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The Keanu Reeves 'Constantine' Is A Better Movie Than You Remember
Orrin Grey
Orrin Grey
Updated October 16, 2019
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Released in 2005, director Francis Lawrence's Constantine starred Keanu Reeves as the DC Comics/Vertigo character, though fans were quick to note that this movie version of John Constantine didn't look or sound much like the one from the comics. Originally created by Alan Moore, the Constantine of the Hellblazer comics is an irreverent, foul-mouthed Brit with blond hair while the movie version is played by the dark-haired Reeves - who thankfully does not attempt a British accent as he did in 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula - and the action moves to Los Angeles.
For some fans of the comics, the differences were a deal-breaker, which may have had something to do with the film's poor critical performance - it only has a 46% on Rotten Tomatoes. Also telling, however, is that Constantine came out on the heels of Reeves's role in the Matrix trilogy, leading to unfair comparisons to those very different films. Also, comic book movies hadn't really found their footing yet in 2005. After all, the first Guillermo del Toro Hellboy came out only the year before and Iron Man was still three years away.
Whatever the reasons, a lot of people dismissed Constantine when it first came out, despite the presence of a truly devilish devil and no shortage of visual panache. With Reeves back in the spotlight thanks to the John Wick franchise, it's time to take another look at this unsung gem of a movie. You might be surprised to learn that 2005's Constantine is a better film than you remember.
Peter Stormare Plays One Of The Most Memorable Movie Satans
Peter Stormare Plays One Of The Most Memorable Movie Satans
Photo: Warner Bros.
Early in the film, Constantine is told that his is the only soul Satan will come up to collect in person, which is exactly what happens during the climax. Played by Peter Stormare, we're first introduced to Constantine's Satan as boiling tar drips down onto the floor from his bare feet and stains the hem of his white pants. Decked out in a white suit, he pulls up a chair to taunt Constantine, and the combination of Stormare's gentility and strange mannerisms sell one of the most unforgettable devils ever put on screen.
If you aren't sold on Stormare's Satan the moment he shows up, you will be by the time he confronts the "half-breed" angel Gabriel. "Son of perdition!" Gabriel calls him. "Most unclean!" Stormare smiles and practically purrs, "I do miss the old names."
Hell Is Depicted As Undergoing A Perpetual Nuclear Blast
Hell Is Depicted As Undergoing A Perpetual Nuclear Blast
Photo: Warner Bros.
When it came to creating the look of hell in Constantine, director Francis Lawrence had a unique vision. "His idea was that hell is a parallel universe," visual effects supervisor Mike Fink explained. "It exists in another dimension as a complete replica of our world. You have the same buildings, the same streets, and the same rooms. The difference is that everything seems to be perpetually hit by a nuclear heat wave. This universe keeps decaying forever. It just never stops."
Creating the effect took seven vendors and an extended period of filming, but the result is a vision of hell like no other. Palm trees burn as a ruined LA skyline looms on the horizon. A radioactive wind picks apart everything in sight and cadaverous demons swarm among the souls. To get the visuals right, the FX team looked at actual footage of nuclear blasts that had been declassified for the 1984 TV movie The Day After.
The Film Is Littered With Visual Tics And Gags
Photo: Warner Bros.
Whether it's as subtle as the numbers 666 hidden in the logo painted on the wall of the bowling alley where John Constantine lives, or as obvious as the billboard that reads "got faith," there are plenty of visuals buried in Constantine's textured depiction of LA.
The film's MacGuffin is the Spear of Destiny, which pierced the side of Christ, and it is found buried beneath the concrete ruins of what was probably once a church, its three crosses now forming a nod to Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified. Another time, as Constantine is bent over coughing in the rain, he looks up to see a billboard that says "Your time is running out... to buy a new Chevy."
'Constantine' Is A Supernatural Film Noir
Photo: Warner Bros.
A hard-drinking, chain-smoking freelance exorcist who has literally been to hell and back, the John Constantine of the movie is a detective character brought into a world populated by supernatural beings who he calls "half-breeds," and he is caught up in a wager between God and the Devil.
The movie trades in plenty of film noir staples. Constantine has been around and seen it all, or so he thinks until a woman who is more than she appears brings new trouble into his life. There are doubles - Rachel Weisz appears as a pair of twins - and double-crosses, and everyone is playing a long game with much higher stakes than they thought. What starts out as a simple enough investigation turns out to be part of a much bigger conspiracy. And, of course, while there's no Maltese Falcon, Constantine does have its very own MacGuffin, in the form of the "Spear of Destiny," the lance that pierced Jesus Christ.
Constantine even delivers a Philip Marlowe-style voiceover before the credits roll. Leah Schnelbach makes a good case for Constantine as a modern film noir over at Tor.
The Mystic Is Preserved By Ambiguity
Photo: Warner Bros.
The mechanics of heaven and hell are pretty straightforward and the theology of Constantine is heavily rooted in Catholicism, but there are still plenty of unexplained plot points in this film. For fans of ambiguity in the supernatural, that's a real selling point.
