Surprisingly Good

Rating: 8/10 (5 September 2006)

Having not read the comics and therefore not knowing anything about the characters or plot I was unsure what to expect. I'd been curious to see it for a while and eventually brought the DVD which I watched with a critical eye, but I can honestly say that I really enjoyed it. Sure, the special effects weren't perfect and there was a lot more that could have been explored, but over all it came out as a very enjoyable action film.
Keanu Reeves was an excellent moody, sarcastic Constantine and Rachel Weisz pulled off the emotional Angela well. Of course, the highlight for me was definitely the much overlooked Shia LaBeouf who's witty, book-read Chas quickly became my favourite character.
This film isn't some extraordinary piece of cinematography, but for a not-entirely-mainstream take of a dark graphic novel it worked well. It should be watched with an open mind and an imagination which will lead you to placed that the film itself doesn't explore. Oh, and make sure you wait until the end of the credits for the extra scene!