Opaque Lucidity

Constantine

I had the opportunity to see a sneak preview of 'Constantine' last night in Louisville. The film is about John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), a man who has the ability to see beyond the thin layer of our reality into the realm dominated by demons and other evil entities. He makes his way in the world by performing exorcisms, a career that has left him bitter and without faith in God or people.

The fireworks begin when Constantine meets up with Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), a police detective who doesn't buy the apparent fact that her twin sister committed suicide. The two quickly learn that the sisters are part of an earth-shattering plot which seeks to upset the "balance"---the agreement between God and Satan stating that neither will directly interfere in earthly affairs, but will rather only peddle influence.

After setting up the audience for what could have been very deep, thought-provoking second and third acts, the film becomes very ordinary. The special effects are, as we have come to expect from every movie, stunning and the scenes of hell are appropriately Dante-like. But the screenplay itself becomes little more than a complicated shoot-em up with the usual demon/vampire/underworld cliches thrown in for good measure (holy water will make a demon's skin burn, they are scared of crosses, etc.). Many avenues are left untraveled, such as the relationship between Constantine and his close circle of equally-weird friends. The film is based on the 'Hellblazer' comic book series, so comic devotees may already know the background of the main characters. I didn't and it left me wanting more.

That's not say this is a bad movie. It is fast-paced, a little quirky and, thankfully, there is nothing overtly offensive towards a religious (especially Catholic) audience. But if you are looking for weighty discussions of heaven, hell and the battle for souls, you need to look elsewhere.