Themes: Priceless Artifacts and Prized Objects, Demonic Possession, Race Against Time
Main Cast: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Djimon Hounsou, Max Baker
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
An ordinary man with an extraordinary gift must save the planet from evil in this action-packed fantasy. Unknown to most people, the world is crowded with spirits both good and evil who walk among us in human guise. One of the few who can see these spirits is John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), but the responsibility of his vision is more than he can stand, and he tries to kill himself. Saved from death, Constantine must now atone for his actions by acting as a guardian in the middle ground between Paradise and Hell. Constantine also makes the acquaintance of Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), a police detective who becomes aware of his unusual gift while looking into the death of her sister; he leads her into the unknown world of the spirits and soon circumstances demand that they join forces in a desperate bid to save humanity from evil. Constantine also features Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare, and Gavin Rossdale, the latter best known as the lead singer of the rock group Bush. Michelle Monaghan (Made of Honor) was originally in the film (cast as a half-breed demon) but director Francis Lawrence cut her scenes. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Based on the DC comic Hellblazer, Warner Bros.' Constantine is a murky tale of heavenly redemption, which is basically what the comic company has been looking for ever since the slap in the face that was Catwoman. While leaps and bounds above that wretched pile, you could say this flick is basically an American slap in the face to the Brits, who have long championed the bastard character of John Constantine as their country's own. Cue in Keanu, fresh from the intellectually bloated Matrix trilogy, turning in a moody performance full of drawn-out line deliveries that, while stilted, deliver just enough of the original character to make it work, though the screenwriters don't help things by handing him yet another morose guy to deal with instead of retaining the piss and vinegar that made Constantine such a likable chap to begin with. With more attitude and less glum, the movie would have had a better center to keep it from wallowing in its gloomy seriousness. Still, first-time director Francis Lawrence brings an inspired eye to the picture, delivering on the dingy atmosphere with fantastical effects around each corner to keep things interesting. Despite a gutsy ending that hinges on a late but deliciously juicy reveal of the main villain, the flick seems to have been sculpted in the editing room and not on the page. The sidekick characters are hardly used (and in Shia LaBeouf's case, serve little purpose in the story), and some slog the picture for its vague take on the mysticism angle, even though it remains to be one of the flick's strongest and boldest creative choices. In the end, Constantine is an entertaining ride that only slightly misses its mark, but it's certainly worth the price of admission for people that are looking for something a bit different from your usual Hollywood fare. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
Pruitt Taylor Vince - Father Hennessy; Gavin Rossdale - Balthazar; Tilda Swinton - Gabriel; Peter Stormare - Satan; Larry Cedar - Vermin Man; Edward J. Rosen - Liquor Store Clerk; Ann Ryerson - Old Woman on Bus; Suzanne Whang - Mother; April Grace - Dr. Archer; Sharon Omi - Female Tenant; José Zuñiga - Detective Weiss; Francis Guinan - Father Garrett; Alice Lo - Old Woman; Nicolas Downs - Church Attendant; Jeremy Ray Valdez - Liquor Store Clerk; Johanna Trias - Possessed Girl; Tanoai Reed - Midnite Bouncer; John Gipson - Smoking Man; Laz Alonso - Morgue Security Guard; Barbara Pilavin - Old Woman on Bus (Demon); Jesse Ramirez - Scavenger; Quinn Buniel - 10 Year- Old Constantine; Stephanie Fabian - Molly's Server; Connor Dylan Wryn - Teenage Constantine; Jose Molina - Scavenger #2; C.W. Pyun - Korean Man; Roberto Kawata - Police Officer
