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C O N S T A N T I N E (2005)

Story by Kevin Brodbin
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
John Constantine - Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson / Isabel Dodson – Rachel Weis

Gabriel - Tilda Swinton


"He who possesses the Spear of Destiny holds the fate of the world in his hands."


The movie starts with this quote.

The Spear of Destiny has brought so much fear and terrible end to mankind that the fact of its disappearance after World War II is comforting at the moment, but the thought that another madman can pick it up and can release a fatal devastation to the world, fills me with horror.

In the movie scavengers find the Spear, and as worthy of its name, it activates the negative energy immediately: wherever it appears will bring devastation. Even the animals fall one after the other when it’s close by.

Before I write about the message of the movie, let’s take a look at the characters featuring in the story:

C O N S T A N T I N E, John


He is a confident exorcist. It would be easy to identify him as a voodoo priest, since he is driving the same kind of energies. He can heal with his will, but he also forces the intruder demons’ hands by his will to help the possessed people free from detention.

There is a wrong conclusion in the movie about cigarette causing his lung cancer. I am often used by spirits for inhaling and shifting them through my crown chakra into other dimensions and vice versa. Visitors may come to join us from other dimensions by using air.

Probably a lot of low vibration spirits has left through Constantine that outworn his lungs. On the other hand he punished himself by this sickness for trying to kill himself with his own hands when he was young.

John has seen things in his childhood invisible for normal human beings. He was frightened and escaped into suicide. For a few seconds -which seemed to be eternal - he visited the deepest pits of hell, where those who commit suicide get. This way he was able to make sure that all the horror he has seen is not an illusion, but based on real facts.

He knows that Angels and Demons are prohibited to enter this world, but angelic and demonic "half-breeds" can, to influence people’s lives. Just like God and the devil made a wager for the souls of all mankind. Since they have no direct contact with humans, they shepherd them towards their faith by the help of these "half-beings".

A N G E L A

Giving an angelic name to the female character is I think a little wacky, but probably this message was the intension of the creators.

Our leading actress has both telepathic and precognition abilities, but she has denied them in her whole life, having remorse about refusing to undertake community with her twin sister by revealing these abilities. Her sister, indeed, got into a mental hospital and committed suicide. As a result of this incident, Angela allows herself to give attention to these abilities.

A P P R E N T I C E - Chas

Constantine is using him as a driver, since he is lacking patience and respect. He expects glory out of the exorcist job, rather than considering it a serious profession. He is totally immature for the teachings despite his wide knowledge coming from a lot of books. But he is lacking modesty essential to the work with the spirit world. His overconfidence finally causes his downfall.

THE PRIEST

Medium, hears voices, and performs exorcist rituals.

With full of fear no-one can fight the negative spirit world. Alcohol even makes his prostration worst, instead of strengthening his courage.

G A B R I E L

To me, her figure is the most exciting. There is no indication of which Gabriel she is, but her views are suspiciously similar to the prophetic messages of a certain religion’s prophet who has preached about true believers...

Papa M I D N I T E

He is the guardian of the gate for those coming from another dimension. He is a former Witch, creating neutral space, who belongs to neither party. While there is a balance between good and bad, he does not take sides.

L U C I F E R - He is, how he is

At the beginning of the story Constantine performs exorcism on a little girl. In the scene, it appears, the demon has grant her such great and special physical power that she can even walk on the ceiling. It is not an exaggeration, it can happen. But it is true, not in case of an ordinary obsession. Only a sober creature is capable to such stunt.

For the rituals, John is using a mirror.

The mirror is a different world. It either unveils spirits by not showing their reflections, or reflects demons.

Constantine is even provoking a demon: "Smile pretty, you vain prick!" - So it becomes visible.

Apparently I also often meet mirrors showing other reflections also. It is unfortunate to keep mirror in the bedroom, since channels can be opened through them, and nasty creatures can disturb our dreams.

Police detective Angela has lost her twin sister, who was under psychological treatment because of her extraordinary sensitivity and talents. Isabel most likely has committed suicide. In the recording about her act, she pronounces Constantine’s name.

The illustration of demonic world and Hell in the movie happened to be quite terrifying, but believe me my Dear Reader, as far as I saw it, I can tell it is authentic.

Constantine decides to contact Isabel. For the channeling he uses water.

In my opinion water is the best deemed communication device among dimensions. Water is a universal channel making transits easier among the planes.

To be honest, I have less understanding of the role of the cat, but I cannot even know everything. The cat probably intended to support the mystery itself.

