So, what's wrong with the Constantine movie?

[Jersen]

So, I saw the Constantine movie years ago when it was in theaters, and that was my 1st experience with John Constantine. It wasn't until MUCH later that I realized he was a comic book character, and my 1st experience in reading John Constantine as a comic book character has been in the past couple of weeks while reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run. Never read an issue of Hellblazer.

So, what's so wrong with the Constantine movie, other than the fact that he's not blond in the movie? I really enjoy the movie but all I seem to hear is how horrible comic fans think it is. So, what's in the movie that is so wrong about John Constantine as a character?

[maraxusofkeld]

The movie is very a d I say very loosely based on the comic. There is not an arc in the comic that has a plot like the movie other than the fact that he is dying of cancer.

[leonmallett]

I quite liked it and have never read the comic book.

[Drift]

Constantine is a sarcastic, cynical, wise-cracking Englishman. He drinks, smokes and cheats at cards and in general, isn't actually that nice of a guy. He is cool in his own way on some lower, working class level but isn't generally the kind of guy you want to throw in with but if you are friends with him he is loyal and will go out of his way to help, which is one of few redeeming features. In general, Americans have the same grasp on the base English sarcastic humour that makes Constantine a great character even if he is a complete *SQUEE*, so when Americans write the book it doesn't have the same feel to it and it was the same with the movie. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie for what it was but it just wasn't right. Keanu Reeves was the wrong choice for the character and Shia LeBouef was all kinds of wrong as Chas as he is all kinds of wrong for just about every role he plays. In the movie, Chas wants to set himself up as some kind of apprentice to John. In the comics, he is one of John's oldest friends and accepts what he does but in general, he wants nothing to do with Constantine's magic.

For the storyline they chose to (loosely) base the film on, they should have followed the Ennis run of the comics more closely even if that meant setting it up in another movie. It had the potential to be a cool series of films but was handled poorly. I see Constantine working better as a TV series than a film franchise as they have more of an ability to really get to grips with the deep history and mythology that Moore and Delano created in Swamp Thing and the early part of the Hellblazer series.

In short: Movie = OK but badly cast; TV series would be better. Get English writers like Ennis and Delano on board even in the capacity of consultants as they were the ones that made the comics great.

[ian_house]

Constantine is a sarcastic, cynical, wise-cracking Englishman. He drinks, smokes and cheats at cards and in general, isn't actually that nice of a guy. He is cool in his own way on some lower, working class level but isn't generally the kind of guy you want to throw in with but if you are friends with him he is loyal and will go out of his way to help, which is one of few redeeming features. In general, Americans have the same grasp on the base English sarcastic humour that makes Constantine a great character even if he is a complete *SQUEE*, so when Americans write the book it doesn't have the same feel to it and it was the same with the movie. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie for what it was but it just wasn't right. Keanu Reeves was the wrong choice for the character and Shia LeBouef was all kinds of wrong as Chas as he is all kinds of wrong for just about every role he plays. In the movie, Chas wants to set himself up as some kind of apprentice to John. In the comics, he is one of John's oldest friends and accepts what he does but in general, he wants nothing to do with Constantine's magic.

For the storyline they chose to (loosely) base the film on, they should have followed the Ennis run of the comics more closely even if that meant setting it up in another movie. It had the potential to be a cool series of films but was handled poorly. I see Constantine working better as a TV series than a film franchise as they have more of an ability to really get to grips with the deep history and mythology that Moore and Delano created in Swamp Thing and the early part of the Hellblazer series.

In short: Movie = OK but badly cast; TV series would be better. Get English writers like Ennis and Delano on board even in the capacity of consultants as they were the ones that made the comics great.

Pretty much what I was going to say.

[myron]

I like the comics, I like the movie in the same way I like most comic book adaptations...


They are NOT the comic, but loose interpretations...and that's fine. I watch movies for the same reason I read comics...enjoyment factor.

[steverino]

Never read any of the books. I treat anything Alan Moore does as if its radioactive waste and it's usually pretty close to it. Can't see how the character of Constantine could be any different.

The movie: Loved it! Keanu did a great job in it. If it was that far off from Moore's creation, it's no wonder it was actually enjoyable.

[ian_house]

Never read any of the books. I treat anything Alan Moore does as if its radioactive waste and it's usually pretty close to it. Can't see how the character of Constantine could be any different.

The movie: Loved it! Keanu did a great job in it. If it was that far off from Moore's creation, it's no wonder it was actually enjoyable.

Alan Moore might have created the character but there is quite a bit more to it than that...

He could have been quite different. He could have been a woman, or a different colour, nice, friendly, a superhero, a fireman, a porn star. This could go on a while.

Keanu did an awesome job of presenting absolutely no emotion!

[BruceReville]

I liked the movie

[steverino]

Never read any of the books. I treat anything Alan Moore does as if its radioactive waste and it's usually pretty close to it. Can't see how the character of Constantine could be any different.

The movie: Loved it! Keanu did a great job in it. If it was that far off from Moore's creation, it's no wonder it was actually enjoyable.

Alan Moore might have created the character but there is quite a bit more to it than that...

He could have been quite different. He could have been a woman, or a different colour, nice, friendly, a superhero, a fireman, a porn star. This could go on a while.

Keanu did an awesome job of presenting absolutely no emotion!

It may be just me, but I saw plenty of emotion from the character. He had contempt and disgust for just about everything. Mostly, he just angry, but I also saw remorse, fear, among others. I enjoyed the hell out of his performance.

[vikingspawn]

As a regular movie, I found it was so boring. I walked out of the theater because I was so bored by it. The performances were ok but the pacing was brutal.

[superman-prime]

I liked the movie as well and like Moore as much as Al gore loves nucular power

[Lightning Strike]

So, I saw the Constantine movie years ago when it was in theaters, and that was my 1st experience with John Constantine. It wasn't until MUCH later that I realized he was a comic book character, and my 1st experience in reading John Constantine as a comic book character has been in the past couple of weeks while reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run. Never read an issue of Hellblazer.

So, what's so wrong with the Constantine movie, other than the fact that he's not blond in the movie? I really enjoy the movie but all I seem to hear is how horrible comic fans think it is. So, what's in the movie that is so wrong about John Constantine as a character?

Like you, I liked the movie and thought it was pretty good. I then read a couple issues of the comic but didn't care for it.

[xodacia81]

I enjoy both the movie and the comic for what they are, which isn't always easy for me to do. For instance, I cannot abide the movie version of LOEG, but I think the comics are wicked fun. This, however, I enjoyed, maybe because I saw the film first and then read the books later.

[maraxusofkeld]

I enjoy both the movie and the comic for what they are, which isn't always easy for me to do. For instance, I cannot abide the movie version of LOEG, but I think the comics are wicked fun. This, however, I enjoyed, maybe because I saw the film first and then read the books later.

Agreed, I also enjoy both the movies and the comics