Credit
David S. Lazan - Art Director, Chuck Duke - Animator, Aaron Gilman - Animator, Julie Jaros - Animator, Guido Muzzarelli - Animator, Mark Shoaf - Animator, Jason Armstrong - Animator, Michael Kitchen - Animator, Brian Mendenhall - Animator, Jim Brown - Animator, Michael Leonard - Animator, Jess Vickery - Animator, FURIOUS FX - Animator, David Lingenfelser - Animator, Scott Dougherty - Animator, Marvin E. Lewis - Boom Operator, Denise Chamian - Casting, Brian Tyler - Conductor, Josh McLaglen - Co-producer, Cherylanne Martin - Co-producer, Rick Kelly - Co-producer, Louise Frogley - Costume Designer, Josh McLaglen - First Assistant Director, Darin John Rivetti - First Assistant Director, Francis Lawrence - Director, Michael Fink - Second Unit Director, Wayne Wahrman - Editor, Gilbert Adler - Executive Producer, Michael Aguilar - Executive Producer, Chad Stahelski - Fights Choreographer, Molly Allen - Location Manager, Doug S. McClintock II - Location Manager, Brian Tyler - Composer (Music Score), Klaus Badelt - Composer (Music Score), Brian Tyler - Songwriter, Klaus Badelt - Songwriter, Steve Artmond - Makeup, Stan Winston Studio - Makeup Special Effects, Mark La Bonge - Camera Operator, Naomi Shohan - Production Designer, Philippe Rousselot - Cinematographer, Neal Norton - Cinematographer, Lauren Shuler-Donner - Producer, Michael E. Uslan - Producer, Erwin Stoff - Producer, Benjamin Melniker - Producer, Akiva Goldsman - Producer, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura - Producer, Melissa J. Daniel - Research, Richard Mays - Set Designer, Steven Schwartz - Set Designer, Greg Berry - Set Designer, William Law III - Set Designer, Allen Hall - Special Effects, Matthew Hall - Special Effects, Frank Toro - Special Effects, James Reedy - Special Effects, David Waine - Special Effects, Joe Montenegro - Special Effects, Ante Dugandzic - Special Effects, Andrew Weder - Special Effects, Michael R. Kay - Special Effects, Nathaniel Acord - Special Effects, Brian Barnhart - Special Effects, Anthony Ray Herrera - Special Effects, Jack B. Jennings - Special Effects, Jeff "Khach" Adoorian - Special Effects, Jeff Ogg - Special Effects, Craig Reedy - Special Effects, Jay T. Rockwell - Special Effects, Parry D. Willard - Special Effects, Carlos M. Rodriguez - Special Effects, Pam Elliott - Special Effects, Willie D. Burton - Sound Mixer, Willie D. Burton - Sound/Sound Designer, Jeremy Peirson - Sound/Sound Designer, Steven Ho - Stunts, Henry Kingi - Stunts, Brian Duffy - Stunts, Michael Brady - Stunts, Christian Fletcher - Stunts, Hiro Koda - Stunts, Richard Cetrone - Stunts, Scott Rogers - Stunts, Chris Palermo - Stunts, Tim Rigby - Stunts, Mike Justus - Stunts, Kenny Alexander - Stunts, Jason Rodriguez - Stunts, Bob Brown - Stunts, Debbie Rondell - Stunts, Jeremy Fitzgerald - Stunts, Thomas Ficke - Stunts, Rex Reddick - Stunts, Jared Eddo - Stunts, Brad Martin - Stunts, Gloria O'Brien - Stunts, Andree Gibbs - Stunts, J.J. Perry - Stunts, Brandon Johnson - Stunts, Marcus Young - Stunts, Thirl R. Haston - Stunts, Hank Amos - Stunts, David Hugghins - Stunts, Doug O'Dell - Stunts, Jane Oshita - Stunts, David Schultz - Stunts, Xuyen T. Valdivia - Stunts, Clint James - Stunts, Heidi Moneymaker - Stunts, Matthew Rugetti - Stunts, Paul Crawford - Stunts, Lena Fennema - Stunts, Greg Anthony - Stunts, Jeremy Fry - Stunts, Karin Silvestri - Stunts, R.A. Rondell - Stunts Coordinator, Cherylanne Martin - Unit Production Manager, Kevin Brodbin - Screen Story, Frank Cappello - Screenwriter, Kevin Brodbin - Screenwriter, Michael Fink - Visual Effects Supervisor, Craig Hayes - Visual Effects Supervisor, George Murphy - Visual Effects Supervisor, Ian Hunter - Visual Effects Supervisor, Greg Juby - Visual Effects Supervisor, Stephen Flick - Sound Effects Editor, John Fasal - Sound Effects Editor, Craig Berkey - Sound Effects Editor, Charles Maynes - Sound Effects Editor, James Morioka - Sound Effects Editor, Patricia Libenson - Sound Effects Editor, Paulette Osorio - Unit Publicist, Stan Winston Studio - Animatronic Effects, Pamela Rittelmeyer - First Assistant Camera, C. Alan Rawlins - Key Grip, Andrew Taylor - Key Grip, Shane