I predict that Constantine will not have the same wide appeal as the Matrix, Keanu Reeves' last big-budget special effects movie, but to a certain fan base (those who miss Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel for instance) this movie will be enormously popular. Fortunately for me, I count myself as a part of that group.
Reeves plays John Constantine, an exorcist/demon-hunter. From an early age he has been able to see the demons and angels who walk amongst mankind. These visions eventually caused him to attempt suicide. He was resuscitated after two minutes, but since he was technically dead by suicide, a mortal sin in the Catholic Church, his soul is destined for hell. In a bid to change his fate, he now spends his days and nights battling Hell's minions in an effort to “buy" his way into heaven; a task that is lent urgency by the news that he is suffering from terminal lung cancer.
While I've always been a bit of a fan of Keanu's, I'll be the first to admit that it's pretty unlikely that he'll ever win any acting awards. He always seems to be in either one of two modes, full-on surfer dude a la Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, or stiff and serious as in Speed or The Matrix films. Constantine definitely falls on the stiff and serious side, but as the movie is mostly action and Reeves is the brooding hero, he handles the part well enough.
The plot of the film kicks into gear when a woman jumps to her death from the roof of a hospital. Angela (Weisz), the woman's sister, is a police detective who is convinced that despite all evidence to the contrary, her sister would never commit suicide. Suspecting foul play of the more than normal kind, she is led to Constantine's door to ask for help. After some initial reluctance, he agrees to help her; only to discover that what is truly happening is much bigger than either one of them.
If there's a trick to making movies of this nature, it's this. The filmmakers have to take the subject matter seriously. If it's obvious to the audience that the movie was made with a wink and nudge, then it will never work and the movie becomes campy. There's no such problem like that here. The script is well written, with just the right amount of humor injected into the horror and action. Exposition is also kept to a minimum so that you never feel like you're being told what's happening. You just have to pick up the rules of this movie world and its characters as it goes along, which keeps the plot moving. Perhaps the only moment that borders on campiness is the performance of Peter Stormare as Satan.
The look of the movie is post-modern noir, with all of the main characters dressed in black and white and the rain-drenched streets of Los Angeles combined with modern special effects and computer generated demons.
I definitely believe that this movie is going to find a love it or hate it reaction from the audience. Either you enjoy this type of film or you don't. I loved it.
