Constantine, John Constantine, Asshole

For those who haven't see it, that may be the worst line in the film. It reeks of "Hey, look at me, I'm a bad ass and I want you to know it!" Where as I've always seen Constantine more of "I'm a bad ass, you don't know that, but you're about to find out." type of character. But hey, that's just me.

I haven't read many Hellblazer comics at all, so I can't speak about "getting it right" really. I can say that it was an enjoyable movie. Certainly not the best, but not a bad way to spend an afternoon. Reeves doesn't suck completely as John Constantine, and Rachel Weisz isn't half as bad as I'd feared. They're helped by a good supporting cast including Shia LaBeouf as Chas, I'm not familiar at all with his comic book counterpart, so all the claims about him not being right for the part may be on the nose, but he's enjoyable for the most part; Tilda Swinton as Gabriel, making asexual sexy as hell, she's very likable in the part and almost steals the movie (Funny enought she's married to a writer/artist named John Byrne. Not that John Byrne, but it's a funny little coincidence); Gavin Rossdale's Balthazar is mostly okay, sometimes a bit over the top, and I never really understood his motives; Pruitt Taylor Vince is one of those "I know that guy!" actors who's been in hundreds of bit parts and does a terrifically brief job as Father Henessey, and finally Peter Stormare as Satan is just inspired casting. He's perfect for the part and seemed to really enjoy hamming it up. His scenes along with Gabriels were my favorite in the film, and if there is a sequel, I do hope those two come back for more.

The special effect don't disappoint, and at times they do threaten to overwhelm the plot, but it seems like a pretty fair balance. Speaking of the plot, this one is pretty standard at best, and sometimes is just confusing as hell. but, good effects and surprisingly decent acting keep it from going completely down the drain. This will be worth a second look on video for sure, and may be worth a buy for the el cheapo.

-L