Mahan - Makeup Supervisor, John Rosengrant - Makeup Supervisor, Joe Lisanti - Music Editor, Daryl Kell - Music Editor, Gary L. Krause - Music Editor, Martin Tillman - Musical Performer, Ilyse A. Reutlinger - Post Production Supervisor, Ted Deiker - Production Coordinator, Matthew J. Birch - Production Supervisor, Kirk Corwin - Properties Master, David E. Campbell - Re-Recording Mixer, Gregg Rudloff - Re-Recording Mixer, John Reitz - Re-Recording Mixer, Luca Kouimelis - Script Supervisor, Basil Bryant Grillo - Second Assistant Director, Mark La Bonge - Steadicam Operator, David James - Still Photographer, Skip Lievsay - Supervising Sound Editor, Randy Bricker - Visual Effects Producer, Ann Podlozny - Visual Effects Producer, Amy Hollywood Wixson - Visual Effects Producer, Jason Heapy - Visual Effects Producer, Denise Davis - Visual Effects Producer, Donna Langston - Visual Effects Producer, Joe Dorn - ADR Editor, Eric Gotthelf - ADR Mixer, Thomas J. O'Connell - ADR Mixer, Troy Porter - ADR Mixer, Dean Tschetter - Assistant Art Director, Robert Fechtman - Assistant Art Director, Suzan Wexler - Assistant Art Director, Jason Sweers - Assistant Art Director, James Babineaux - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician, Gene Hara - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician, Gretel Twombly - Assistant Production Coordinator, Andrew M. Siegel - Assistant Properties, Greg Ten Bosch - Assistant Sound Editor, Riko Schatke - Best Boy Grip, Huston Beaumont - Best Boy Grip, Dena Berman - Casting Assistant, Scout Masterson - Casting Associate, Jack English - Chief Lighting Technician, Juan Morse - Chief Lighting Technician, Robert Q. Mathews - Costumes Supervisor, Susan Dudeck - Dialogue Editor, Ulrika Akander - Dialogue Editor, Darryl "D-Man" Humber - Dolly Grip, Stephen M. Foss - Dolly Grip, Tracy Dixon - Extra Casting, Katherine Zaslaw - First Assistant Accountant, Gordon Antell - First Assistant Editor, John Roesch - Foley Artist, Alyson Moore - Foley Artist, John Joseph Thomas - Foley Editor, Jennifer Lax - Key Costumer, Nina Padovano - Key Costumer, Richard Schoen - Key Costumer, Valerie O'Brien - Key Costumer, Garet Reilly Batchelor - Key Costumer, Nancy E. Smytka - Key Costumer, Valerie Laven-Cooper - Key Costumer, Candace Neal - Key Hairstylist, Joel Harlow - Key Make-up, Scott Bobbitt - Leadman, Jeremy Stein - Personal Assistant, Katie Gordon - Personal Assistant, Janette Vecchiarelli - Personal Assistant, Bobby Sabelhaus - Personal Assistant, F.J. DeSanto - Personal Assistant, Jane Kelly Kosek - Personal Assistant, Antonia Kalmacoff - Personal Assistant, Colleen Conroy - Personal Assistant, Ed Tapia - Personal Assistant, Janey L. Bergam - Personal Assistant, Natalie Borlaug - Personal Assistant, Jackie Baugh - Production Accountant, Xiomara Comrie - Second Assistant Camera, Maria Battle-Campbell - Second Second Assistant Director, Jeffrey Snyder - Set Dresser, Randy Burke - Transportation Captain, Dan Marrow - Transportation Coordinator, Greg Oehler - Visual Effects, Matthew Adams - Visual Effects, CIS Hollywood - Visual Effects, Tippett Studio - Visual Effects, Bob Lyss - Visual Effects, Bryan Hirota - Visual Effects, ESC Entertainment - Visual Effects, Julie Orosz - Visual Effects, Hatch Production - Visual Effects, Mark Shoaf - Visual Effects, Hy*drau"lx - Visual Effects, Michael "Tony" Meagher - Visual Effects, Greg Strause - Visual Effects, Greg Liegey - Visual Effects, Aaron Cohen - Visual Effects, Chris Moore - Visual Effects, Joe Henke - Visual Effects, Julia Gaudette - Visual Effects, Mathias Frodin - Visual Effects, Patrick Kavanaugh - Visual Effects, Diana Miao - Visual Effects, Eric Pender - Visual Effects, Marc Nanjo - Visual Effects, Kyle Yamamoto - Visual Effects, John Cassella - Visual Effects, Gary Abrahamian - Visual Effects, Amy Garback - Visual Effects, Heather Ryan MacPhee - Visual Effects, Christine Troianello - Visual Effects, Kristine Lankenau - Visual Effects, Colin Strause - Visual Effects, Rina Strause - Visual Effects, Yoshiya Yamada - Visual Effects, Adam Lisagor - Visual Effects, Bill Kunin - Visual Effects, Erik Liles - Visual Effects, Duy Tan Nguyen - Visual