After all, there's very little wonder in a world where everything is explained, and a film like this could easily get bogged down with too much exposition. We understand the rules of the wager between God and the Devil and what "half-breeds" are and how demons work, but we're never told what that keyring of symbols Constantine flips through during the first exorcism is, or what he wraps around his hand when the demons attack outside his apartment, or just what exactly Papa Midnite's powers even are.
Constantine's world is full of things we never see, which is a treat for those who like their supernatural to feel numinous and real.
The Demons Are Successfully Creepy
Photo: Warner Bros.
While most of the fights in Constantine are between the titular character and human-looking "half-breeds," there had to be some actual demons thrown into the mix. Besides a "Vermin Man" made up of bugs and snakes and other critters, most of the demons in the film look like human cadavers that are missing the top half of their head. It's a striking visual, and one that was inspired by actual photographs of autopsies and the work of Polish artist Zdzisław Beksiński. Once the concept art was approved, it was sent to Stan Winston Studios and Tippett Studio to bring the demons to life.
Filed under:Keanu ReevesConstantine (Film)EntertainmentDC ComicsHorrorSuperhero & Comic Book MoviesRanker ComicsTotal NerdRe-EvaluationActorsFilmComics
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Art
Oh my God.
Books. The feeling of knowing other people relate to you. Travelling wherever the book takes you. Falling in love with the guy and realizing that he’s not a physical person. Your heart beating, your hand sweaty, because you know what’s gonna happen. Your so scared you just need to put the book down and remind yourself that it’s not real life, unfortunately.
Music. Headphones in, music on. The beat, the tune, the words. Music is just....unbelievable.
Poems. Oh God, poetry. It is beautiful.
Words. Saving a bunch of word posts on pinterest and tumblr, because you can relate. Because you just realized that hygge means happiness. You want to save these forever. Because these are the posts where its like it was made specifically for you and it describes your feelings perfectly.
Drawing. Getting the exact angle of her face correctly. Shading in with a pencil so much that your fingers become black.
This is art. It takes you away like wind flowing through the branches of a beautiful maple tree. It is beautiful.
#art#drawing#books#words#music#love#iloveart#beautiful#lovely#poetry#poems#headphones#relatable#totalnerd
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Do you feel like a TOTAL DORK when you talk about your passions?! “Nobody’s gonna care what I have to say” “I feel so lame” “Ugh, this is a stupid idea” ⬆️ Do you say these things to yourself before opening your mouth about things you’re passionate about?! That’s how I felt when I was talking about Geeknasium at the NYC Entrepreneur Event with @meganyelaney @karriebrady & @mycoachrachel BUT JUST LOOK AT HOW @gabrielle__fit IS LOOKING AT ME! I had no idea! Thank god @catherinepattersonphotography was around to snap this candid! Listen. ➡️ Your ideas AREN'T stupid! ➡️ The things you care about ARE COOL because YOU LOVE THEM. ➡️ People can tell when you are passionate about something. That energy is CONTAGIOUS. 🔥🔥🔥 You never know who you might inspire - hey it might even be yourself 😉 - when you open your mind and mouth to the things you’re passionate about. You might make a new friend, find a new business partner, cosplay buddy, or in my case: LITERAL SUPPORT SYSTEM, just by opening up about things you care about. Don’t hold back anymore 🤩 What’s something you’ve held back talking about out of fear of it seeming “dumb” or “uncool” 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 I wanna know so we can geek out about it together!! . . . . . . . #NYCEntrepreneur #ladyboss #girlboss #geekout #passionate #totalnerd #selfdoubt #negativeselftalk #dontholdback #letitgo #fitnerd #speakup #yourideasarentstupid #strongher #supportsystem #geekfriends #geeknasium https://www.instagram.com/p/B7WnFzJjQzR/?igshid=zolefvcos7tu
#nycentrepreneur#ladyboss#girlboss#geekout#passionate#totalnerd#selfdoubt#negativeselftalk#dontholdback#letitgo#fitnerd#speakup#yourideasarentstupid#strongher#supportsystem#geekfriends#geeknasium
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My Birthday was yesterday and I celebrated by doing my favorite thing... staying late organizing my bookshop! Think I might be a little obsessed...😂 📖🤓❤️📚🤗 #thebooklady #cbbookcorral #grassrootsbookshop #indiebookshop #diybusiness #groundup #booksbooksbooks #booklover #totalnerd #booknerd #ilovebooks #crazybooklady #neverenoughbooks #bookselfie #bookmountain #climbingbookmountain #thestacks #meetmeatthebookstore #libraseason♎️ #librasrule #virgomoon #september26 #birthdaygirl #booksellerlife #bookseller #selfemployedlife #lotsofbooks #loveit (at CB Book Corral) https://www.instagram.com/p/B26KKhjh4Td/?igshid=10yk15dn09n1b
