Product: Constantine [Blu-ray] (2012)
Rating: 4.0
Entertaining and delightful; 4.5 stars
I am consistently exasperated by reviewers who go to movies like "Constantine" expecting it to deliver oscar-level plot and material, then criticisng it because it does not. These movies are "fun", popcorn-munching movies designed to entertain; if you don't expect them to be something they're not designed to be, you'll enjoy yourself.That said, "Constantine" actually exceeded my expectations a litle. I found the suspense and action to be fairly taut and well-paced. Throughout the film I was entertained and on edge, wondering what would happen next. It's primarily an action/"scifi" (I use the term loosely, of course) film, with just enough references to Christian daemonology/mythology to give it a little bit of edge and depth, like how a dash of pepper really kicks a particular dish up a notch. I enjoyed the references to the Spear of Destiny (which reputedly pierced Jesus Christ on the cross), and to various personalities of Christian daemonology (Balthazar, Mammon). The occult aspect also adds much to the dark, brooding aspect of the film.However, the movie of course is not a traditional, dark, "Priest-vs.-Satan" movie; Reeves is great as the flawed hero with a wonderfully sardonic sense of humour. I am so tired of people always bagging on Reeves, claiming he's a bad, wooden actor. I beg to differ. In fact, I think in this movie his personality really shines through, and he does a great job portraying the complexity of his character. Constantine is a mix of tragedy, cynicism, self-pity, and yet also hope. He's an "everyman" in which the contrasts have been magnified, viz. the good is better, and the bad is worse, but all in all I see plenty of myself in him.The always delectable Rachel Weisz as "Angela" not only adds female eye-candy to the ensemble, but also does a great job being the person who's the "outsider" to the paranormal and occult, and thus acts as an anchor for the audience to identify with. Yet like Constantine, her character is also tinged with a bit of darkness, only in her case without the sardonic humour, so it's actually a bit creepy. I love the sexual/romantic tension between Angela and Constantine. It's unusually well-handled for a film of this sort. I'm glad they didn't kiss in the end, it only strengthens the tension and adds some delicious ambiguity to their relationship.Lastly I'd like to make a quick mention of how much I loved the character of Gabriel, the fallen angel played by Tilda Swinton. Swinton, with her big eyes, just has this unique, unusual, other-wordly kind of beauty that draws you in and yet makes you uncomfortable at the same time. She's utterly perfect for her role, which although small, was unforgettable for me. And there's something inexplicably sexy about Swinton as Gabriel. Maybe it's the gender-bending touch of masculinity in her dress and behaviour, or that suave, all-knowing look swirled together with that of a confused, crazy child. She's just....just go watch her.