The death of the priest and the message from Isabel gets the main characters closer to understanding how things are. The decoded message is the following: "THE WORLD WILL NOT END BY GOD’S HANDS, BUT BE REBORN IN THE EMBRACE OF THE DAMNED".

"ONLY THE GUILTS OF THE SON CAN OUTSHINE THE GUILTS OF THE FATHER." Of course it is about Mammon, the son of Satan. The scripts predict the upcoming of this new infernal emperor.

As the story develops, the pieces come together.

Constantine in the meantime helps to awaken the abilities of Angela, but warns her: "IF YOU DO THIS THERE IS NO TURNING BACK... YOU SEE THEM AND THEY WILL SEE YOU."

Well, this is a good advice, overviewed by many, and in the swim of the visions finally psychiatry can bring relief.

The test of Angela’s faith is the act of diving in water until choking. It is a crash course to awaken abilities for opening channels and also to Angela’s extra sensibility. Loosing consciousness will burst the cork fouling the flow of information. The girl realizes that she knew it all along, but has blocked it before.

My favorite part of the movie is when John administers the last sacrament into a demonic half-breed. So he reveals what he knows to get free.

I will not shoot the joke, the point is a universal law, worthy to see and remember.

The subsequent information is the following: "WHATEVER KILLED THE SON OF GOD, WILL GIVE BIRTH TO THE SON OF DEVIL."

Jesus didn't die from being nailed to a cross. He was killed by a soldier's spear penetrated into his heart. Well, this is the main accessory of the ritual.

The characters happen to leave their protecting amulets two times in the movie, leading them to trouble.

I do not consider fortunate to depend on an object, since all the troubles are caused by their loss. But in some cases they are more convenient and much easier than performing rituals.

The story evolves: the Sword arrives to the City of Los Angeles, and Angela is kidnapped by the evil.

It is an exaggeration to add Los Angeles to the name Angela, but there are some who make these cheap tricks. Otherwise, the name says it all: let Angela be our female character, and Los Angeles the place where an angel betrays his God.

Constantine and his assistant prepare for the fight. The prophecy arrives or rather becomes clear, that this will happen with the help of the divine. The Angel, who had been standing besides God, has deserted to the dark side.

The explanation Gabriel gives is interesting about the reason of her involvement in helping to awaken the new emperor. In her mind, with this action she motivates mankind what they were assigned for: proofs. For anybody - even murderers or continuous family abusers- it is enough to repent only, and God takes them into His bosom. (This is not quite like that, only Gabriel sees it so simple.)

Supposedly, no other creature in the Universe is given this privilege, only man. Gabriel thinks, if she creates Hell on Earth, those who would survive the rules of Hell on Earth will be really worthy of God’s love.

The events gear up.

In the last minute Constantine prays to God and then cuts his veins. He knows, if he commits suicide, Lucifer himself will come for him, because he has unveiled so much of his men that the chief of Hell himself would want to clear Constantine’s soul away from Earth.

The trap pays off. Satan or how John calls him: "Lu" personally comes for him.

Since Lucifer did not know anything about his son’s conspiracy and finds out from Constantine about Mammon just preparing to be born, this is a good example that not everyone has all the information. The creatures of the spirit world - representative of any side - do not have all the knowledge.

Lucifer intervenes and prohibits the birth of his son, and in gratitude he promises to fulfill John’s one request. He thought he will crave for his life, but Constantine asks the ascension of Isabel’s soul. He would take John, but he is prohibited. Since John’s sacrifice has changed his soul, he was not meant to go to Hell anymore. Lucifer cannot allow John to enter Heaven. So he gives his life back by healing him and hopes to commit enough sin through his long life to get John’s soul evaluated back to Hell.

The movie is full of great phrases and axioms. For those who deal with occultism this is not to be missed!

As an extra point, Gabriel - who is not identical to Gabriel Archangel! - becomes human, and by relying on John’s ego, she hopes that Constantine would want to fulfill the divine justice and kill her. She is even provoking Constantine to shoot her. Of course this is only the deception of people’s boastfulness that God would ask anyone such a thing. Though God’s ways are mysterious, only the way of charity would lead to him. Constantine chooses this way and has mercy on the fallen angel.

Finally a quote from the movie:

"WE DON’T HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THE DEVIL NOR GOD, SINCE BOTH BELIEVE IN OUR WAY TOWARDS THEM – THE CHOICE IS OURS."