Product: Constantine [Blu-ray] (2012)
Rating: 3.0
Dark World of Chain Smoking Hero - Awesome Concept!
The moral values of Christianity have been fostered throughout the Western world for centuries where the good go to heaven and the bad enters hell. Time on earth is merely a diverging road through which people are influenced in one of two directions - heaven or hell. The film Constantine spices up this notion with an additional set of thoughts that has been put into action through an agreement between God and Satan. Earth is a place where God and Satan can act upon the humans by the means of influence, which means they can guide people to their respective direction. The agreement also states that it is forbidden to act directly with or against the humans.The story unleashes itself on the audience through a teen girl that has been possessed by a demon. Monstrously, as seen in other horror films such as Exorcist (1973), the girl behaves until John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) arrives to the scene with a cigarette tightly held with the lips. Constantine places the cigarette on a dresser, as he goes to work on the girl by identifying the demon inside her. A fight for existence between the planes is commenced between Constantine and the demon, but Constantine knows what he does, as this is something he has done before. This opening scene is a promise of what is to come, but it does not give away the horrors that Constantine will face later.Misery and distress is eating up Constantine from within, as he discovers that his days are numbered on the earth. The habit, which began when he was 15, has slowly clogged up his lungs as he is little by little suffocating from the big black lumps inside his lungs that are caused by his smoking. This makes him seek out Gabriel in order to request a passage to heaven for all the good deeds he has done on earth. However, Gabriel informs Constantine that he must commit an act of pure goodness without personal gain in order to accomplish such a feat, and as he is already pledged to go to hell it is impossible. Stuck on earth knowing that he will be torn into pieces in hell for an eternity is too much even for a hardened hero such as Constantine who lights up another cigarette.Through Constantine's calling, the audience gets to meet Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), who has lost her sister in what the police identify as a suicide, but Angela thinks differently. Angela's suspicions lead her to seek Constantine's help, as something peculiar seems to be in the works. However, she has no idea how outlandish the force is that she is about to confront. Initially, Constantine rejects to help her, but when he notices something sinister luring in the shadows he changes his mind. Together they are about make a stand against the deadliest assault that earth has ever faced, and they have no choice other than to welcome the coming of the dark forces.Constantine is based on a comic book character, John Constantine, that first appeared in 1985 in Saga Of The Swamp Thing #37, however, eventually he earned himself his own comic book called Hellblazer. The world of John Constantine is dark and full of despair, which is engulfed in the stale cigarette smell that surrounds him. Constantine, in essence, is a selfish man that spreads gloom around him, as he is one of very few people that can see the true nature of the human society. This is a gift he uses to bargain for his life, as he is aware of his future destiny, a destiny he wants to avoid at all costs.The director Francis Lawrence does a good job capturing this dark world of John Constantine. Lawrence even pokes fun of the cigarette corporations in this film, as he states the obvious that smoking is lethal, which shines through in the final scene. The camera work is outstanding, as it enhances the dark moments of the story, but it also helps to induce emotions with corresponding scenes. There is, however, a few awkward moments such as when Keanu Reeves occasionally inhales cigarette smoke as if he was beginner to the habit that he supposedly began at the age of fifteen. The dark and unexpected world of Constantine opens very well, but this anxiety-ridden tale slowly loses its grip on the audience. Instead the audience slowly sinks into a comfortable position while they continue to enjoy the roller coaster ride of Constantine. This hurts the overall cinematic experience, as the horror element slowly is exchanged for some movie clichés that erase the unexpected. In the end, Constantine offers a decent cinematic experience, which offers mostly entertainment and some suspense with a dash of thought.