war is raging between heaven and hell for the souls of mankind. The rules of engagement allow each realm to have its own emissaries on earth, half-breed angels and demons who inspire good or evil without direct interference. To most people, they appear as one of us, but John Constantine (Reeves) was born with the ability to recognize these entities for what they are. Burdened with this second sight, Constantine tried to kill himself as a boy. He was revived, but not before getting a glimpse of the hell to which he was damned for the mortal sin of suicide.
Now, along with his apprentice and driver, Chas (LeBeouf), Constantine has become a soldier for good, sending demons who cross the line back to hell, but his motives aren't exactly altruistic. As the angel Gabriel (Swindon) tells him, the man upstairs knows he is trying to buy his way into heaven, and redemption doesn't come so cheaply. Faced with the bad news that he may be leaving earth sooner than planned, Constantine becomes even more desperate to escape his fate.
Fortunately, events are brewing that may give Constantine a chance to earn his redemption after all. An ancient artifact called the Spear of Destiny has been uncovered and may help to fulfill a dark prophecy. Full-fledged demons have begun slipping through to our world. All of this is linked to the suicide of a mental patient named Isabel Dodson (Weisz), whose twin sister Angela (also played by Weisz) comes to Constantine looking for answers. He is reluctant to help at first, but when he notices the demonic shadows following her, he suspects that she is somehow connected to the coming crisis. With the help of Chas and a former voodoo priest named Papa Midnite (Hounsou), Constantine must stop a diabolical plan that threatens to create a literal hell on earth.
A blond would have had more fun
Those not familiar with the comic books and the character of John Constantine will likely find more to enjoy in the film adaptation than those who know and love the source material. Even still, considering the film as a standalone entity, it fails on several levels.
Narratively, the film is a mess. Without even looking at the credits, it's obvious that the plot was clumsily cobbled together from too many drafts by too many writers. This may be a character piece, but so much effort was put into getting Constantine down that the story is a mere afterthought. It's a collection of disparate elements just thrown together (Constantine's illness, the Spear of Destiny, the angels and demons, Isabel and Angela, Papa Midnite), with rules that were seemingly made up as the filmmakers went along. Constantine spends the entire film seeking redemption, and then tells one character near the end of the film that all one has to do is ask for it and all will be forgiven. Plot holes like this abound throughout.
Though the original character is blond and British, it isn't merely the cosmetic differences that make Reeves a poor choice for the role. He may have Constantine's brooding angst down, but he simply doesn't convey the roguish wit, endearing charm or working-class ruggedness that make the character so enjoyable in the comics. Though Constantine does have some lighter lines in the film, Reeves' flat delivery fails to lift it out of the depths of sober self-importance.
Director Francis Lawrence, who makes his feature-film debut here, is skilled at creating interesting visuals but lacks the ability to pull out engaging performances from his actors. At least the constant camera moves and creative angles help keep the audience from becoming too bored by what's on the screen. The film has a distinctive, noirish look to it, and the representation of hell as a post-apocalyptic twin of our world is an inspired twist. Unfortunately, with the exception of a scene-stealing cameo by Peter Stormare, no one in the cast seems to be having fun making this film, and thus it isn't a lot of fun to watch.
