan’s son being born on Earth. Oh ya then there’s a cop(Rachel Weiz) who wants Constantine to help with the case of her twin sister who committed suicide. This is connected to bringing Satan’s son back to life somehow.
There’s a reason why the last paragraph is confused. The major flaw in this film is the screenplay that’s confused sometimes to say the least. The script’s not a disaster though. It’s not even bad as thankfully it doesn’t touch Alone In the Dark’s shocking incoherence. Still, the script is muddled especially towards the climax. Rather having one exciting streamlined plot we get the distinct feeling that the makers couldn’t decide on one plotline form the comic books, therefore they took a bunch of different elements and shoved them together. Just look at John’s many unexplained powers such as the power of his tattoos, which he uses at one point leaving the audience in the dark.
This is better seen in the film’s many secondary characters who are barely fleshed out and take time away from other important things. For example, there’s an extensive side plot with a priest character that helps John with cases. He has some kind power and eventually gives John an important clue. The priest is barely filled out as a character and is there solely to give an important clue. Couldn’t this clue have been given to a character who mattered, and the film could have taken the extra time to get it’s plot together.
Still this wasn’t a bad film, and there are many things to compliment. Certainly the greatest asset of the movie is it’s engaging production design. Every scene has some kind of wow factor. The look of Hell is quite stunning and even has a bit of sly humor by having one scene of it on the interstate of LA. Anybody who has been on LAs interstates gets the joke. Also, just the look of Hell is fascinating. There’s also many simply cool scenes such as Weiz being pulled through many walls and out of a building. It doesn’t make much sense, but it looks great.
One also must compliment the rye humor this film possesses. Whatever problems the plot may have Constantine is certainly a fun cynical character. Reeves even does a good job playing him even though he does his Matrix performance but more pissed off. It works for the film though. The same can’t be said about the underplayed and generally boring Rachel Weiz.
In the end, this is a fine film despite it’s many script problems. Thanks to beautiful production design and a great character there are things to recommend in the film. Too bad they couldn’t have worked on the script a bit longer.

6/10

[Spacey_Norton21]

Iknow its based on the comic, and I know Guy Pearce woulda been perfect, but Keanu didn't do half bad, I thought (expecting another Bram Stoker's). I liked the film, didn't even worry about some of the plotholes u guys are mentioning, and honestly I didn't care. I was to intrigued by the film.I always love stuff dealingwith cool subject matter like this. Good and the Devil, all that stuffisintresting to see. I loved the priest drinking himself to death, I liked Midnight, coulda done without Shia Labeof (sp.?) and I wished the archangel Gabriel was a man, as per her name. Kinda fucked with the idea of the Archangel Gabriel for me.

SPOILERS!!!!!!!










I suppose when Lou ripped out John's lungs, it was asssumed that he would live, and not die from cancer, as it was fortold in the early stages of the film. And I would also assume that when Lou said "Live again.... John Constantine" That after ther ripping of his lungs, his wrists would also be healed and I don't see that as a major plothole, it doesn't really matter, I think. It's a movie ladies and gentleman, and a decent one at that. And imagine if it were PG-13... Then I probably woulda been really dissappointed, put aside a few mediocre moments and you got a really solid flick, and Hell looked pretty damn sweet as well.

8/10

[Scarface98.9]

Originally posted by Arc

(SPOILERS)



One other point... In the epilogue, Chas is dessed EXACTLY like Gabriel, dark wings and all. Maybe he is the new Archangel?


(END SPOILERS)

9/10
*****************SPOILERS*****************











I doubt it. He may've been dressed the same, but he flew upwards towards heaven. So I doubt he would stay on earth as the new archangel, as that wouldn't've made much sense, given how little he know of the situation.











*******************END SPOILERS*******************

[JoeChar4321]

Originally posted by The Delfonics
What a sweet movie. Constantine was a great little comic book movie and Keanu Reeves is solid like always (despite 90% of peoples opinion). I just like Keanu, he gets solid roles does what he can with them.

I had no prior knowledge of this character before the movie but I enjoyed it very much. HUGE thumbs up from me.

I place it right behind the Spider-Man and X-Men franchises as the best of the comic based films.

8/10

[moviegroupie]

great review Madsen! i thoroughly agree with you! its time for you to go to the major leagues and start working for Rolling Stone alongside with Peter Travers (p.s you got a fan, and you are the BEST underground reviewer)

i can't add anything he didn't, except the theatre was exceptionally hot and that pissed me off (bizarre).

[mynamerox]

I really enjoyed Constantine. I can see alot of us donated to the 30.5 million it made this weekend. That is not bad for an R rated film. Overall I really enjoyed this movie. It had a couple of slow points but I feel it held together well. The special effects are defintiely a high point. As for Keanu, I will say that this may be one of his best performances. I would defintiely pay to see this again. The exocrism at the beginning was great and I did enjoy the scene after the credits.

