Hell and Back Again


Koff-koff... HAAAHHKK... Guhk...

FINALLY got to watch the movie Constantine, starring Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz, and based on the comic Hellblazer. Now, I'm not really a fan of the comic, though I've seen the character in stuff like Books of Magic. Basically, John Constantine is a cigarette-smoking mystic who spends his days exorcising demons and sending evil half-demons back to Hell if they go out of line and break the truce between Heaven and Earth. The reason for this is hardly altruistic on John's part- because of a sin he committed years ago, he's condemned to damnation when he dies (which is SOON, since he's just been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer), so now he's trying to 'buy' his way back to Heaven. However, according to the Angel Gabriel (Tilda Swinton), he's got about as much chance as an ice cube in an inferno.
But when a police detective (Rachel Weisz) comes to him asking to look into the supposed suicide of her twin sister, he finds himself in a race to stop a plot to unleash Hell on Earth.

Perhaps it helped that I'm not a fan of the comic book, or perhaps it's just that I really don't have any biases against Keanu Reeves' movies... but I really just liked this movie. The story's not bad, the effects are pretty slick, and the action, suspense and atmosphere make this a particularly hellish experience to watch- which in this case is not a bad thing. Anyway, for a two-hour movie it went by quite quickly without any real slow or boring parts. I'm quite glad I was able to watch it in the theaters, instead of at home on DVD.

Anyway, watched it at Cubao's Gateway Mall- and I have to say that the central Cubao area looks pretty awesome, with lots of nice restos and bright lights. The Gateway Mall theaters are also quite nice. I'd probably go and watch more movies there again when I can.