CONSTANTINE

US, 2005, 117 minutes, Colour.
Keanu Reeves, Rachel Wiesz, Djimon Hounsou, Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare, Pruitt Taylor Vince.
Directed by Francis Lawrence.

It is amazing that in an age which is increasingly secular, the images and traditions of the Catholic church provide the basis for exotic popular storytelling. It can be irritatingly inaccurate as in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. It can be entertaining while sometimes irritating as in this version of a comic book hero exorcising people who have been possessed by half-breeds (both angelic and demonic), Constantine.

It is a reminder of G.K.Chersteton’s paradox that when people stop believing in something, they will believe in anything.

The film-makers here have definitely done some homework, or drawn on their memories of Catholic upbringing, to invent their own version of heaven, earth and hell. This has been a popular pastime in recent years with such films as The Devil’s Advocate where Al Pacino was the devil incarnate tormenting the star of Constantine, Keanu Reeves. There have been thrillers like The Sin Eater and Stigmata that played around with legends, myths and mysterious documents modelled on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Constantine is much more ‘high concept’ than these films.

John Constantine was a psychic child who could see beyond appearances, could see the demonic world behind the world. It so frightened him that he killed himself and went to hell. However, he was quickly released after seeing its horror and sent back to earth where he found his mission was to destroy the half-breeds and exorcise the hapless humans they inhabited.

Exorcisms have been a staple of screen stories since 1973 with The Exorcist. Possession and exorcisms are not part of everyday Catholic living but early in 2005, a Catholic university in Rome held its first course in the topic and the Catholic press featured articles on the course and the rather large number of participants, especially priests. This gives one pause for thought when watching Constantine.

There are all kinds of allusions to theology in the screenplay. They are not necessarily accurate, but they touch on a grain of truth which makes them plausible. God and the devil have made a wager to gain as many souls as possible. However, they cannot interfere with free will. They can indirectly influence humans by angels and demons who represent them on earth.

Another idea states that Jesus did not die from his crucifixion alone but from his side being pierced with the lance (a misreading of John 19). They follow this with the idea that the lance is ‘the spear of destiny’ which, since it was the instrument of the death of the son of God, could be the means of the birth of the son of the devil. When this evil spirit tries to come to earth, it enters into the womb of a psychic woman (called Angela). This gives a certain plausibility to a virginal conception.

However, Gabriel is on earth and has tired of God’s being so merciful and forgiving that he is intent on destroying the woman and freeing the demon (a bit like Lucifer’s original sin of arrogance against God).

All this is filmed in a vividly visual style with plenty of mysterious special effects. Constantine is eminently watchable for its flair. It also manages to get the Latin correct (even as it invents Corinthians 17).

Keanu Reeves is a popular star, especially after the Matrix series. He operates on the passive presence principle where the audience tends to read into his somewhat blank features what they think he is thinking. He makes us do a lot of work.

Since Rosemary’s Baby in the 60s and The Exorcist and The Omen in the 70s, audiences have frequently been readier to believe what they see on the screen in highly imaginative and invented stories rather than believe what scripture and tradition have handed on to us for a life of faith. Films like Constantine are generally just a bit of a thrill. However, if they do get audiences thinking about issues of good and evil, God and church, that would be a bonus.

1. An interesting and entertaining variation on the angels and demons theme? The trend of interest in such themes? Religion, spirituality, New Age? The plausibility of the plot? Audience appreciation of angels and demons?

2. The opening in Mexico, finding the Spear of Destiny? The transition to Los Angeles, apartments, streets, the hospital, police precincts? The Midnite Club? The atmosphere of Los Angeles – a different kind if city, being transformed at times into a hellish landscape?

3. The importance of the special effects, transformations of Los Angeles, the appearance of the demons, the insects and their destruction, the Devil? The musical score? A film of style and pizzazz? The songs and the jazz style?

4. The finding of the Spear of Destiny, the Mexicans, the effect on the man who found it, the crashing into the car, his being alive, hitching the ride and taking the car, his influence and malevolence, the cattle dropping dead, the confrontation with the driver, his arrival in Los Angeles, the confrontation with Angela?

5. John Constantine and his assistant, his continued smoking and the comments about this, killing himself, suicide? His back-story, being able to see things, being taken to the doctor’s, the electric shock treatment, his attempted suicide, going to Hell, the two minutes there, returning with his gifts? The role of the Devil in allowing him to return? His performing exorcisms and eliminating the devils? His contact with the priest and his giving him contacts for exorcisms? His advice for the priest? His experience, the effect on him, his going to the doctor, the fact that he was going to die?

