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Constantine. Say it isn't so.

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The Photographer in Blowup

11:29 / 23.02.05

Does the Catholic Church still hold that suicides go to hell?).

I think so, but like Roger Ebert noticed in his review, John's problems would all have been solved if he had just confessed his sins to a priest for forgiveness, instead of killing demons to buy his way into Heaven.

It's not good for a movie when a plot can be so easily discredited.

Regrettable Juvenilia

11:43 / 23.02.05

Benny the Ball

14:38 / 23.02.05

The Ennis books were probably the most sentimental of all.

There were a couple of jammy moments from John, but yeah, I agree that the whole point is that he looks like he hasn't got a grip on things, and then pulls it out at the last minute, but normally at the expense of someone around him or a part of himself.

wicker woman

06:07 / 24.02.05

Yes, it's very important that a film of Hellblazer is realistic, especially where that word means "following the doctrine of one variant of Christianity".

It's very important that he isn't described as cynical and nihilistic etc but "with a heart", because the Ennis comics were never sentimental as fuck.

It's very important that he doesn't win just through luck, because that never happens in the comic.

Thank you. I just finished up with the Rake at the Gates of Hell trade again. Ennis had a real gift for writing Constantine and fleshing out the people around him. Especially Kit... I started reading Hellblazer just before I became aware of the movie. For those with more experience, does Kit re-enter the story at some point?

Is it more Prophecy than End of Days?

Definitely. Though it does lose points for a severe lack of Christopher Walken.

Baz Auckland

07:51 / 24.02.05

I think so, but like Roger Ebert noticed in his review, John's problems would all have been solved if he had just confessed his sins to a priest for forgiveness, instead of killing demons to buy his way into Heaven.

I remember in Dangerous Habits, Ellie suggests the same for John. His reply was somthing like (pause for Google search) "My sins? I doubt it, Ellie. The good lord would probably just speak down from on high, saying 'Pull the other one, John me boy'."

Jack The Bodiless

11:30 / 24.02.05

Ignore The Fly. He just likes baiting fanboys.

Honestly, this film looks like loads of fun. My attitude at the moment is that it's utterly irrelevant whether it's a faithful adaptation of Hellblazer - obviously it isn't and never had any real chance of being one (for the record, I've always pronounced it ConstanTYNE, and so has everyone else I've ever met). It's annoying that a decent Hellblazer adaptation will now probably never be made, but to be honest, what's the problem? The comics are still there. Lots of them are fantastic. The Saint's been adapted into utterly craptastic TV and film forms, what, five times in the last seventy years? I still love the original books... and if you fancy an anaemic non-killing, charmless Roger Moore and his eyebrow as your Diet Templar, then his series is OK, I suppose. It'll be the same here...

gridley

14:51 / 24.02.05

Yeah, there are some sins you can't repent for, such as blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, which I'm sure John has done (at the very least).

Jack The Bodiless

15:26 / 24.02.05

Umm... as far as I know, in any sane branch of the Christian faith (so that rules out Catholicism), the only unforgiveable sin is not wanting to be forgiven - ie, it's a bit of wordplay. Of course, since all the saner examples of Christianity are incredibly dull, you won't see them in a Hollywood movie. Nope, what we want are cadaverous men in voluminous robes, chanting stuff in dead languages and shit. Sweet.

Elijah, Freelance Rabbi

03:55 / 25.02.05

There should be more Jesuit movies.

But anyway. I enjoyed the movie, mostly by turning off the parts of my brain that had read the comic until something familiar popped on, then it was like a release of extra dopamine into my head. All in all, held on its own (as, in my opinion, any comic book movie should be) it was entertaining, fairly brilliant at times, but nothing as good as the comic. The opening scene with the mirror was by far my favorite though.

wicker woman

04:17 / 25.02.05

Honestly, this film looks like loads of fun. My attitude at the moment is that it's utterly irrelevant whether it's a faithful adaptation of Hellblazer - obviously it isn't and never had any real chance of being one

That's basically how I watched it. Good enough movie on its own, and when bits from the comic popped up, it was like "Hey, cool!"

Baz Auckland

08:44 / 25.02.05

I saw it last night, and really liked it. There were some cringe-y bits, but overall, as an adaptation of a really good comic, they did a good job. They really could have done a lot worse. The holy-shotgun action isn't as much of the movie, and some scenes (meeting Gabriel, Satan appearing) have the same layout as the panels in the comic, which made me very very happy...

...and somehow Keanu manages to pull off a fair imitation of that Constantine coolness...not quite the same, but...

Ganesh

10:48 / 25.02.05

Ennis had a real gift for writing Constantine and fleshing out the people around him.

Sure, where "fleshing out" = "being Irish".

Ganesh

10:51 / 25.02.05

Umm... as far as I know, in any sane branch of the Christian faith ... the only unforgiveable sin is not wanting to be forgiven

You might want to give the Archbishop of Canterbury a bell; he needs you.

Hattie's Kitchen

12:07 / 25.02.05

in any sane branch of the Christian faith (so that rules out Catholicism)

Yes, Jack, that's right. Every aspect of Catholicism is insane.

For fuck's sake.

