In his new film, Keanu Reeves wears sharp black suits, has mythical powers and kicks some serious ass. No, it’s not the fourth installment of the “Matrix” series (thank god), it’s “Constantine,” a film adaptation of cult comic book “Hellblazer.” Reeves plays John Constantine, a rather Neo-esque hero with a penchant for strong drinks, thick smoke and wry humor.
Reeve’s character has the ability to see half-demons and half-angels disguised as humans in the modern gateway between heaven and hell (where else but Los Angeles). He is, in a sense, a border patrol agent, maintaining the balance between good and evil on earth.
But Constantine is a flawed hero and not just because of his nasty smoking habit. His powers traumatized him during his childhood and led him to attempt suicide. He survived, but was doomed to hell as punishment, a likely explanation for his cynical attitude. Constantine’s work leads him to a detective, played by Rachel Weisz, who is investigating the death of her sister.
Visually, the film works on many levels. First-time director Francis Lawrence’s action sequences are stunning, depicting the supernatural with a comic book’s sense of imagination and style.
However, comparisons to another futuristic sci-fi action story are inevitable and not just because of Reeves. The aesthetics of “Constantine” are obviously influenced by “The Matrix”: seemingly dull settings, such as indoor pools and bowling alleys, are slightly twisted, and Lawrence’s special effects use slow motion and water to make for a few breathtaking visuals.
But their frequent use does a poor job of hiding the main problem with “Constantine”: it’s a film with a lot of style and not enough substance. Certainly comic book adaptations are not films you go to expecting stimulating dialogue, but it seems the filmmakers spent so much time generating fancy images that they forgot to develop the story past its (actually interesting) premise. Plot action unfolds in a convoluted way, and the last third of the film consists of one action scene after another — which is not surprising, considering Lawrence comes from the world of music videos.
In his most notable role since “The Matrix” trilogy, Reeves shows that once again, he is comfortable carrying an action film. His dry wit is a nice additive to many scenes, but he walks a fine line between comedy and corniness. Though Weisz is impressive as the female lead, it might be because she spends a good portion of the film in a pool wearing a white shirt.
Although “Constantine” sports a talented supporting cast that includes Tilda Swinton and Djimon Hounsou, their roles don’t do them justice. Shia Labeouf has the job of playing the formulaic comic book sidekick. Probably the biggest dissapointment is Peter Stormare’s portrayal of Satan. It’s not that Stormare can’t do evil (he did a pretty convincing job of it in “Fargo”). He just channels a Prince of Darkness that’s a bit too much like Woody Allen.
Warner Bros. is hoping to make a franchise out the Constantine character, and sequels to worse films have been made. If they do drag this one out, let’s hope they avoid the failures of “The Matrix” by paying a bit more attention to plot. Constantine’s first iteration offers some great visuals, but not much else.
