Constantine

Review by Richard Lee

Warner Brothers Pictures / 2005 / 121 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: July 19th, 2005

Specifications:
-DVD-Video
-DVD-9
-Region 1

Aspect Ratio:
-2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen

Audio:
-English 5.1
-Francais 5.1

Subtitles:
-English
-Francais
-Espanol
-Off

Main Menu:
-Play Movie
-Scene Selections
-Special Features

Special Features (Disc One):
-Commentary by Francis Lawrence, Akiva Goldsman, Frank Cappello, and Kevin Brodbin
-“Passive” Music Video by A Perfect Circle
-Teaser Trailer
-Theatrical Trailer

Special Features (Disc Two):
-Conjuring Constantine
-The Production from Hell
-Imagining the Underworld
-Constantine Cosmology
-Foresight: The Power of Pre-Visualization (Optional Commentary by Francis Lawrence)
-Deleted Scenes

Based on the DC/Vertigo comic “Hellblazer”, “Constantine” tells of the exploits of John Constantine, a super exorcist, if you will, whose job is to hold at bay demons knocking, or more like pounding, at the earthly gates to gain entrance into the real world. DC/Vertigo handles the more adult-oriented line of comics and it is known among comic book fans that the creator of “Hellblazer”, Alan Moore, originally wanted to call it “Hellraiser” but Clive Barker got the jump on that title for his series of movies. The comic book version also features our anti-hero as a British blonde, who was modeled after Sting, doing his duty in England; quite a contrast to the L.A. based, black-haired and very American Keanu who signed on to this project shortly after returning from Australia where he had just finished doing the Matrix sequels. Whether or not you accept Keanu as a master thespian or forever the stoner from the “Bill and Ted” movies, “Constantine” is a major assault on the senses with a plethora of CG effects and a dynamic sound field that constantly surrounds you. Directing his first motion picture, Francis Lawrence comes from the music video business having directed the likes of J Lo, Jay Z, and Enrique Iglesias. Not having read the comic book version, I was not biased in any way going into the theatrical version and found it a somewhat enjoyable super-natural action thriller but must concede that its religious overtones will not be agreeable with some of the more devout population.

Having attempted suicide at a young age because of the demonic visions that frequently haunted him, John Constantine , or JC as he will be referred to hereafter(same initials as a certain son of God most likely intentional), is destined to have a date with The Devil as it is written out in the laws of theology. Therefore, in order to get into God’s good graces, JC sets out on the task to save possessed souls and banish the hellish half-headed imps and soldier demons that attempt to enter Earth’s dimension; time not being on his side due to terminal cancer from his chain-smoking ways. Aided by a goofy gang of religious crusaders who include Pruitt Taylor Vince, Shia LaBeouf and Djimon (Gladiator) Hounsou, and a hokey arsenal of crucifix-laden weaponry, JC finds his mission on Earth hindered by a pair of fallen angels- Balthazar, outfitted like a pimp and played with overt charisma by Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of the rock band Bush; and Gabriel, who displays prominent wings, has a hidden agenda even unbeknownst to Lucifer himself, and is well-cast with the androgynous-looking actress Tilda Swinton filling the role. Cast as JC’s love interest is Keanu’s “Chain Reaction” co-star Rachel Weisz who plays Angela, a psycichly-gifted cop who is investigating the suspicious suicide of her twin sister Isobel, also played by Weisz. Coen Brothers regular Peter Stormare rounds out the cast as Lucifer himself all decked out in disco white and sweating brimstone; his portrayal of the King of the Underworld is certainly unlike any that has come before it. With all these elements in place and the recently un-earthed Spear of Destiny that is crucial to a demonic plot to bring forth the Son of Satan, the stage is set for lots of special effects and cans of “whoopass” being opened up on some demon butt!

