A film that gets (almost) everything right (NO spoilers)

Rating: 8/10 (23 February 2005)

This is the first comic book film I have ever seen that actually gets the feel of the comic it's based on right. The irreverent darkness that was contained in the Hellblazer series is ever-present in the film. Be warned, the subject matter of both the comic and the film in inherently over-the-top and melodramatic, but that's the fun of the film. The film takes itself and its subject matter seriously, and it's much better to just go along for the ride, no matter how outlandish it is.
There had been much fanboy griping about the casting of Keanu Reeves for the title role, but honestly, they were idiots. Reeves absolutely nails Constantine. Ever vocal delivery, facial expression, and body movement is not only completely loyal to the comic book character, but is appropriate for the on-screen character and his development. The supporting cast is universally excellent, never descending into the realm of cheese or ham-acting, but at the same time, adds to the excellent over-the-top feel of the film. To be fair to each actor, I would have to go into a dozen performances and no one would bother to read that.
Some have stated that the film has an insufferably slow pace, but I disagree. At worst, the film's pace is erratic, showing something suspenseful and exciting for a few seconds, then a few minutes of just dialogue, then something exciting again, etc. The film could have been much slower, however, as the Constantine/Hellblazer mythology is extraordinarily complex and explaining it completely would have taken up the entire movie. Instead, the film takes the wisest approach and gives the audience the need-to-know basics. However, this causes some details to be tersely explained which may cause confusion for people unfamiliar with the comicwhich is most people. Still, the film the exceedingly enjoyable and should be more that worth the ticket price to anyone with an open mind.