9/10

[JoeCool]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by spacemonkey
[B]http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/1196/posters/poster1.jpg

JUst for that awesome poster im seeing it i dont care if the reviews are good or bad

lol

[SamaraMorgan]

Question:
(never mind) ;)

Oh, and I loved the movie. I'm seeing it again today (hopefully) :D

[dellamorte dellamore]

Originally posted by moviegroupie
great review Madsen! i thoroughly agree with you! its time for you to go to the major leagues and start working for Rolling Stone alongside with Peter Travers (p.s you got a fan, and you are the BEST underground reviewer)

i can't add anything he didn't, except the theatre was exceptionally hot and that pissed me off (bizarre).

I agree , he's an excellent writer , when he wants to be , because sometimes he gets so pissed about the inanity found in certain films , that he goes off on tangents , but it's funny when he does :) .

There's only one thing i can find fault with with regards to his reviews , i think he gives too much away , much like the mainstream critics do . I think it's an art form to write a review without giving away the slightest of spoilers , while at the same time still giving peep a good idea about a film's merits .

By the way , i had an idea after reading some reviews . Some shmoes felt that too many changes were made in relation to the comics , i know a director that could have really done it some justice , Michele Soavi . Ddellamorte Dellamore was adapted from a comic book , and he hit a homerun with that . I'm getting the feeling that Con is pretty standard , cheesefilled nonsense . Nothing wrong with that , but it sounds as if it could , should have been so much more .

And yes , another actor in the lead prob would have benfitted the film , Reeves simply lacks the emotional depth to bring certain characters to life . He's an excellent entertainer , but a woeful actor .

[MadsenOMC]

moviegroupie, I am extremely flattered. How incredibly kind of you. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

And dd, thank you as well. I have to agree with two of your points. I do tend to go off on tangents and let my emotions get the best of me from time to time (but only because, like everyone here, I am a passionate movie-lover), and my reviews probably do contain a few too many spoilers. I'll try to work on that. In all honesty, when I try to hold back, I have been accused of not seeing the movie (not by anyone here), so I think it's partially in response to that, like I'm trying to avoid someone thinking that. Anyway, what you said was very nice and I appreciate it very much.

[chinton]

Go off on tangents all you want. It makes for interesting reviews.


I love it when you get really angry or passionate. As I said it makes for an interesting review

[MadsenOMC]

Originally posted by chinton
Go off on tangents all you want. It makes for interesting reviews.


I love it when you get really angry or passionate. As I said it makes for an interesting review

Well, if you insist. Twist my arm.

[Arc]

Originally posted by Scarface98.9
*****************SPOILERS*****************











I doubt it. He may've been dressed the same, but he flew upwards towards heaven. So I doubt he would stay on earth as the new archangel, as that wouldn't've made much sense, given how little he know of the situation.




True, this question can't be answered until maybe the DVD release, however there is one problem with this assessment. Flying upward doesn't mean he was going to Heaven. The entire concept is that Heaven & Hell are on entirely different planes of existence.




*******************END SPOILERS*******************



They're also showing a quick clip of the epilogue in the new commercials. Love this movie.

[dellamorte dellamore]

Mad , i think you should write two seperate reviews , the standard summation professional review , and the here's how horrendous i felt it was review , i would be satisfied with both incarnations .


Anyway , i'll be seeing Con today , i'll let the shmoes how i feel about it .

[chinton]

Frankly

[chinton]

Frankly I get bored with standard summation reviews eventhough Im forced to do that with my school paper. I like Joblos and yours Madsen that dont follow the formula. I would do that if Could

Sorry for the double post

[optimus1]

I just came back from this flick and I give it a c+ , Keanu wasnt bad at all and I love Rachel Weisz but the movie had only average effects , only a few scares and way too much stuff was left unexplained. I guess maybe a fan of the comic book would not be confused but I certainly was.

[Mentiroso]

I really enjoyed this movie. I would probably rate it a 7 or 8/10. I have not read the comics and know nothing about them so if the movie is not true to the comics, it does not bother me. Over all Keanu gave a great performance. The only thing that bothered me was Gavin Rossdale (sp?). He just seemed out of place. They should have had a better selection for that part. The effects were good and not too cheesy. I wouldnt mind seeing a sequel if it is done by the same crew.
Also, the kid from Even Stevens was actually entertaining. When I first saw him I frowned, but the line "Who's the rat in the dress now" was great and his performance fit in.

[bigred760]

I didn't love the movie, but I did enjoy it. I thought the special effects really helped the movie (Stephen Sommers - take notes). I also really liked the ending - wasn't expecting it at all - not that it was a suprise or anything, but I just wasn't thinking the movie would go that way. (I'll post an actual review/critique when the great JoBlo allows it through his review page.)

7/10

[Fisting Ackbar]

MINOR SPOILERS








The story was definitely messy and the "betrayal" of a certain character was predictable, but overall I liked it. I was lucky enough to witness a digital projection which made the visuals look even better; and I never got the impression that the director was showing off like other filmmakers tend to do nowadays. Reeves was a little wooden at times but he grew on me by the end, and the supporting cast was pretty damn cool.

7/10

[Sandstone]

Great movie.. 8/10

[gspawn]

Can someone spoil the after-credits a bit more thoroughly? I had a date, and she ran the moment the lights came on.

