Constantine
is a stunt show
By Philip Johnson
Contributing Writer
Constantine is ridiculous. It is amazing
how Keanu Reeves has made stoicism an acting style.
His character has no energy and no feelings. I
guess in that respect Reeves plays it out perfectly.
John Constantine (Reeves) is a chain-smoker.
I mention this because it is the main irony in
the film, he lives through countless bouts with
demons, but is no doubt going to die young because
of cigarettes.
He has the ability to recognize the demon half-breeds
that plague society.
He always knew that he had power to see them
and as a child it crippled him to the point that
he killed himself, which as it turned out did
not work out quite how he had pictured.
Yes, suicide did not relieve Constantine
from the torments of the Earthly realm. It eternally
damned him because taking one’s life is
a mortal sin. Well, at least that is what he is
told. Constantine actually believes that
if he does enough good acts during his tenure
on Earth, such as exorcising little girls and
sending demons back to Hell, he will be allowed
admittance into Heaven.
In a pinch, that is the main topic of the movie
— a damned human trying to get exonerated
himself from eternal incarceration. It sounds
like a decent enough premise for a film, but it
fails to provide the goods. What it does give
us is a 2-hour-long fight between Reeves and the
balance of angels and devils in our world.
The storyline that leads to the final climax
of the movie is about the Devil’s son trying
to be born onto Earth so he can rule in complete
horrific tyranny. An angel helps him in his quest
to Earth because he believes that the passage
into Heaven s too easy for humans and that with
the evil’s son’s help, she’ll
be better able to tell who to curse and who to
bless.
Movies like Constantine disappoint me
in the modern achievements of cinema. Some of
the things that are seen in the movie are incredible
to look at, although they never lead to anything
more.
The movie boils down to a proselytized stunt
show. At least the gentle twists and turns kept
me from falling asleep like the guy next to me.
For extra plot clarification, stay until the
end of the credits. But if the movie seems clear
enough, feel free to leave the theater as fast
as you can.
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