#thebooklady#cbbookcorral#grassrootsbookshop#indiebookshop#diybusiness#groundup#booksbooksbooks#booklover#totalnerd#booknerd#ilovebooks#crazybooklady#neverenoughbooks#bookselfie#bookmountain#climbingbookmountain#thestacks#meetmeatthebookstore#libraseason♎️#librasrule#virgomoon#september26#birthdaygirl#booksellerlife#bookseller#selfemployedlife#lotsofbooks#loveit
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Today I taught a digital collage workshop at my ol alma mater @universityofthearts and while they were busy making cool stuff, i put this lil guy together. I used to give myself little one day collage assignments (because I'm a dork) and it felt nice to get back into it (because I'm a dork). . . #hugedork #arealwiener #totalnerd #somebodygivemeaswirly #collageart #digitalcollage #spookyscary #ghostsiguess #realproof #boathouse
#collageart#spookyscary#hugedork#realproof#digitalcollage#totalnerd#boathouse#somebodygivemeaswirly#ghostsiguess#arealwiener
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Wet hair don't care. Random selfie because I've been sick as a dog for 4 days (Instagram building while I lay dying) and I'm finally feeling human! Yay for humanity! (On a side note both Garfield and David Bowie see all!!) #showertherapy #photocasslife #photographerselfie #dorkmoment #onevoice #canon #pinkpower #imageek #davidbowie #bowieobsessed #garfield #iphone5photography #iphoneselfie #omahaphotographer #totalnerd
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This weeks #womencrushwednesday goes out to two of the reasons why I love being a #vancouver actress... @alisonwandzura and @vanessaandreawalsh 💗💗 . . So many rad women in this city!! Auditions are basically lovefests with the occasional #fiercewomen photoshoot...Or in this case, a captured display of our awkwardness...er I mean awesomeness!! Thanks for so brilliantly documenting the #truth @nelsonhleis . . . 💪👊🙌 #wcw #badassbitches #lovefest #boxshot #behindthescenes #totalnerds #workthatwall #womenrule #loveyouladies #highvibetribe (at Vancouver, British Columbia)
#highvibetribe#wcw#badassbitches#workthatwall#truth#lovefest#boxshot#loveyouladies#womenrule#womencrushwednesday#fiercewomen#totalnerds#vancouver#behindthescenes
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We're so serious about books at book club we all brought a *second* book. #bookstagram #totalnerds
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natures_melody_
Crisp hike before work....wearing my beloved grandmothers coat...always miss that amazing woman.
....#ruiva #redheadlife #redheadsrock#redheadsdoitbetter #redheadlove#ginger #naturalredhead #redhair#redheadshavemorefun #gingergirl#redheadproblems #beauty#redheadsofinstagram #redheadsrule#redheaded #redheads#redheadroyalty #redhead#redhairdontcare #photography #love#freckles #redhairsmile#redheadedbeauty #redheadbeauty#redheads_girls #redheadgirls#redheadgirl#foureyes#totalnerd
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Stop trying to put me a box it’s against my personality lol Photographer: WC Productions San Diego #putmeinabox #idontfitinabox #noboxes #unique #original #myownperdon #quirkygirl #quirky #imnotabox #imdiffrent #embracinguniqueness #notyourtypicalgirl #notyourtypical #notyourtypicalwoman #nerdygurls #nerdygirl #nerdy #totalnerd #imnotcool #jeans #jeansandheels #sandiegochic #sandiegogirl #sandiegogirls #sandiegogirlboss #vegasgirls #vegasgirl #goldheels https://www.instagram.com/p/CPuQIKkN1h3/?utm_medium=tumblr
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🤔 #Repost @totalnerd_ with @get_repost ・・・ He asking the real questions though. (via Facebook) #totalnerd #marvel #blackpanther (at Hialeah, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BouX84FnIbu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3yvwvxpzfpqy
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#Repost @totalnerd_ ・・・ “I hope they remember you.” #Thanos #Avengers #InfinityWar #MCU #Marvel #Death #Awesome #Bestof #TotalNerd
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Looking forward to seeing Avengers Infinity War in about an hour!!! #marvel #imanavenger #totalnerd (at Regal Cinemas Delta Shores 14 & IMAX)
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Sorry for the late post. Today was kind of a crazy day. I got this years ago because I was interested in writing graphic novels. It is a cool read. I wish I could draw so I could make my own 😊 No tag today sorry. I'll try to work on more soon 💕 But there is a new video up on my YouTube channel: The Subtle Knife Review and tea pairing https://youtu.be/yC-ptnCJcyk QOTD- tell me about some of your hobbies (other than reading 😜) #howtowriteagraphicnovel #thedcguidetowritingcomics #awesomebook #graphicnovelhelp #graphicnovellove #booknerd #nerdywriter #totalnerd
#awesomebook#graphicnovellove#totalnerd#nerdywriter#howtowriteagraphicnovel#thedcguidetowritingcomics#booknerd#graphicnovelhelp
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Bwhahahaha #itcrowd #ringtone for the office phone. Helping my coworkers to know whose #phone is ringing off the hook #lol #totalnerd
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