Chiasmus cult cinema trailers - "Constantine" (2005). *These will be ongoing posts, courtesy of the A.Glass DVD collection. As I offer via Chiasmus Cult trailers, my summarized overviews*

Very loosely based off a collection of stories, derived by Alan Moore's 1985 comic book created character "John Constantine" as an English necromancer and conman, later reworked under the "Hellblazer" graphic novels of the 1990s by a plethora of comic book writers.  Then adapted for a movie production in the early 2000s by relatively known Irish screenwriter Kevin Brodbin, and directed by Francis Lawrence, as his debut directorial movie.  And of course starring Keanu Reeves, fresh from completing the "Matrix" trilogy who plays John Constantine like a cynical "Neo" from the Matrix, who has terminal lung cancer.  In fact, Constantine does indeed measure up as a film, which, maybe not consciously, borrows from the Matrix ethos, or be it combination of realities overlapping, and worlds between worlds.  

Lawrence was able to cleverly revamp the Constantine story giving it a Los Angeles noir flow, rather than based in England, like the comics, and ensuring that the story of the Earthly realm caught between Heaven and Hell, and God and Lucifer's wager on the human race, is an American affair.  With L.A. at times, when visualized by the private investigator occultist John Constantine, with his psychic abilities, appears as a *nuked out city hellscape.  Hence, the 'what's behind the curtain' element for the mythology of the film.  Is hell the alternative reality of this Earth?  And is Heaven some sort of "Zion" city in Space?

Also working this parallel world concept, is English actress Rachel Weisz who plays the L.A. detective "Angela Dodson" and also her twin sister, who commits suicide and ends up in Hell.  To which Weisz's character requests that Constantine assist in finding out why her sister, a devout catholic, would have committed suicide.  The plot thickens, when one of Lucifer's wayward children, Mammon defies his father and wants to take the Earth and rule it himself, conjured by the androgynous 'Doomsday cult' angel "Gabriel", played by the very talented Tilda Swinton, who has lost the plot on human being's, and wants Hell to purge humanity.  So who is left, will be worthy of God's love.

Watch for Swedish actor Peter Stormare, who plays a white suit wearing, tar footed, ADHD style "Lucifer" at the end of the movie, summed by Constantine to assist in reversing crazy angel "Gabriel's" master plan of unleashing Lucifer's son onto the Earth, to which Lucifer obliges, but also wants to drag sinful Constantine to Hell, and yes, similarity to the Matrix conclusion, is redeemed and gets to stay on Earth.  Or does he?  Did he actually die?  Does he become an angle?  Are there other versions of Constantine's, an Earthy one and heavenly one?  Many questions, as twenty years later, "Constantine 2", the sequel, is due out in 2025.

Some movie trivia:  *The alternative reality Hellscape of L.A. was inspired by director Francis Lawrence and his visual effects team, viewing footage of Nuclear test explosions and the mock towns that were devastated by the tests.  Except the L.A. "Hell" in Constantine is perpetually being obliterated.

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(A.Glass 2025)

All CHIAMUS Cult Cinema trailers/commentary to date: chiasmusmagazine.blogspot.com/search/label/Chiasmus%20cult%20cinema