The
Film/ TV Adap: Constantine (2005.)The Bookish Inspiration: The 'Hellblazer' graphic novels.
Main Cast: Keanu Reeves, Shia LaBeouf, Rachel Weisz, Tilda Swinton.
Director: Francis Lawrence.
BBFC Rating: 15.
Amazon: USA.
Opening credits:
Perhaps unfairly, this film flies under most people's radars. Maybe that's appropriate - Hellblazer, and Constantine, has always appealed to a small cult audience, rather than being mainstream.
This is also my best friend's favourite film. So I've seen it more than once. Because we have to support each other's insanity, obviously.
Premise:
John Constantine is a demon-hunter and exorcist trying to avoid eternal damnation (as you do >.<).
Angie Dodson's sister is found dead. Is there more here than meets the eye?
Something's coming. Are they ready?
Best bits:
There's a louche gothic-ness here that wraps you in its intricacies. The horrors are harsh. Constantine is bitter: he smokes, drinks, and takes far too much cough medicine. And somehow you end up just loving it.
Keanu Reeves, taking the lead role, delivers what can only be described as an excellent performance. But it's Tilda Swinton's brief scenes (though you will love to hate her in this film,) that will stick with you; along, of course, with the fiery and rusted vision of hell.
The effects are great - though many will find them disturbing. And the whole thing has an awesome gritty feel to it that will please fans of horror films, as well as those who like things that are a little out of the box.
Not so great bits:
There's a lot of discussion of heaven and hell, demons, mental health, cancer, and suicide. I'm sure there will be a significant portion of people that aren't in the right place to be watching this film.
It also gets somewhat graphic in terms of violence and gore, with suicide scenes that could definitely shock many people.
Don't get the wrong impression - it's not gratuitous, but then, neither does it shy away from the physicality of the thing (hard to say any more than that without getting into dangerously spoilerific territory.)
Popcorn Worthy?
This is definitely worth breaking out the popcorn - great for evening viewing, but maybe not one to watch alone at 3am with the lights off. Unless you want to, of course, but I warned ya!
Buy Now USA - IMDb
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