Product: Constantine [Blu-ray] (2012)
Rating: 5.0
Ignore the comic book fan-boys.... This is a FUN movie...
I really liked this movie. From what I'm hearing, that's probably because I didn't read the comic book (or even know there WAS a comic book). Comic fans were pissed that they didn't cast a blond haired British guy in the title role, and many considered Keanu a bastardization of the source material. Well, tough. That's why it's called "Constantine" and not "Hellblazer." It's not meant to be a direct translation of a comic book.Constantine has a "gift" to see demons walking among men. Because of something he did early in his life, he's forever damned to go to hell. He's concocted a plan to send demons back to hell in order to gain the good graces of heaven, but after years of trying to redeem his soul, he has tacitly acknowledged it's a lost cause. Keanu does a good job of portraying a guy who knows he's going to hell and is now just going through the motions. Constantine is a sorry individual - and Keanu's deadpan and morose delivery is spot on. The movie has some of the best scenes of hell that I've ever seen and the story really works. I was actually so into this movie that I DID go out and buy the comic books - first ones I'd bought since I was a kid. The shot framing, lighting, and dialogue are all very film noir, which makes for something different than most other movies coming out lately. I dug it.Anyway, just thought others might like the opinion of someone who's not obsessed with the source material. I just hated reading all those negative reviews when the movie was a heck of a lot better than what they're saying.