Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
John Constantine has literally been to Hell and back. When he teams up with a policewoman to solve the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, their investigation takes them through the world of demons and angels that exists beneath the landscape of contemporary Los Angeles.
Constantine is a competently crafted supernatural noir that sits comfortably in the above-average range across the board without truly excelling in any single dimension. The plot is engaging and lore-rich but somewhat convoluted and unevenly paced, blending comic-book mythology with detective procedural in ways that don't always cohere. Keanu Reeves delivers his trademark stoic cool which works well enough for the character, while Tilda Swinton and Peter Stormare stand out in supporting roles, keeping acting solidly above average. The cinematography by Philippe Rousselot creates a suitably gloomy, desaturated LA underworld with memorable visual set-pieces, though it doesn't reach the level of true artistry. As a comic adaptation, it takes significant liberties with Hellblazer source material and creates a distinctive Hollywood supernatural aesthetic, giving it moderate novelty without being truly one-of-a-kind. The ending, including the post-credits sting, is satisfying and thematically resonant with the redemption arc, but not exceptional. A solid mid-tier genre film that has earned its cult following without being a standout in any particular craft area.