Movies: Review: Constantine

Being a big fan of movies about the occult (angels/demons, vampires etc) I am a little biased on this one. I liked it - it has a few flaws, but I feel the visual style and effects make up for them. Plus, Keanu is a perfect fit for the title character. It's just like others have said: Constantine is a cross between The Matrix and The Exorcist. So if you liked both of those movies, you'll probably enjoy this one.

Most if not all of the flaws I found were with the plot and dialogue. Some lines were pretty cheesy (I can't think of specifics, but I remember saying to myself, "oh come on...") And then there were some holes in the plot. For example, Constantine gets attacked by a full-fledged (as opposed to "half-breed") demon right out in the open. Constantine tells this to one of his contacts but they remind him that full-fledged demons can't cross over into "our plane". So either it wasn't really a full demon, or it somehow got across. They never explain which.

Overall I enjoyed Constantine - it takes a fresh look at some often-repeated themes. For example, the ways that demons are exorcised, the way he can (literally) go to hell, and a female archangel Gabriel.

Bottom line: if you liked the Matrix and Exorcist, go see it if there's nothing else you're dying to see. You don't have to turn off your brain completely, but it might help to dial it back a bit.