Constantine was not a box office hit, but its reputation has grown over the years thanks to a clever story and some superb directing by first-timer Francis Lawrence. While the movie contains wall-to-wall effects, the picture’s style is a sustained, slow burn not a quick-cut, sugar rush. Many of the special effects put the emphasis on the “special,” fitting the story without dominating. While the quality of the effects have dated, most of them are used to build up the world and pull you into the fantasy
Keanu Reeves fits into this world like a glove. His character is a brooding, morose loner, and Keanu wisely instills Constantine with a professionalism towards his work that commands respect. Keanu’s supported by uniformly strong work by a sometimes uneven cast of familiar faces. Many of the characters could easily have been pitched over the top. – we’re talking angels and demons here – but Lawrence does just as good a job with the cast as he does with the effects.
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