7/10 or so- This movie had EVERYTHING going for it, but the execution isn't what it should be. A simple "director's cut" of this flick would easily make an 8-9/10

And as for the Memento-esque blonde Guy Pearce? Genius. I bet even their casting department never imagined it. Would have been TOO good. His more moody disposition might have fit the film a little better as well.

[Origin]

I saw it friday, posted my opinion in my other thread, I thought the casting was great but a little polar opposite to the comic, like gabriel in the comic was a massive dude, and constantine had blonde hair, the comic was set in britain, they got keanus attitude PERFECT though... I put my mindset off the comic for this one and really enjoyed it, not just a showcase for the great CG special effects, but the movie has some very good substance. i'll probably see it again soon.


PS: I'd hate to spoil it dude, you should really check out the scene after the credits yourself sometime, its a MUST if you enjoyed the movie even a little bit

[jetter54]

I finally saw constantine earlier this week I was so amazed it was really good cant wait for it to hit dvd

[Shockwave]

I thought it was one of the best movies ive seen this year, instead of writing a boring review about how much i liked it ill just list the points that stood out to me.

- Gabrial kicked ass, liked the actress and loved the fanatical character.

- Satan was done VERY well, was that tar on his feet? Loved his "i dont give a fuck" attitude.

- Reeves was actually pretty damn good.

- Hell was breath taking. One of the few times hell has been shown in a movie as a place i would be afraid to go to.

- The entire third act.

- the special effects(while not totaly mind blowing) were very creative

Overall 8/10

[Jas]

Man, I don't remember the last time I had this much fun at the movies (Lately it's been heavy on the drama flicks).
I liked everything in this movie! (Could've done without the fat dude, but still good).

4/5

Lay off Constantine, it's a greatly entertaining movie.

[Sandstone]

HERES YOUR ALMIGHTY AWNSER!!!!

In the bible, Statn cannot see all or hear all.. Not on the level god can anyways.. The scriptures say hes is "dead of spiritual things". He is too absorbed in this own greed (for keeanus soul) he isnt aware of whats happening.. gotta love it.. i found it to be less of a mystery. Satan isnt almighty.. they are opposites but not copies of one another

[isileth]

I saw the movie yesterday and it was worth the money for the big theatre.
I was intrigued by the trailers and the movie is definitely a good one.
The plot is good, thick enough to make you use your head, but not too much to leave things unsaid.
The visual impact is great, with effects and people blending together effortlessly.
I expecially loved the angels' wings.
I liked Reeve's acting, too.
The guy isn't just a pretty (really pretty) face.
Just one remark: is the movie sponsorized by anti-smoke organizations?
It's kind of funny that now all American movies are so anti-smoke, when in the past all they did was to advertise cigarettes.
:D
p.s.: I don't smoke.

[vision_afar]

Finally saw it this week, and it's a very good movie. Mid-paced, but not boring at all. I've always loved movies with this kind of story. Keanu Reeves is ok here since the role doesn't demand charisma. Hell looked amazing, Lucifer was such a badass and Constantine giving him finger was cool. I'm glad we didn't see God this time.

8/10

[Origin]

I'd give it a 10/10


I am a special effects freak, I ate this movie up, I don't know how they could have got the cg any better seriously.

[wheresdonnie?]

Finally saw this film, and loved it. Keanu was perfect for the part, there was a great supporting cast and the special effects looked great
9/10

[Origin]

Haha I just noticed, you think Constantine was sponsered by an anti smoking organization? Thats weird, Keanus a heavy smoker in real life, that would be REALLY weird if it was, but I guess I could see how you pictured that.

[eleven]

Constantine was one of those rare movies where I just can't decide whether I liked it or not. I've thought about it a lot and I honestly cannot come to a decision. I can say, however, that it was fucking wierd, and that the depiction of hell was pretty cool.

[Luke-Abbott]

I saw the movie on Tuesday and thought it was an enjoyable ride from start to finish. No doubt it was one weird movie and most of the stuff went over my head (like Gabriel being a baddie in the movie) but I still found enjoyment from it and believe that Keanu Reeves can handle the leading roles just fine (thanks to the Matrix films).

4 out of 5 Stars (8/10).

[Cronos]

i saw this earlier and while i wasnt sure from the first 10 minutes i ended up loving it, a lot of nice CGI that i loved, Reeves was a little better than he was in the Matrix films, the rest of the cast was also good. i really liked the story as well, not all out horror but with good characters what develop up to the great ending

10/10

[JCR]

Originally posted by Cronos
i saw this earlier and while i wasnt sure from the first 10 minutes i ended up loving it, a lot of nice CGI that i loved, Reeves was a little better than he was in the Matrix films, the rest of the cast was also good. i really liked the story as well, not all out horror but with good characters what develop up to the great ending

10/10

Cronos go get 'Hellblazer: dangerous habits' right now. I'd recommend you get all the other hellblazer paperbacks too, but that'd be a little expensive.

They are SO so much better than that movie.