The Film Junkie

Music video director Francis Lawrence tries his very best to adapt this graphic novel character to the big screen, however a movie needs more than just visuals to get it by.  John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), in Neil Gaiman’s books, is born into a family of Constantine’s who are sent to be the clean-up the demons who have escaped into the world of humans.  I understand why they cast Reeves, he is known for being a big action star in darker fare action flicks a la ‘Matrix’, however he just doesn’t come off as smart or tough as Constantine needs to be.

The plot follows Constantine and he tries to help a cop (Rachel Weisz) find out if her twin sister actually did kill herself.  Weisz is good, but in a rather one-note role.  There is chemistry between Reeves and Weisz, but the lack of payoff pisses you off more than anything.

Weird casting of rock husband Gavin Rossdale as Balthazar, he kinda works, not sure about his chops yet.

The best part of this film is the tiny role of The Angel Gabriel played by Tilda Swinton, with the same androgynous brilliance she brought to 1992’s ‘Orlando’.  Swinton should be in more and maybe this film would suck less.

All in all, visually very cool, but not much underneath.

Grade: C+

In almost 40 years of filmmaking, Terence Malick has directed only four films.  This, after 1973’s ‘Badlands’, was his second and his last before a 20 year break until 1998’s ‘The Thin Red Line’.  His films are still, wandering and not typical Hollywood fare.  However, there is something to be said for them.  Though I am not a fan of ‘Red Line’, I did very much like ‘Badlands’ and so I didn’t know what to expect from this film.

It follows a man, his girlfriend and a little girl who are working their way across the country, pretending to be siblings, trying to survive.  The man, Bill (Richard Gere), realizes that a rich farmer has fallen for his girlfriend, Abby (1979’s ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’s Brooke Adams).  Bill convinces Abby to go with the farmer (Sam Shepard) so that they may all have a better life.  This, of course, cannot resolve itself easily and the drama plays out in a backdrop of the peace of farm life and that of the upper classes. The tale is narrated by the little girl, Linda (Linda Manz), with a strong Chicago accent and the perspective only a child could have.

This film is stirring, I don’t think there is a better word for it.  It is not like any other film you have seen and it may not be your cup of tea, but it is worth it.  Malick refuses to make films that are easily digestable and this haunting romance stays with you.

Grade: B+