Picture Quality:

Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, Constantine looks great. From the beginning as we see the Village Roadshow logo disintegrate from the fires of Hell, we are constantly made aware of heat’s presence; the desert landscape of Mexico, the steam emanating from a hot water kettle, the scorching city streets of L.A., the depths of Hell, etc. We get interesting shadow play in JC’s apartment and brilliant reds and blues inside Papa Midnight’s nightclub. Color separation and saturation is spot on with little or no smearing. Black levels are very deep as seen on black clothing, holes in the ground, darkened streets or the night sky. Detail is clear even when much is going on in the background and in intricate shots like the vermin-man attack and when glass shards are frozen in space. Fleshtones are natural-looking save for JC whose pale and green-tinged skin is supposed to reflect his cancer-riddled body; oddly Keanu’s appearance is much like his Neo character from the Matrix movies. Hell, realized with brilliant reds and blacks, ripples with searing heat and reminds us of Frodo’s vision of Mordor when he is wearing the ring. All in all, a clean, artifact-free, and sharp transfer that would look more impressive the bigger the home theater screen of course.

Audio Quality:

No DTS track here but it may not be needed because the Dolby Digital 5.1 track delivers in spades. From the crumbling logo at the beginning, the mix works from left to right. Overall, the sound design is aggressive and precisely channeled for maximum discreteness; voices, people knocking on doors, the goings on at Papa Midnight’s club, etc. If you like movies with lots of sub-woofer, this is your baby; the LFE gets to work overtime here; from demonic echoes to face punches; hell, even a cigarette dropped to the ground evokes a deep rumble. Dialogue is always clear and never drowned out by the action. The music score by Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt is effective in creating the satanic atmosphere of the film. 

Scenes for Demonstration Purposes:

1. (0:00) – Disintegration of Logo and Bone-Crunching Car Crash into Mexican Scavenger. 2. (27:30) – Vermin-Man Attack. 3. (38:45) – The Lights Go Out. 4. (43:00) – A Bucket of Water and a Cat is All I Need to Go to Hell. 5. (65:30) – Angela Samples Hell. 6. (77:30) – Angela’s Trip Through A Building. 7. (81:00) – JC Gets the Chair. 8. (87:40) – A Little Holy Water and a Can of Whoopass. 9. (102:50) – Lucifer Stops Gabriel. 

Special Features:

Available in separate single-disc widescreen and full-screen editions, this review covers the 2-disc Deluxe Edition that comes with an exclusive collectible DC/Vertigo Hellblazer comic featuring a reprint of issue no. 41 “Dangerous Habits” and a Hellblazer short story. On Disc One besides the widescreen theatrical feature, you get a commentary featuring director Francis Lawrence, producer Akiva Goldsman, and screenwriters Frank Cappello and Kevin Brodbin, the music video “Passive” by A Perfect Circle, and the teaser and theatrical trailers for the movie.

Disc Two special features include 18 minutes of deleted scenes and an alternate ending to the movie, all with optional commentary by the director. We learn all were cut basically for pacing reasons. Most interesting is the fact that the character of Ellie, a half-demon girl that JC has an intimate relationship with is completely removed from the film because the director thought it made it appear JC wasn’t as lonely as he should be and it takes away from his relationship with Angela. The alternate ending is actually tacked on at the very end after the credits but without the character of Angela. “Conjuring Constantine” is the first of several featurettes and galleries that give a good history on “Hellblazer” and how the elements of the story transform from comic book to feature-length film. Very informative “making of” documentaries include “The Production from Hell” which further breaks down into “Director’s Confessional”, “Collision with Evil” and “Holy Relics”. “Imagining The Underworld” covers the visual effects of the film with “Hellscape”, “Visualizing Vermin”, “Warrior Wings”, and “Unholy Abduction”. “Constantine Cosmology” addresses Constantine as a mythic hero. Lastly, “Foresight: The Power of Previsualization” gives a nice look into the process of comparing computer-generated storyboarding to a selection of completed scenes from the film and a DVD-ROM option is available for additional special features.