Effects, Joshua Cordes - Visual Effects, Joel Sevilla - Visual Effects, Zach Judson - Visual Effects, FURIOUS FX - Visual Effects, David Lingenfelser - Visual Effects, Scott Dougherty - Visual Effects, Matthew T. Wilson - Visual Effects, Christopher Ryan - Visual Effects, Chris Allen - Visual Effects, Eric Roth - Visual Effects, Douglas Mowat - Set Decorator, Michael J. Benavente - ADR Supervisor, Gary A. Theard - Cable Person, David Hussey - Color Timing, Richard Cody - Craft Service/Catering, Chef Robert Catering - Craft Service/Catering, Mary Jo Lang - Foley Mixer, Mo Henry - Negative Cutter, Michael P. Twombly - Production Secretary, Sarah Schubert - Visual Effects Editor, Jason Matthews - Conceptual Design, Bronwyn Waddington - Assistant Editor, Susan Germaine - Department Head Hair, Ve Neill - Department Head Makeup, Joel Dougherty - First Assistant Sound Editor, Clayton Martinez - Mold Department, Joe Gomez - Mold Department, Cory Czekaj - Mold Department, Chris Cheatham - Mold Department, Brian Hillard - Mold Department, Christopher Grossnickle - Mold Department, Gerard Benjamin Pierre - Compositor, Misty Segura Barbour - Compositor, Michael Clemens - Compositor, Chris Gibbons - Compositor, Daniel Bryant - Compositor, Aruna Inversin - Compositor, Jonathan Knight - Compositor, Alexandra Papavramides-Pierre - Compositor, Ari Rubenstein - Compositor, David Schnee - Compositor, Mark Siew - Compositor, Chris Morley - Compositor, Dan Cayer - Lead Compositor, Matt Jacobs - Lead Compositor, Shelley Campbell - Rotoscope Artist, Lucinda Chee - Rotoscope Artist, Robert Dorris - Rotoscope Artist, Kane Brassington - Rotoscope Artist, Dan Riha - Rotoscope Artist
Constantine is a 2005Americanfilm based on Vertigo Comics' Hellblazercomic book, with some plot elements being taken from the "Dangerous Habits" story arc (issues #41-46) and others - such as the inclusion of Papa Midnite - from the "Original Sins" trade paperback. It was released on February 8, 2005 in Hong Kong, and on February 18, 2005 in the U.S. and Canada.
Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (September 2009)
John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), a chain smoking cynic, has a special gift of being able to see angels, demons, and ghosts. He seeks redemption from a failed suicide in his youth, by sending demons back to hell with his sidekick Chaz (Shia LaBeouf).[1] He encounters LAPD officer Angela Dodson, investigating the death of her twin sister Isabel, who appears to have committed suicide by leaping from the roof of the mental hospital she was at. Angela and Isabel both possess psychic gifts, but Angela denied hers until they went dormant; Constantine reawakens them so that she can see through the guises that demons and angels wear on Earth.
Angela is kidnapped to be used as the vessel for Mammon, son of Satan, who wishes to bring about Hell on Earth. Assisting Mammon is the angelGabriel, who resents the place that humans have in God's eyes and the ease with which humans can gain forgiveness. Gabriel believes that by bringing Hell, humans have a chance to prove themselves worthy of God's love through true repentence and faith.
In order to allow Mammon to come to Earth, Gabriel also needs the blood of Christ which was found on the Spear of Destiny, which was discovered in Mexico at the start of the film and subsequently brought to LA. Constantine calls Satan to him by slitting his wrists, because he was the only one the devil would come for himself. After convincing Lucifer to interfere in the plans of Gabriel and Mammon, Satan performs an exorcism to banish Mammon from Angela and sends him back to Hell.
As Satan reaches for Constantine to bring him to Hell, Heaven opens up, showing that his sacrifice has redeemed his soul so that he may enter Heaven. Angry about this, Satan heals Constantine of his wounds and terminal lung cancer in order to prevent Constantine from entering Heaven by keeping him alive, leaving the possibility that he may yet be able to claim Constantine's soul. The angel, Gabriel, stripped of divine powers, is left on Earth as a mortal.
Cast
Constantine, Midnite, and Chas standing outside of Papa Midnite's bar.
