Constantine

The problem with using a smaller shop to rent your DVDs from is that they often only have one copy of things. So to expect anything half decent to be left on a Saturday night is a bit naive. On this particular night comic book adaptation Constantine, starring the theatrically challenged Mr Reeves, was way way down my list, but was just about the only thing left I was remotely prepared to watch. I'd been stung before by thinking I'd give Keanu a chance, I mean the guy has iconic movie looks, just check out the above image, but boy does he struggle with depth and any other emotion than slightly pissed off. However, I may have underestimated the fact that this was fantasy approaching his biggest success (The Matrix) and as such would benefit from what he does best. I'd heard there was a lot of disgruntlement from the purists of the source material, Hellblazer, who demanded our [anti]hero be blond and British. Having not read it, I can't comment on that, but as a moody, chain-smoking, demon kicker Reeves is more than equal to the task, delivering a two dimensional performance of the very highest order! Of course it's silly, of course it's cheesy, but music video director Francis Lawrence creates enough mood and moment to lift it above several of its recent contempories, embellishing it with enough little touches to ensure we know that he knows it's a comic book thing. So much could have been better, naturally - the effects were decent if not mind blowing, the settings were suitably dark and the performances were solid enough for this kind of fare. Rachel Weisz is always worth watching, especially as she seems to be approaching the pinnacle of her powers - I, certainly, have never fancied her more than as the confused yet feisty Angela (gettit?) and twin sister Isobel. There are some odd performances from Tilda Swinton and Peter Stormare as Gabriel and Satan respectively, perhaps pushing the boundaries of "colourful" a little too far, and a weird cameo from Shia LeBeouf as Constantine's taxi driving sidekick that is badly edited and therefore deemed completely superfluous. Altogether though, when the final joke of C forsaking his beloved smokes for a stick of gum arrives, there has been enough enjoyment to warrant a tentative recommendation... So here it is: see it if eveything else is out - 7/10 Kx