CONSTANTINE

There is a Hell – and you DON’T want to go there! by Mike & Paula Parker Ever since 1968's "Rosemary's Baby," and 1973’s “The Exorcist,” focused the world’s attention on the possibility of demonic possession, Hollywood has had a love affair with the battle between God and the Devil. During the thirty years since there have been so many knock-offs and cheap imitations of those two very original films that movies about spiritual warfare rarely raise many eyebrows today, even when touting superstar actors like Arnold Schwartzenegger in the disappointing “End of Days,” or Kim Bassinger in the very good, but poorly reviewed “Bless The Child.” But every once in a while a new film comes along that has the ability to capture the imagination of a generation, and raises significant questions in the minds of its audience – questions like ‘Is the devil for real? Does Hell exist, and if it does is it really all that bad? What about God? Would He really send me to Hell?’ Such questions are usually reserved for Sunday School classes or very bad ‘Christian’ movies. “Constantine,” Warner Brothers big budget, high profile production dares to ask and answer those questions, but don’t expect to sleep through this sermon. This is the first movie since Jurassic Park that literally made me jump out of my seat. Rated “R” “for violence and demonic images,” “Constantine” is not what you would call a family-friendly film. Based on the “Hellblazer” series of graphic novels, “Constantine” follows the adventures of demon-hunter John Constantine. Born with the gift (or curse, depending on your perspective) of seeing the reality of both demonic and angelic forces, and unable to cope with that frightening reality, Constantine committed suicide while in his teens. He is revived two minutes later. It is one of the film’s central premises, however, that suicides have committed the unpardonable sin, so for two minutes John Constantine was in Hell. But as he so eloquently puts it, two minutes in Hell is a lifetime. Having been revived, and having no desire to return to the netherworld, Constantine sets about to earn his salvation by “deporting” demons back to Hell. But as the angelic creature Gabriel informs him, salvation is not for sale. You can’t earn it. God loves everyone and is willing to grant forgiveness and salvation. All you have to do is repent. For some reason Constantine just doesn’t get it, and continues his quest not so much to go to heaven as to avoid going to Hell. “How would you like knowing you were being sentenced to a prison where you had put half of the inmates,” he asks. State of the art special effects, fast-paced direction, the stunning Rachel Weise as the damsel in distress and Keanu Reeves type-cast as the cynical, cigarette-addicted Constantine make for an irresistible package. I’ve seen it twice for free as a movie reviewer. I’d pay full price to see it again as a fan.