nan | 楠木

A Keanu Reeves movie.
I’ve no complaints about the guy, he’s good looking and cool, but he tends to lack some serious acting abilities. Yet, like the Matrix trilogy, this is mostly the type of film for him, where he gets to play the cool (and nerdy) superhero who’s accustomed to unconventional methods.
Constantine is a strange film. In terms of special effects, it has some interesting scenarios, but in this day and world, the visuals are by no means jaw dropping, at least not Star-Wars-Episode-III-style jaw dropping. It would be unfair to compare this film to Revenge of Sith, as they employ special effects very differently (IMO), but while watching Constantine I wasn’t even near stimulated or excited by the effects. Nothing looked especially new or spectacular, and a lot of it reminded me of Lord of Rings.
Plot-wise, this film is equally bizarre. I haven’t read the original graphic novels– and I certainly don’t intend to after seeing this film adaption– but the film doesn’t really gain pace throughout its running time. Things happen. Unsatisfactory or insufficient information is given on why they happen. There didn’t seem to be any particular direction that the movie was anxiously heading in, and that tends to be a bad sign unless you’ve really got some tricks up your sleeve. Unfortunately for Constantine, the trick is neither logical enough or interesting enough. Perhaps the climax of the film only succeeds in bringing us some solid action–finally– and that action sequence ends on an abrupt note too quickly.
Anyhow, for a comic adaption, this is by far one of the darker and more gloomier films. Most certainly this difference in style is intended, but its effects are certainly questionable. I don’t know whether this film would have been more enjoyable if Keanu Reeves kicked more asses more often, but as it is, you get the feeling that this film provides inadaquate entertainment for its worth.
7 out of 10.