CONSTANTINE

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 2 out of 5

Because of: violence, language, spiritual elements

Rated:

Supernatural stories are "my thing." The first time I read Frank Peretti, I became fascinated in stories where angels and demons are pitted against one another. Hollywood has made a fortune marketing these type of films, usually bashing the Catholic church in the meantime and spouting sacrilegious tripe. Constantine is no different: it does have some interesting aspects, but is no moral authority on the supernatural battle being waged eternally around us.

When John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) died, hell spat him up again. God and Satan have made a wager for the souls of all mankind. Restricting themselves from any direct involvement with humans, they "influence" the balance of good and evil through half-breed spiritual beings that walk the earth among mankind, half-demon-half-human, or half-angel-half-human. Since his childhood, Constantine has been able to see these immortal beings for what they truly are. These demonic visitations drove him to madness and he killed himself. After a brief visitation in a place of fire and torment, he has returned to earth to help fight the forces of evil in a desperate attempt to win himself a pass into heaven. In his search for redemption, he meets Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), a young woman searching for answers since the mysterious suicide of her twin sister. Believing that half-demons are to blame, Angela wants to join him in preventing the impending apocalypse.

In order to battle impending darkness, Angela must sacrifice part of her soul and become a demon-slayer by momentarily experiencing death. This grants her the ability to discern what is human and spiritual, but the click is ticking, and the fight has only just begun. What this film presents is a blend of Catholicism, watered down aspects of the occult, and some good old fashioned Joss Whedon crossovers. There are some positive messages to be gleaned, the most important being that the characters ultimately realize that God has a plan for humanity, and didn't just unleash us on the world to watch us suffer and struggle. Satan is a true force for evil and his role in supernatural events is never downplayed. Unfortunately, the values and spirituality presented are ambiguous and misleading, from our resurrected hero who cannot earn his way into heaven without doing a selfless act (even then, an angel tells him it's unlikely) to various exorcisms and attempts to view the supernatural (like drowning a woman in a bathtub).

More disconcerting is the film's view of angels and demons being restricted to heaven and hell, or that cross-breed immortals exist. If you're merely watching the film for entertainment purposes, this isn't too problematic: it's no different than any number of sci-fi productions out there, but if you're seeking for truth in Constantine, you won't find it. God is not limited by a wager with the devil. He is the ultimate ruler and has power over everything. There is also the presence of a psychic through which Satan's sons attempt to enter the world, and Constantine's protégée reads various books on witchcraft and the occult. The content is equal to the spiritual concerns. There is nothing overly sexual but Angela does give us extended glimpses of her bra through an open, wet top. The violence is grotesque but not often bloody. The worst comes from a creature attempting to rip its way out of Angela's womb, and a priest cutting himself repetitively. There are various scenes with demon-possessed people. What bothered me the most was a depiction of Michael as attempting to unleash the devil's spawn in the world to speed along the apocalypse... and Michael being played by a woman.

Four abuses of Christ's name, one of GD, and various profanities appear (along with one f-word from an angel). An alcoholic priest has supernatural powers. The result is a well-written and intriguing film with a lot of moral flaws. Constantine was enjoyable and hair-raising. It's also an interesting conversation starter with unsaved friends in which you can speak about the reality of heaven and hell and what you believe: that Jesus is our ticket into heaven, not good works, that we do not get second changes after death, and that there is no pact: anyone can come willingly to God. Constantine was an interesting watch, but could be spiritually confusing to uncertain viewers.

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