Constantine
A film that combines fantastic visuals and very good acting with an overly complicated and muddled story, this adaptation of the “Hellblazer” comic books has a ton of fascinating ideas which wind up in most cases being only half-explored. As John Constantine, a sort of occult law enforcement officer in the ongoing war between Heaven and Hell, Keanu finally finds a role where he brings his a-game. Ironic really, since the last time he did that was with the similarly themed Devil’s Advocate; As the female cop who realizes that she and Constantine are cut from the same cloth, Rachel Weisz brings undeniable charisma and likability to the part, much more so in how this British actress convinces us that she is a hard-boiled American girl; As Constantine’s sidekick, Shia LeBeouf is kept on the outer edges of the story for the most part, until the big finale (and epilogue after the credits which makes zero sense); Djimon Hounsou’s voodoo nightclub owner is another example of a character (along with his establishment) that seems only partly developed; Tilda Swinton as the Arcangel Gabriel (safely ensconced on Earth and living in a Catholic library dispensing advice) brings a rightful androgynous touch to her role; and Peter Stormare’s showy appearance in the final moments as Satan himself is one of the better recent interpretations of the character, with the right larger-than-life comic book presence required by the material. Stunning CGI visuals (especially Hell) are ultimately negated by the fact that the story never allows the viewer to properly set his feet down and become accustomed to this alternate universe, with many questions left unanswered (most notably, why would the Devil NOT want his son to take over the Earth?). The rules are fast and loose and seem to be made up as they go along, and perhaps a proper Constantine origin story would have better explained things than the middle chapter feel the film has. In many ways, despite using Catholicism as a takeoff for the events, it’s actually pretty laughable (though not quite blasphemous) to anyone who follows along the lines of Christianity, with a conclusion that actually reminded me a bit too much of the low-budget horror opus The Prophecy. In the end, certainly enjoyable for fans of the actors featured therein, but not so much for those who enjoy coherent storylines…
7/10