MUCH Better movie than I expected...Both entertaining & makes you think..

Rating: 8/10 (6 March 2006)

Contrary to other posts I think that this is a well done movie well worth watching more than once. My review is based on 6 viewings over 2 months.
What may put off viewers is that the whole movie is based on the Catholic belief that if you kill yourself you go to hell forever. If you believe that or can get past it, and the other religious themes, you will enjoy the movie a great deal more. If you'r not religious or can't be bothered with the basic premises, then of course you'r not going to like it. Enough said. The movie is loaded with a very talented cast, from Oscar winner Rachal Weisz, who's performance makes the film to Tilda Swinton as the angel Gabrial and Djiamon Hounsou as Papa Midnight. Keanu Reaves is his usual wooden self, but is better than average here. It's not the first time that Keanu has messed with the devil, as he also starred in the excellent DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. In that movie he played the son of the devil, in CONSTANTINE he plays a man trying to stop the son of the devil from taking over and destroying earth.
The movie is rich in Christian beliefs and Myths such as the Spear of Destiny (the spear that pierced Jesus side as he was on the Cross - and carries the blood of the son of God on it). So rich in fact that if you can't get past accepting the religious aspects, you will never find yourself enjoying the movie. Remember folks, this is just a movie, and not a religious conversion (I mean did you really think that we could upload a virus to an alien computer that would destroy their primary weapon in INDEPENDENCE DAY, or that a star traveling civilization could figure out how to open locked wooden doors in SIGNS?) The special effects are decent, particularly the images of hell (not a fun place), and the devil's minions.
This is yet another of the many movies based on comic books, but is certainly better and deeper than most of that group.
My recommendation is to watch it with an open mind, and I believe that you will find it entertaining and perhaps a little thought provoking.
I give it 7.5/10 or 3 stars.
RES