Constantine was written using some elements from Garth Ennis' "Dangerous Habits" story arc (issues #41–46)[2] and others—such as the inclusion of Papa Midnite—from the "Original Sins" trade paperback.[3] However, the film changed several aspects of the source material, including a number of cosmetic changes to the lead character's appearance: Reeves played the role with his natural accent and hair colour[4] whilst the original character was intentionally drawn to resemble British musician Sting and originally came from Liverpool.[5] The film was also set in Los Angeles, with the director pointing out that the comic book wasn't exclusively set in London either.[4]
Other differences to the character were made, such as giving him the psychic ability to see "half breeds" as they truly are. That ability, in the movie, is what caused him to attempt suicide and which led to his damnation[6] rather than his role in summoning a demon that killed a young girl.[7] The resolution of the lung cancer plotline in the film was also amended, with Lucifer saving the redeemed Constantine to give him a second chance at falling rather than being tricked into doing so as was seen in the comic book.[6]
The film's title was changed, from Hellblazer to Constantine to avoid confusion with the Clive BarkerHellraiser films.[4] The comics series itself was originally to be titled Hellraiser but was also retitled to avoid confusion with the film, released the previous year.[5]
Hell is depicted in the film as a place which appears to have been struck by a nuclear bomb. According to the DVD commentary, it was indeed based on old nuclear test in which anything in the path of the ensuing shock wave was immediately disintegrated. As of such, the landscape was left crumbling with a constant hue of orange in the sky and immensely strong winds over the land. According to the novel[1] which was released alongside the film, the buildings were lined with blood instead of mortar and the souls of the damned had been crushed into ways that they made up the very foundations and building materials of the buildings. In other areas, demons would feast on the souls of the damned in large groups (as is depicted in the film where a great deal of souls are being desecrated by attacking soldier demons).
The book[1] also describes how the landscape of hell is literally a mirror of that of the physical plane, "If you died in Los Angeles, you went to Hell Los Angeles. If you died in New York, you went to Hell New York". According to Constantine, time in Hell also passes with immense relativity to that of time in the physical plane. While speaking with Angela on his time in Hell immediately after his suicide, he claimed that, "...although I was officially dead for only 2 minutes; but when you crossover, time stops. Take it from me, two minutes in hell is a lifetime".
Constantine: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is a 2005 soundtrack album from the film, Constantine. The soundtrack is a orchestral compilation of songs in the film, performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony and composed by Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt. Notably absent from the soundtrack is "Passive", a song by A Perfect Circle which was released in conjunction with the film. The song can be heard during Constantine's walk through Midnite's bar. It's music video features significant imagery from the film. The soundtrack was panned by Allmusic who referred to it as "clichéd and religiously formulaic".
Track listing
"Destiny" (2:00)
"The Crossover" (2:42)
"Meet John Constantine" (2:39)
"Confession" (2:32)
"Deo Et Patri" (1:16)
"Counterweight" (2:47)
"Into the Light" (2:54)
"I Left Her Alone" (1:40)
"Resurrection" (2:04)
"Circle of Hell" (5:38)
"Last Rites" (1:55)
"Encountering a Twin" (1:06)
"Flight to Ravenscar" (0:52)
"Humanity" (2:58)
"John" (1:31)
"Someone Was Here" (1:44)
"Hell Freeway" (2:43)
"Ether Surfing" (1:13)
"Balance" (2:26)
"Absentee Landlords" (1:35)
"John's Solitude" (1:25)
"Lucifer" (1:56)
"Rooftop" (1:18)
"Constantine End Titles" (2:39)
Box office, proposed sequel, & video game
Constantine earned over $230 million in worldwide box office receipts.
Movie producer Lauren Shuler Donner stated in a November 18-19, 2006 interview that writers were developing a script for Constantine 2 and that Keanu Reeves was willing to reprise his role as John Constantine. Donner also stated that Constantine 2 would be filmed in a South American country, and a different director would replace Francis Lawrence who directed the first film. Nevertheless, Lawrence would remain, acting as a producer on the sequel.[8][9][10] On March 22, 2008, Reeves stated he would not be willing to participate in a sequel of the movie.[11] However, months later, he directly contradicted this statement in another interview prior to the December 2008 release of The Day the Earth Stood Still.[12]
Warner Home Video announced that the film was to be released on HD DVD on March 28, 2006.[13] It would be one of the earliest titles to be released on that media format. However, following delays to the launch of the HD DVD format (which pushed back the release of many of the initially announced titles), Constantine eventually made its debut on HD DVD on June 6, 2006.
