One of the best comic movies around (besides Sin City)

Rating: 8/10 (6 October 2005)

I decided to post this when I found a disturbingly large amount of poor ratings for this movie from IMDb users because the movie wasn't exactly like the Hellblazer comics that it's based on. I've just got one thing to say to that, get over it. This movie, based on it's own merits, is actually a very well crafted and though out movie (I've read a lot of complaints about Keanu Reaves' acting performance, but really I think he captures the tortured soul who knows he's heading to hell pretty well. The reason why so many people complained about this is because he doesn't act like the same John Constantine of the Hellblazer comics, again get over it.) There are some things about this movie that are a little weird, but one thing you do have to keep in mind is that this was not intended to be a horror film. It's an action film. Get it through your head and you'll enjoy this movie, the whole point of the movie was not to freak you out or give you nightmares. It's a fun movie, with plenty of good action sequences and a story that gripped me from the beginning.
As soon as you're introduced to the character of John Constantine you already know that he's a bad mother who's intent is to foil the plans of the underworld so he can win his way into heaven. Along his way to get there he gets sucked into what could end up as the end of the world. There are many sequences in the movie that leave you wondering "what could this possibly have to do with the storyline?" but in the end it all ties together so perfectly that it's almost like a jigsaw puzzle coming to completion. (Some things about the movie you do have to think about to truly understand everything.) Not only that, but the dialog between characters is often humorous, but can be very serious when the movie needs it to be. For example the conversation that Constantine has with Gabriel at the beginning of the movie. At first you can't help but feel pity for Constantine, but then the conversation ends abruptly with a one-liner from Gabriel that would at least leave you chuckling.
Overall this is a great movie (within it's own merits, and when not compared exactly to the Hellblazer comics) that no one should be deprived of missing. A great action flick that makes you think in order to truly understand everything that the movie presents.