Dogma: The Dark Side

Rating: Null/10 (30 August 2011)

Constantine begins as a somewhat pedestrian Gothic horror-fest, replete with exorcisms, demon-gore and holy artifacts being deployed as aggressively as Uzis. Early into the first act, however, one is drawn into an intelligently-drawn setup - a Cosmic opera of demonic and angelic "half-breeds," all infused with the petty rivalries so ordinary to humanity. That it is infused with a dark humour with an arc all of its own adds to its charm - the steady thrum of sarcasm pulses through the film, building to a crescendo of wit worthy of the best of comic tragedy.
The film deftly articulates the inherent contradictions in the search for personal salvation. The desire to go to heaven is, after all, a selfish pursuit.
It is flamboyant in its holy irreverence, and in this aspect it reminded me of Kevin Smith's Dogma. The "tone" of the two films couldn't be any more different, but both of them manage to satirize our anthropomorphization of the afterlife, and to ultimately give us a grand laugh at ourselves.
The middle-distance-stare of Keanu's acting chops is perfect for his role here, and I have to give an special mention to Tilda Swinton as the tightly-wound angel Gabriel.