Constantine **** (2005, Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare, Djimon Hounsou) – Classic Movie Review 255

Keanu Reeves stars as John Constantine, a chain-smoking demon hunter who can commune with angels and demons on Earth, in the smart, imaginative 2005 fantasy sci-fi horror thriller Constantine.

‘Hell wants him. Heaven won’t take him. Earth needs him.’

Looking impressively sick and ravaged, Keanu Reeves is the chain-smoking, dying demon hunter John Constantine in the 2005 smart, imaginative Matrix-y sort of sci-fi, fantasy horror thriller Constantine. It’s based on the comic book Hellblazer by Jamie Delano and Garth Ennis.

Tormented by his ability to see angels and demons in human guise on Earth, doomed hero Constantine tries to help sceptical LA cop Detective Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) solve the riddle of the apparent suicide of her beloved twin sister, Isabel. She was a devout Catholic and so wouldn’t have killed herself, Angela reasons.

It helps that Constantine has been to hell and back himself, after committing suicide. But he knows that he’s destined to return to burn in the perpetual flames below, unless some good deeds might save him. What he discovers are demons trying to break through to our world and his quest finally leads him to have to battle Satan.

On fine form, Keanu gives a star turn to reckon with in a flash-looking film enlivened by bursts of action and lots of humans turning into CGI monsters. If the comic-book-based plot is sometimes a bit baffling (story and screenplay by Kevin Brodbin), that only serves to make you pay full attention, and the movie is always really enjoyable and compelling.

It is a credit to music video-experienced director Francis Lawrence, who went on to I Am Legend, Water for Elephants and The Hunger Games, as well as to Philippe Rousselot for his eye-catching cinematography. There’s a great soundtrack too, by Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt.

Rachel Weisz is an effective co-star, playing both Angela and Isabel Dodson. Tilda Swinton enjoys herself hugely as the Archangel Gabriel (though this really should be a man’s role) and Peter Stormare goes impressively over the top as Satan.

Also Djimon Hounsou is Midnite, Shia LaBeouf is Chas Kramer, Gavin Rossdale is Balthazar, Max Baker is Beeman, Larry Cedar is Vermin Man and Pruitt Taylor Vince is Father Hennessy.

But it’s Keanu’s movie and he makes the most of it.

A TV series based on the character followed starring Matt Ryan. It premiered on 24 October 2014, but was cancelled after its first season.

A movie sequel with Keanu Reeves was confirmed in 2022 but the development of Constantine 2 was held back by the Hollywood writer and actor strikes. In November 2023 Francis Lawrence gave an update: ‘Luckily, we managed to wrangle some control and started working on some ideas for Constantine 2, which we’re really excited about. It’s still the very beginning, as the strike put it on hold for a little bit. So we’re probably going to start getting back together after Thanksgiving (2023), and dig back in to try and crack it.’

Keanu Reeves says he’s aboard: ‘It was definitely a role that I loved, and I thought that Francis Lawrence did such amazing work (on Constantine). I loved playing that character, and I really enjoyed the film. It’s exciting. It’s almost like an open playground that we can hopefully cook something up and play in, and I guess get out of the playground and prepare a meal, but I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully it can happen. I’m definitely going to try my darnedest to try and realise that dream.’

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© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 255

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