HC Reviews

Constantine

Keanu Reeves --- John Constantine
Rachel Weisz --- Angela/Isabel Dodson
Tilda Swinton --- Gabriel
Djimon Hounsou --- Midnite
Gavin Rossdale --- Balthazar
Peter Stormare --- Satan

Constantine stars Keanu as a man who has the ability to see 'half-breed' demons. His "job" on earth, after being sent to hell briefly for attempting suicide (he was resuscitated after being dead for 30 seconds or some such bit), is to send meddling half-breeds back to hell in an attempt to win his way into heaven. The movie is based on the comic book by the name of Hellblazer --I've no knowledge of the comic, and perhaps it was better that way. A friend familiar with the comic scoffed at the movie when the lights came back up :) Along the way he comes across Detective Dodson and in helping her find out what happened to her twin sister, also stumbles across something horribly sinister....

I had a strong urge to see this movie, even though I thought the liklihood of it being good was slim. I was actually surprised, though. I kind of liked it. Don't get me wrong--it was no jump-out-of-your-seat thriller. It wasn't even all that creepy. The only part that really got me was the car impact scene at the very beginning. I can watch people get shot just fine, but hit 'em with a car and my stomach turns. But for a one-time viewing, I'd say it was quite watchable.

If you're a fan of Keanu and his typical less than animated acting, you'll feel right at home in Constantine. I swear sometimes they could replace him with a 6' tall block of wood and you'd get the same feeling out of a scene. The most action you really got out of Mr. Reeves, was his interaction with his lighter. Good god man...does it really take that much energy to flick a bic? Rachel Weisz, again plays the attractive damsel in distress. Kudos to her performance, though. And kudos to her character's name! (we've got something in common...) Oh yeah, the other creepy thing...hearing satan whisper your name, though in a movie, still gave me the shivers.

And finally, last but not least, my embarrassing secret. I'll admit I wanted to see it beforehand, but the real reason I jumped in my car and drove to the theatre was due to my having read that Balthazar, servant to satan, was played by none other than my high school love, Mr. Gavin Rossdale. Yes, kids, he can't really act. But I was pleasantly surprised that he's still quite attractive as a nearly 40 has-been rocker ;)