Constantine is a 2005 American action horror film directed by Francis Lawrence as his directorial debut, starring Keanu Reeves as John Constantine, with Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, and Djimon Hounsou. The film is based on Vertigo Comics' Hellblazer comic book, with plot elements taken from the "Dangerous Habits" story arc (issues #41-46) and the "Original Sins" trade paperback.
The film, which was met by film critics with mixed reactions, portrays John Constantine as a cynic with the ability to perceive and communicate with half-angels and half-demons in their true form. He seeks salvation from eternal damnation in Hell for a suicide attempt in his youth. Constantine exorcises demons back to Hell in a bid to earn favor with Heaven but has become weary over time. With death looming, he helps a troubled police detective learn the truth about her sister's death while simultaneously unraveling a much larger and darker plot.
Constantine was released in Hong Kong on March 8, 2005, and in the United States and Canada on March 18, 2005.
After a case involving a full-fledged demon trying to break onto the "human plane," Constantine (Keanu Reeves) seeks an audience with the androgynous half-breed angel Gabriel (Tilda Swinton). Gabriel advises that because he performs the exorcisms for his own benefit, they are vain acts that will not spare him from Hell. After his meeting with Gabriel, Constantine is attacked by a full-fledged demon. After a meeting with a former witch doctor known as Papa Midnite (Djimon Honsou) fails to produce answers, Constantine begins investigating the situation with his associates Beeman (Max Baker), Hennessy (Pruitt Taylor Vince), and Chas Kramer (Shia LaBeouf). L.A.P.D. Detective Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) shows up at Constantine's condo seeking consultation regarding her investigation of the death of her twin sister Isabel, who leapt from the roof of a mental hospital. Constantine tells Angela that God and Lucifer are engaged in a proxy war; a standing wager for the souls of all mankind. Neither true angels nor demons can manifest on Earth, but they are allowed to possess and influence humans.[edit]
Through Hennessy and Beeman's findings, Constantine learns that Mammon, Lucifer's son, seeks to create his own kingdom on Earth by breaking through onto the human plane. To do so, Mammon requires a powerful psychic, Isabel, who was provided by the half-demon Balthazar (Gavin Rossdale). After reporting the information, Hennessy and Beeman are found dead and Constantine concludes that Balthazar was responsible. Angela reveals that she possessed the same gift as her sister but denied it to the point that it became inactive. Constantine reawakens Angela's psychic ability through a near death experience, then hunts down and interrogates Balthazar who reveals that Mammon has obtained the Spear of Destiny, which has the blood of Jesus Christ encrusted on it. Angela is abducted by an unseen force and taken to Isabel's hospital to be used as the portal for Mammon’s entrance to Earth. Constantine storms Midnite’s club and Midnite allows him to use "The Chair", an old electric chair from Sing Sing Prison that had killed over 200 inmates, and it shows Constantine a vision that the Spear was discovered in Mexico and has been brought to Los Angeles. Constantine and Chas head to the hospital and interrupt the ritual, but Chas is beaten to death by an unseen force in the process.
Using incantations and sigils tattooed on his arms, Constantine reveals the force to be Gabriel but the angel promptly subdues Constantine. Gabriel laments God’s favoritism towards humans and believes that bringing Hell to Earth will enable those who survive to become truly worthy of God’s love through repentance and faith. Gabriel then throws Constantine from the room and begins to release Mammon. As Gabriel moves to stab Angela with the Spear and release Mammon, Constantineslits his wrists. Time stops as Lucifer (Peter Stormare) arrives to personally collect his soul. Constantine tells Lucifer about Mammon’s plan and Lucifer sends Mammon back to Hell to keep Mammon from conquering Earth before him. When Gabriel attempts to smite Lucifer, the angel's wings are burned away and Gabriel becomes human. In return for helping Lucifer, Constantine is owed a favor and asks that Isabel be allowed to go to Heaven. Lucifer obliges and begins to drag Constantine to Hell, but his self sacrifice has redeemed him and he begins to rise into Heaven. Infuriated and wishing to reacquire Constantine's soul, Lucifer heals his wounds and cures him of his lung cancer so that he may live again. Constantine departs with the Spear after refusing the temptation to kill Gabriel, and gives the Spear to Angela instructing her to hide it. In the closing scene instead of smoking a cigarette, like in the past, he starts to chew on some nicotine gum. In a post credit scene Constantine visits Chas’ grave and watches as he rises into Heaven as an angel.
[edit]Cast
- Keanu Reeves as John Constantine, a chain-smoking cynical individual with the ability to perceive the true visage of half-angels and half-demons on the humanplane. Constantine is damned to Hell for committing suicide -- a mortal sin -- and has terminal lung cancer.
- Rachel Weisz as Detective Angela Dodson & Isabel Dodson:
- As Angela Dodson, a troubled Los Angeles Police Department Detective investigating what she believes to be the murder of her twin sister, Isabel.
- As Isabel Dodson, a powerful psychic and involuntarily committed mental patient with the ability to see half-demons and half-angels. She is damned to Hell for committing suicide.
- Shia LaBeouf as Chas Kramer, John Constantine's driver and student. Kramer has a strong interest in the occult and helps Constantine whenever possible in order to gain knowledge and experience from him.
- Tilda Swinton as Gabriel, an androgynous, half-breed angel with a disdain for humanity.
- Pruitt Taylor Vince as Father Hennessy, an insomniac, alcoholic priest with the ability to communicate with the dead. He constantly drinks in order to "keep the voices out".
- Djimon Hounsou as Papa Midnite, a former witch-doctor who once fought against Hell. After swearing an oath of neutrality - unless one side should tip the balance of power - he opened a nightclub to serve as neutral meeting ground for both sides of the war between Heaven and Hell.
- Gavin Rossdale as Balthazar, a half-breed demon with a special penchant for, and personal history with Constantine.
- Peter Stormare as Lucifer, a fallen angel who is in a proxy war with God for the souls of all mankind. Lucifer loathes Constantine with such vigor that Constantine's is the only soul which he would ever come up to the Earth plane from Hell to personally collect.
- Max Baker as Beeman, a friend of Constantine's with a liking for exotic materials and insects. He serves as both a supplier of holy objects and relayer of information to Constantine.
Constantine
Theatrical release posterDirected by Francis Lawrence Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Benjamin Melniker
Lauren Shuler Donner
Erwin Stoff
Michael E. UslanScreenplay by Kevin Brodbin
Frank CappelloStory by Kevin Brodbin Starring Keanu Reeves
Rachel Weisz
Shia LaBeouf
Tilda Swinton
Pruitt Taylor Vince
Djimon HounsouMusic by Klaus Badelt
Brian TylerCinematography Philippe Rousselot Editing by Wayne Wahrman Studio Village Roadshow Pictures
Vertigo DC Comics
Weed Road PicturesDistributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Release date(s) March 8, 2005(Hong Kong)
March 18, 2005(United States)Running time 121 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $100 million Box office $230,884,728[1]
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