(https://i.imgur.com/B5MnLAO.png)
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: 2/18/2025
Rating: R
Film Grade: B
The Story: A lost artifact is rediscovered buried in a Mexican desert. A police detective finds that her sister has committed suicide, a most improbable act considering her deeply religious background. And John Constantine confronts a demon with abilities thought to be impossible. All of these indicate that a seismic change for the battle over Earth is about to take place, one that has implications for all of mankind.
My Take: Although Constantine had made appearances in other DC comic books, he came to prominence in 1988 when the Hellblazer series was introduced. It was part of DC’s push to become darker and grittier, mainly to appeal to an older audience. I collected and read those early issues, finding the morally gray character surviving in a world immersed in the supernatural to be a fascinating premise. They didn’t leave a lasting impression on me, though, as I have little memory of them. Therefore, there won’t be any commentary on how the movie lines up with the printed history
The film version offers Constantine as a supernatural detective in the noir vein, experienced in confronting and combatting occult threats with the assistance of other allies. The battle hasn’t been without a cost, however, and he finds himself nearing the end of the line. Effects of choice and consequence weigh heavily throughout the movie, for him and other characters. It also plays with the idea of an individual’s desires leading to his demise, in more ways than one.
While the supernatural aspects are loosely based on traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs that most will be familiar with, don’t expect it to stick with orthodoxy. It builds on those tenets to form its own mythological blueprint for the story. This frees the movie to add its own elements, hierarchies, and rules. This allows for some twists and turns that the audience wouldn’t normally expect, adding freshness, but with the possible loss of relevance and alienation, depending on one’s perspective.
This was the feature movie debut for director Francis Lawrence, who’s background was in music videos. He brings a vibrance and energy to a movie that could have been slogged down by dialog-heavy exposition. It also helps that the cast is filled with noteworthy talent. Keanu Reeve’s performance builds on his action hero persona but adds a tragic element as his past is revealed. Still, it’s his relentless determination that defines the character. Rachel Weisz plays Angela, the strait-laced detective, acting as the Scully to his Mulder, she grounds the movie as her slowly learns and develops. The supporting cast is also given their chance to shine, bringing eccentricities and distinction to their characters. Of special note is Peter Stormare, with his take on a role that is hard to forget.
While watching this movie, it was hard not to compare it to his John Wick work. Beyond the superficial first names, the characters and story have some common elements. Both have weapon skills, they’re notorious among their secret societies, they have colorful allies, there’s a neutral gathering place where all parties can meet without fear of physical confrontations, and part of the story takes place in a nightclub with pulsating music. You can almost think of Constantine being Wick’s twin in an occult version of Earth. Fans of the more popular Wick series may find themselves entertained by this film as well.
Visuals: This is a newly remastered 4K release scanned from the original camera negative. It looks fantastic, with bright, vivid colors that stand out from deep, deep blacks. There is a vibrancy to the picture that stands up alongside today’s releases. The movie does show some age and weakness in a few of the digital effects shots. While in line with films of that time, they aren’t up to current day CGI standards, which is to be expected. That said, they do represent a vivid imagination with inventive ideas that fit the story well. That depth of creativity allows the audience to quickly forget about any outdated look and accept it for how it shown. The overall appearance of the film is still richly rewarding and satisfying.
Audio: The disc comes with a new Dolby Atmos mix. I couldn’t find any use of the wide channels, even in scenes that could have benefitted from it. Overheads get more use, but there are times when voices are mixed into the tops, almost to the point of distraction. They may have been used to demonstrate some reverberation in large spaces, but they’re a bit too prominent, calling undo attention to the top speakers. This is only evident in a handful of scenes, so it’s easy enough to dismiss, and the dialog is still easy to understand. This is an OK mix but not demo worthy.
Special Features: There is a boatload of information contained here, with plenty of viewing for fans of the film. The twenty-year retrospective shows how much passion the people behind the films still have for the project. Recommended viewing for those that like the film, there’s a plethora of insight into its making.
- New Feature - Two Decades of Damnation
- Commentaries
- Channeling Constantine
- Conjuring Constantine
- Holy Relics
- Shotgun Shootout
- Hellscape
- Warrior Wings
- Unholy Abduction
- Demon Face
- Foresight” The Power of Pre-Visualization
- A Writer’s Vision
- Director’s Confessional
- Demon Face
Final Verdict: Constantine has gradually built a fan base in the two decades since it was first released. Featuring a different kind of comic book character in a supernatural-filled world, it may have been a little too unconventional and too far ahead of its time. This beautiful restoration is a gift to those fans and may just create some new appreciation for the movie for those unacquainted with it.
Part detective movie, part supernatural thriller, it offers a twisting tale for those looking for an imaginative take on the battle between good and evil, and those that have either chosen a side or prefer to walk the thin line that separates them. Recommended to fans of Keanu Reeves or the fun genre mashup.
Kudos to Warner for giving the movie a top-notch restoration that current and future fans will enjoy; it’s a lovingly produced package.
Fun Fact: While the movie wasn’t a box office smash, interest in a sequel has been rekindled, with director Francis Lawrence stating, "I will say we are closer than ever to being able to do a sequel, which is a great thing," in a recent article on Collider.
https://youtu.be/819JCbGfZpg
My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup