[MOVIE] Costantine and my memories
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A Blast from the Past: My Very First Movie Review
A big shout-out to the entire scrobble.life community! đź‘‹
This is officially my first-ever post dedicated to a movie review. If I am here writing these lines today, it is entirely thanks to your contest. There are challenges you simply cannot ignore, and this one had the power to swing wide open my personal door of memories.
Cinema holds this exact magic: a single freeze-frame, a soundtrack, or an old poster is enough to take you on a time-travel journey, bringing back emotions you thought were long forgotten. And after all these years, it still works that way for me!
The Chosen Film: An Occult Classic
The movie that literally unlocked the drawers of my memory is Constantine, a noir and supernatural film that blends action and esotericism in a unique way. Based on DC Comics' cult comic book Hellblazer, this title represents a milestone of the genre for many fans.
Release Year: 2005
Director: Francis Lawrence (in his memorable cinematic debut)
The Main Cast
Actor / Actress | Character Played |
|---|---|
Keanu Reeves | John Constantine |
Rachel Weisz | Angela Dodson / Isabel Dodson |
Shia LaBeouf | Chas Kramer |
Tilda Swinton | Archangel Gabriel |
Djimon Hounsou | Papa Midnite |
Peter Stormare | Lucifer (Satan) |
Technical info and cast details consulted via Wikipedia
The World of Constantine
In a dark, suffocating Los Angeles perpetually shrouded in smoke, our protagonist John Constantine navigates a life suspended between worlds: the earthly realm, Heaven, and Hell. This "gift," granted to him since childhood, has always been a source of profound torment.
His current duty is to maintain order as a neutral and ruthless arbiter, enforcing the rules imposed by an ancient covenant between God and Lucifer. John operates by performing exorcisms and banishing "half-breeds"—demons and angels who are allowed to influence and whisper to humans, but never force them into action. This leaves absolute room for free will, a theological concept that serves as the true driving engine for the entire film. The millennial pact exists precisely to manage humanity's souls, dividing them without sparking an all-out war on Earth between the two factions.
The Plot: The Encounter and the Investigation
Police detective Angela Dodson, a devout Catholic, refuses to believe that her twin sister Isabel committed suicide by jumping from the roof of the mental hospital where she was institutionalized. Investigating the case, Angela analyzes security camera footage of the incident. While studying the silent tape in a dark room, a chilling supernatural connection occurs: the windows fog up, and the name Constantine appears mysteriously written on the glass.
As fate would have it, the protagonist is in the exact same police station at that moment to handle some paperwork. Their first meeting, however, leads nowhere: Angela presses him stubbornly, but Constantine coldly dismisses her, telling her that her sister was simply insane.
The topic of suicide hits close to home for Constantine: as a teenager, he had tried to take his own life, and for two minutes, he succeeded. Paramedics managed to bring him back, but that act damned him. By rejecting the gift of life, he committed a mortal sin that condemns him to Hell once his earthly days are over.
During a second meeting between the two, the Los Angeles sky turns dark and menacing. Winged demons attempt to abduct Angela right in the street, but Constantine's timely intervention—using the reflection of a car to incinerate them—thwarts the attack. This event changes everything: Angela was not mistaken.
The Journey to Hell and the Global Threat
Having escaped the ambush, Constantine decides to get to the bottom of it. Once at her apartment, he performs an intense esoteric ritual to temporarily "relocate" to Hell. To cross the threshold, he submerges his feet in a basin of water while staring into the eyes of a cat—animals known in ancient lore as the natural guardians of the supernatural, walking with one foot in our world and one in the afterlife.
Arriving in a desolate, apocalyptic wasteland that mirrors a shattered, burning Los Angeles, he recognizes Isabel's spirit by the hospital bracelet tied to her wrist. The girl's fate is sealed: eternal damnation.
More importantly, John understands the motives behind her actions. Isabel, a highly powerful psychic, realized that demonic forces wanted to use her body as a portal to birth Mammon, the son of Lucifer, unleashing Hell on Earth. Her suicide was an extreme act of sacrifice to save the world.
Aware of the impending danger, Constantine convinces Angela to undergo a ritual to awaken her latent, repressed psychic powers. Despite her fears, she accepts. Things quickly take a turn for the worse, though: right inside John's home, the demonic forces breach the perimeter, shattering the windows and kidnapping Angela to use her as the new living portal.
The apocalypse is now at the doorstep. Meanwhile, an oblivious scavenger and gold prospector unearths the Spear of Destiny (the holy artifact that pierced Jesus on the cross)—the missing piece required to complete the summoning ritual. The man, Manuel, becomes a soulless shell upon touching the weapon, driven by the sole purpose of bringing the spear to Los Angeles.
The Epilogue: The Supreme Sacrifice (Conclusion)
The climax of the film is a race against time. Constantine, along with his young apprentice Chas, breaks into the building where Mammon is about to be born through Angela's body. Despite their efforts and the tragic death of Chas—Constantine's assistant and driver—the forces of evil are far too overwhelming. The mastermind behind the deception reveals itself to be the Archangel Gabriel, who has gone insane, convinced that humanity must endure Hell to truly prove worthy of God's love.
In a desperate, dead-end situation, Constantine makes the only move possible: he slits his wrists. He knows that suicide will instantly summon Lucifer himself, eager to personally claim his coveted, tormented soul.
When Satan manifests to take him away, John informs him of the secret plot engineered by his son Mammon and Gabriel. Furious at the attempted coup, Lucifer intervenes drastically: he casts his son back into Hell and burns Gabriel's wings, turning the archangel mortal.
With order restored, Lucifer grants Constantine one wish before taking him. John, with a final flash of generosity, does not ask for his own salvation, but requests that Isabel's soul be freed and admitted into Heaven. Satan complies, but the moment he tries to drag John's body away, he realizes he cannot. This act of pure altruism has redeemed Constantine; his soul now belongs to Heaven. Enraged at losing his most coveted prize, Lucifer heals John's wounds and cures his lung cancer, condemning him to live on Earth in the hope that he will mess up once again.
Personal Thoughts
Being a genre close to my heart—noir, soft horror, and esotericism in general—I deeply appreciated this film. The actors, in particular, excel: Keanu Reeves is a guarantee, but the entire cast was perfectly scouted. Just think of the Archangel Gabriel, portrayed as an androgynous figure just like in ancient descriptions.
Beyond the brilliant acting, I loved the special effects. In my opinion, they struck the right balance—not feeling improvised, yet not so over-the-top that the movie lost its credibility.
Another fascinating element is the connection, never made explicitly, to certain concepts like Hermeticism, expressed through the three worlds shifting between the divine and the earthly. Furthermore, alongside well-executed Catholic references, I loved the detail during the discovery of the Spear of Destiny, wrapped in a Nazi flag—a nod to the legend that Hitler once possessed it.
The Unlocking of a Memory
While browsing Ecency, I came across this highly welcome contest, and as I read through it, a drawer in my memory burst open, bringing these thoughts to light.
I watched the movie Constantine for the first time on TV, specifically on 12/20/2021. You might wonder how I can remember the exact date so clearly? I am certain of it because, the very next day, my way of watching movies changed forever.
The following day, I suffered a retinal detachment which, after some time, led to absolute blindness, as I was already monocular. From that day forward, I was no longer able to physically see and enjoy a movie. We could say it was the last film I ever saw perfectly.
It wasn't a pleasant memory, and those were far from idyllic times. But look closely—it isn't a tragic memory either. Sure, not being able to see isn't easy, but it doesn't stop you from enjoying a great film.
It might sound like I'm pulling your leg: watching a movie if you are blind, what nonsense! But it isn't true. The visual images are no longer the most important thing; instead, you dedicate yourself to the actors' performances, the music, the dialogue, and even the sound design of the special effects. It's not the same as seeing, of course, but a visually impaired person can just as easily settle into an armchair, grab a nice bag of popcorn, relax, and enjoy the Seventh Art.
I must admit that, thank God, I have an angel by my side—my wife, who patiently describes or explains the images I might not fully grasp, and that is a true blessing.
I wanted to enter this contest precisely because it spoke of memories and emotions. What I have written here is not to gain pity or play the victim—I don't need it, I live a good life as a blind person—but it felt right to share my feelings with you.
And now, friends, I will say goodbye, as I have been quite long-winded. I hope you found this satisfying, just as it satisfied me to write it.
Yours,
Zumzulik