Whoa… Hell is Brown
Posted on | February 21, 2005 at 9:11 pm | 10 Comments
I’ve been to Hell and back, and it was a wild trip. I saw Constantine this weekend. The filmmakers did a good job with what they had, though it would’ve been much better if they had kept the character British (and played by Sting) as originally intended. There were enough nods to the Hellblazer comics, mostly bits taken from different stories, to keep fans happy. (There’s one… errr… gesture that’s very rewarding to those who have read Dangerous Habits.) But it definitely “blazed” it’s own trail. I was surprised at how non-shallow it ended up being, exploring the whole good/evil, heaven/hell dynamic almost as well as the comic. It wasn’t just a typical horror or suspense film.
I liked the look of the film. Some nice visuals and the dreary brown color palette worked nicely. A refreshing change from all the dreary blue or green color palettes lately.
I’m not sure what to think of Keanu Reeves in the role of John Constantine. He definitely made it his own and his line readings were very… affected. Kind of a morose, whispery, humorously sarcastic tone that would be fun to imitate if I could remember exactly how it sounded. I should’ve taken mental notes. At least it made him sound different than other Reeves characters, but it became a little wearying after awhile and I kept hoping someone would turn up the dialog channel. Or maybe it was just bad sound in the theater.
Of the other performances, I most enjoyed Tilda Swinton’s androgynous angel Gabriel, and especially what they did with the character (which seemed very in line with the comics). Peter Stormare’s Satan didn’t do much for me, but mostly because I couldn’t quite picture him in the role. I was disappointed that the scenes with half-angel/half-demon Ellie (a character from the comics) were left on the cutting room floor but I’m sure they’ll show up on the eventual DVD. Shia LeBeouf’s Chas departed radically from the comics, but I guess they needed that humorous young sidekick character.
So, I recommend it. It gets a one on the Nod-O-Meter, since I felt my eyelids drooping a bit during the action scenes near the end. The “Holy Gun” was kind of stupid and too Matrix-like.
Oh, if you do see this movie, stay through the end credits. My friend Bryce and I were the only ones to do so, even though there were a lot of people at the screening. There’s a scene after the end credits that ties up some loose ends, which we did not know was going to be there ahead of time. I’m glad we stayed.
Latre.
Comments
10 Responses to “Whoa… Hell is Brown”
February 22nd, 2005 @ 9:01 am
I’ve been tempted to see this, though I admit to a little nervousness about how gutted the concept would turn out to be. Glad to hear it’s at least recognizable to Hellblazer fans.
February 23rd, 2005 @ 6:34 am
Why do people not stay through the credits? If we weren’t in a movie theater, I’d ask where the fire is. Honestly, they gain two or three minutes, which they then squander idling in the parking lot with everyone else who scooted out at the close of the closing scene, and they always miss something interesting. Even I know credits are full of Easter eggs (and when they’re not, I amuse myself imagining naming my children after the gaffers and animation assistants), and I go to the movies less often than anyone else. So there.
February 23rd, 2005 @ 11:56 am
I don’t understand it either, Janet. What is so all fired important about leaving as soon as the credits start to roll? A couple of theories:
1) Drank too much Coke! Bladder about to explode!
2) Credits are so boring, must sit and have actual conversation about movie with companion. Better to head for car instead!
3) Only geeky people stay for the credits and I don’t want anyone to think I’m geeky!
4) Don’t really need to know now who performed that song I really liked – can look it up on the soundtrack album.
5) New episode of CSI on tonight – starts in 10 minutes!
6) Don’t want to pay the babysitter for extra time.
7) Really like waiting in line to get out of the parking lot.
What I really hate is when the cleanup guys come in and start cleaning while I’m still watching the credits. Sometimes they’ll just stand there at the bottom, brooms in hand, which is almost as bad. I imagine them saying to themselves (or each other), “Get a life, dork!”. At least they always say “Thanks for coming! Have a good afternoon!” as I walk past them. I don’t think they should let the cleanup crew in until after it’s totally over.
February 23rd, 2005 @ 9:38 pm
Janet: I beg to differ – I think we go to movies even less often than you, despite the kid thing. I’m not sure, but I think the last movie we saw in a theater was on the 4th of July… Also: yes, we stay for credits – although if I’m with a crowd of folks who don’t, I don’t insist on it. But if I did, I’d do so in the voice of Comic Book Guy: “Excuse me…you’re clearly unaware that frequently, clever or amusing tidbits are buried after the credits. You may go if you like – but as for me, I will enjoy the subtle arts of post-credits humor, and later amuse myself amongst film connoisseurs engaging in witty badinage concerning the most droll such items.”
February 25th, 2005 @ 1:56 pm
hey, speaking of Satan, Rog, d’you have an opinion on Point Pleasant? I’m developing what is probably an unhealthy curiousity, but we usually rehearse that night, so satisfying it would take an unreasonable amount of work.
I usually only stay for the credits when they’re in a language I can read. IF they’re in Katakana, I kinda feel like, “hey, who’m I kidding?”
And just because I don’t have a blog of my own to say this in, man, I am totally obssessed with the Trolleyvox song “Fleur-de-lis” this week.
February 25th, 2005 @ 2:12 pm
I watched the first 4 or 5 episodes of Point Pleasant. I wanted to get hooked on it, but it really wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen before. Not bad, but not appointment viewing either. A little too predictable. I expected better of Marti Noxon and Ben Edlund. So I stopped watching. Also, I don’t want to get hooked on something that will probably not be around much longer. Though it could surprise us all.
I’ll have to check out the Trolleyvox song when I get home.
February 25th, 2005 @ 6:05 pm
I like that Trolleyvox song – reminds me a lot of the female britpop Sleeper/Echobelly axis. I vaguely remember them from the Let’s Active trib (which also had that other band… King something).
February 27th, 2005 @ 1:43 pm
I like “Le Fleur De Lys” too.. Haven’t been able to track down the CD, but that song is downloadable from the Trolleyvox website, and I put it on my “best of 2003″ disc.
2fs: “On the 4th of July” — you mean that Ron Kovic movie with Tom Cruise? Even I’ve been to a movie since that came out!
April 7th, 2005 @ 12:22 pm
Go to http://www.groovedisques.com. They’ll hook youz guys up with our cds if you so desire. Tvox album #3 is in the works.
xoxo
Andrew
The Trolleyvox
April 7th, 2005 @ 1:16 pm
Got ‘em a couple of weeks ago from groovedisques.com, Andrew, and am currently enjoying them… Good stuff! Looking forward to the third album!