Regrettable Juvenilia

13:03 / 25.02.05

That's not what he said, is it? You can have sane Catholics; the problem is that a lot of the other Catholics, including His Holiness the Pope of Rome, call those people hereticks...

Scrambled Password Bogus Email

14:05 / 25.02.05

Is a heretick to a heretic as a magickian is to a magician?

Since this thread is a smorgasbord of pronunciation and spelling quibbles already, let's be clear.

ONLY NICE THINGS

14:28 / 25.02.05

Nope, what we want are cadaverous men in voluminous robes, chanting stuff in dead languages and shit.

That's certainly what I want from a religion...

The Puck

20:58 / 25.02.05

....or indeed a nightclub

Regrettable Juvenilia

21:35 / 25.02.05

Let's not get distracted, anyway. Did you hear he has a shotgun that's shaped like a cross? Garth Ennis would sell a kidney for an idea that good.

D Terminator XXXIII

21:53 / 25.02.05

Somewhere, Moore spins in his grave.

Alas, Jenkins does not.

By far my favourite comics to film adaptation.

Keanu has too much charisma to submerge himself into Constantine succesfully - plus there was that defining small role of Neo which is pretty hard to forget; the first 25 minutes of the movie was for me watching the One in an Agent Smith suit. But that he tried just makes him all the more endearing.

Impeccably stylish, ShitGI not shit, editing superb (the car in the opening scene, the bus when Keanu says 'Hell' to Rachel the first time as two prime examples), and both leads, while upstaged by Swinton and Stomare, are incredibly appealing to the eye.

Purists need not see the movie.

Spatula Clarke

01:21 / 26.02.05

there was that defining small role of Neo which is pretty hard to forget

I'm sorry, but no. Reeves' defining role was as Tod Hawkes in Parenthood.

D Terminator XXXIII

07:43 / 26.02.05

Defining.

For real people, nERD.

Spatula Clarke

11:32 / 26.02.05

Oh, sorry. In that case, Reeves' defining role was as Ted Logan in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

D Terminator XXXIII

11:36 / 26.02.05

For grandpa, ERD.

For grandpa.

Spaniel

12:10 / 26.02.05

Parenthood? I'm sorry, but that's a weird suggestion.

I think it's pretty unarguable that modern Keanu IS Neo, although Ted's still in there somewhere - as is Johnny Utah, IHMO.

Spatula Clarke

12:21 / 26.02.05

It was a joke, Boboss. That said, the Tod and Ted characters are more or less one and the same.

Spaniel

12:31 / 26.02.05

It was a joke

Ungh, sorry about that. Bloody message boards are annoying that way, aren't they?

Had it not been, however, it would have demanded comment.

Spatula Clarke

18:24 / 26.02.05

Yeah, I know.

Tell you what, though - I honestly do think that his bit in Parenthood was a good example of what he's best at. If you forget the rest of the film, like. There are things that Reeves can and cannot do. Drugged to the eyeballs is one of the 'can's - whether that's charming, comedy drugged to the eyeballs or damaged, dramatic drugged to the eyeballs, it doesn't matter. He's got it down perfectly. And I guess the first Matrix is a sort-of drugged to the eyeballs Reeves, in that he's almost permanently bewildered.

D Terminator XXXIII

18:25 / 28.02.05

Just saw it again - didnae know how starved I had been for a properly executed big budget spectacle.

Knowing the general storytelling method employed just makes one appreciate more how smartly told it is - so many, many things to applaud. Small things like when Rachel is first introduced, and just before the cut away to Isabel, her mirror image is split. Small things like how every halfbreed is deliciously androgenous - and even expressed to a lesser degree with Keanu and Rachel, who have both of the opposite sex to their features. Small things like the blatant product placement - Chevy? Tobacco is whacko? The last bit is, as I understand it, played for laughs; with a movie this smart it has to be.

And aren't Keanu and Stomare homotastic together?

Love this movie.

lonely as a cloud...

08:31 / 01.03.05

Here's an interesting preview of Mike Carey's adaptation of the movie. Whoa!

Whisky Priestess

22:52 / 01.03.05

Sorry not to have the time to read the whole thread but ...

Did I see TILDA FUCKING SWINTON in a still from this film? All red-haired and spookily androgynously lovely?

She worked with Jarman, man, she's practically a living work of art - if she is in this film, who cast her and why? And why aren't they paying her enough (I know they aren't)?

ONLY NICE THINGS

08:07 / 02.03.05

She's Gabriel. The angel. This is the one thing that might really drive me to see this film.

Haus of Mystery

09:37 / 02.03.05

Other than the cross-shotgun of course.

I have to say that's an inspired piece of casting.

RadJose

11:05 / 02.03.05

Yeah, there are some sins you can't repent for, such as blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, which I'm sure John has done (at the very least).

Actually Grid, the only time you can blasphem against the Holy Spirit at the end of everything during the judgement. So John hasn't done it, yet.

Jack The Bodiless

11:29 / 03.03.05

Yeah, but do you mean Constanteen or Constantine? 'Cause it's pretty clear that Constanteen has a completely different history and WILDLY different motivation for doing what he does in the movie version...

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