6. The place of demons outside the world, within the world, in the young girl, the experience of the exorcism, the metal burning on her, Constantine punching her, getting the mirror, seeing the Devil in the mirror, urging those by not to look – and the man who looked and his being blinded and his hair greying? The demon in the mirror, letting the mirror go out the window and crash, the destruction of the Devil? The effect of the exorcism on the girl, on Constantine?

7. Chas Kramer and his attitude, driving the taxi, assisting Constantine, reading up information, seeing himself in training? The talk in the rain? Chas and his cross? Participation in the different events, his saving Constantine at the end with the shooting, the demons destroying him?

8. The introduction to Angela, in confession, her police work, her ability to know things and track down criminals, shooting? The fact that she was a twin? Isabel and her wakening, in the institution, going to the hospital roof, flinging herself off into the pool? Angela and her sensing this, the clashes with Constantine and his being rude? Going to the priest, the erroneous information about Catholic burial and suicides, the harshness of the priest, Angela’s pleading? Her going to the headquarters, discussions with the police, identifying the body? The investigation?

9. Constantine’s friend who was the expert in the occult, his office, specimens, collecting religious evidence, the dragon’s breath and the fire? His advice to Constantine? Deciphering 1 Corinthians: 17, the chapters being read only in Hell? The psychic, the crossover? The final disaster, his fear, his death and the insects covering him?

10. The appearance of Gabriel, man/woman, the angel advising humans? With the priest, the role of Gabriel in the world, the confrontation with Constantine in the priest’s office, attacking him, accusing him of buying his way into Heaven, the discussion about God, belief, self-sacrifice, Constantine using his gift? Acknowledging his mission? The discussion about angels, Hell and his suicide?

11. The priest, his friendship with Constantine, alcoholic, his touching the papers and being able to read the information quickly, his fears, the morgue? Going to the supermarket and the drink not flowing, Balthazar killing him, his stabbing his own hand? The sign of evil in the blood on his hand? (And this being interpreted by Constantine’s assistant?)

12. Angela, her fears, watching the video of Isabel, going to see Constantine, the phones ringing, her fears?

13. Constantine, in the rain, on the road, his cough, the crab and the insects, the Devil in the form of insects, the fight, the crash and the disappearance? Going to see Midnite? Seeing Balthazar and knowing that he was a demon?

14. Midnite, his past, the bar and the people there, his character, the demons and their breaking through? His trying to be neutral? His being custodian of the Chair? Maintaining the balance – with the club patrons?

15. Balthazar, smooth, well dressed, looking sinister? With Midnite? In the liquor store, the confrontation with the priest and his death? The build-up to the confrontation with Constantine, their fight, his death – and the final blessing rites?

16. Angela and her interactions with Constantine, the badge, the questions, his callous attitude? The explanation, his explaining to her about God and Satan’s wager about human souls? That God and Satan could influence only from the outside, to see who would win? The lights going out, the crowds of demons, the burning? The cat and the confrontation, the chair? The visit to Hell? Los Angeles and the fire in the wasteland, the scenes with the devils? The visit to Hell? Constantine being pursued? His catching her armband?

17. Constantine, the continual smoking and people’s comments? Killing himself – and his terminal illness? The flashbacks, the child, the bus, seeing the demons? The shock treatment, his suicide, two minutes in Hell? His ability to see the world behind the world? The half-breeds and their influence, part demon, part angel and the balance?

18. Isabel’s story, what she saw, being frightened? Her being committed? Angela and her understanding of the truth? The text, 1 Corinthians: 17 – and the fact that there is no 1Corinthians: 17? The revelation in Hell, the father and son and the Devil’s own son, crossing over? The role of the Spear of Destiny? Memmon? To forge his own rule? Angela and her denying her gift, how she stopped seeing the half-breeds, feeling abandoned? Abandoning Isabel?

19. The bath, her fear and struggle? Knowing the plan? The death of the smooth half-breed? Her gradually being snatched, moving through the elevator, through the walls, into the pool, her drowning?

20. Midnite and Chas, Midnite and his pain, the chair in the sacristy, his going through the ritual? Seeing the Mexican? The hospital, the Mexican and his intrusion? The rescue, the plight of Angela in the pool? The making of the bullets, the devils in the hospital, violating the balance and destiny? Angela taken to Hell, Memmon? Drowning?

21. The exorcism, her giving birth?

22. Satan appearing, Peter Stormari’s style, cynicism, effete, clothes, no shoes? The bargaining with Constantine? Constantine defeating him?

23. Any restoration of balance? God’s winning or Satan’s winning? The role of the ambiguous hero like Constantine, part good, part evil? Angela and her goodness – and the overtones of angels? The final confrontation with Gabriel, Gabriel’s cynicism, arguing against God’s love, trying to intervene? Constantine defeating Gabriel?