Constantine (2005)

Director:

Francis Lawrence

Writers (WGA):

Jamie Delano (comic book "Hellblazer") &
Garth Ennis (comic book "Hellblazer") ...

Release Date:

18 February 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Hell wants him. Heaven won't take him. Earth needs him.

Plot:

Based on the DC/Vertigo comic book Hellblazer and written by Kevin Brodbin, Mark Bomback and Frank Capello, Constantine tells the story of irreverent supernatural detective John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), who has literally been to hell and back.

Plot Keywords:

Hell | Demon | Twin Sister | Suicide | Twin

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Keanu Reeves	...	John Constantine
Rachel Weisz	...	Angela Dodson / Isabel Dodson
Shia LaBeouf	...	Chas Kramer
Djimon Hounsou	...	Midnite
Max Baker	...	Beeman
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Father Hennessy
Gavin Rossdale	...	Balthazar
Tilda Swinton	...	Gabriel
Peter Stormare	...	Satan
Jesse Ramirez	...	Scavenger
José Zúñiga	...	Detective Weiss (as Jose Zuniga)
Francis Guinan	...	Father Garret
Larry Cedar	...	Vermin Man
April Grace	...	Dr. Leslie Archer
Suzanne Whang	...	Mother

Also Known As:

Constantine (Germany)
Hellblazer (USA) (working title)
John Constantine: Hellblazer (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and demonic images.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Filipino | Tagalog

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #41423) | Taiwan:R-12 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | Italy:T | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | New Zealand:M | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA (original rating) | Australia:M (re-rating on appeal) | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | India:A | Ireland:18 (video rating) | Ireland:16 (original rating) | France:-12

Filming Locations:

Angeles Abbey Memorial Park - 1515 E. Compton Blvd., Compton, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Constantine slits his wrists, starting with his left, and Lucifer reaches out to claim him with his left hand, in keeping with the traditional depiction of the left ("sinister") side being associated with evil.

Goofs:

Continuity: By the end of the movie when John's hair is all wet, his pony constantly changes between takes and scenes - sometimes it's hanging and sometimes it's stuck to his forehead.

Quotes:

Vermin Man: [just before he attacks Constantine, who is coughing blood on the sidewalk] Hey, buddy, got a light?

Movie Connections:

References Taxi Driver (1976)

Soundtrack:

Take Five

The anti-hero in us all.

Constantine was the Roman emperor who recognized Christianity and made if possible for the Church to move from the underground into the public arena. He did it out of convenience, thinking that it would be easier to work with the Christian church than try to fight it. He lived most of his life as a ruthless leader who gave the orders to kill even members of his family. Constantine accomplished much good in his life, even though he had what most would say were impure motives.

But the Roman Constantine is not the same as the same-named title character of the new film, "Constantine," from DC-Vertigo Comics and Warner Brothers Pictures. Or is he? John Constantine, from the comic novels "Hellblazer," is doomed to hell when he dies. His situation may be hopeless, but he operates as if he could buy his way into heaven by doing enough good by removing enough evil from the world. He's a chain-smoking, hard-drinking, rude and uncaring man who is the hero of our film.

Angela Dodson is a pure-hearted, loving sister who is seeking the truth to her twin sister, Isabel's, death. It would seem she has nothing but the best motives, but conflicted people and incongruous motives are what make this movie interesting.

Interesting questions surrounding the death of Jesus Christ, the existence of demons on Earth, the ultimate destination of our soul when we die and even the perfect lack of all evil in angels are woven into a screen adaptation of a character and story with a cult following. It seems as though this ambiguity regarding good and evil may exist in film as well as real life. In "Constantine," it is not good verses evil -- but rather it is good and evil taking turns messing things up and making them better. In life the rule seems to be strangely similar. John Constantine's ability to do good without pure motives may give hope to the rest of us who regularly do things for all the wrong reasons.

The visuals and the sound presentation in this film are wonderful. Philippe Rousselot's cinematography and Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt's energetic soundtrack are masterful. The acting, however, is only adequate. Keanu Reaves has long since learned how to play Keanu Reaves. He continues with what he knows best. Shia LaBeouf, after a similar role in "I, Robot," is becoming quite an accomplished "plucky sidekick" too. But the standout in this film is the emotional and endearing performance by Rachel Weisz as Angela Dodson. The movie is one worth seeing aside from her presence, but Weisz's performance take it from a "see it if you like action movies" recommendation to a "see it to admire Rachel Weisz's performance" endorsement.

Constantine is rated "R" for demonic images and violence. It opens in theatres February 18.