Constantine

John Constantine is a world-weary occult investigator who has stared into Hell and returned scarred. When Angela Dodson, a troubled police detective, brings him the case of her twin Isabel's apparent suicide, he takes it more for reasons of curiosity than heroism. Their probing uncovers a hidden supernatural ecosystem layered beneath Los Angeles, where demons groom human weaknesses and angels intervene with inscrutable motives. Constantine relies on ritual, contacts, and a grim sense of humor to track a conspiracy that blurs the line between sin and fate. As clues accumulate, danger grows closer, forcing Constantine and Angela alike to confront personal losses, religious doubt, and the costs involved in wrestling with forces beyond mortal law. He pays dearly for it.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, the 2005 film adapts the John Constantine character for the big screen, with screenplay work credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank A. Cappello and production involvement from Enfys Dickinson. It blends noir, horror, and action elements.

It performed strongly at the box office, returning a healthy profit and helping cement Keanu Reeves' place in genre cinema. International audiences responded well, making the picture a reliable commercial success for its studio during the mid-2000s worldwide release boost.

Though opinions varied, the film's aesthetic and tone left a lasting imprint on comic book adaptations, influencing future portrayals of occult noir on screen. Reeves' take on Constantine and the movie's stylized depictions of angels and demons built a steady fanbase and contributed lines, imagery that surfaced in fan culture.

Critics were mixed, praising atmosphere, visuals, and performances while noting departures from the source comics and some tonal inconsistency. The film grapples with redemption, faith, guilt, and moral ambiguity, centering a protagonist whose cynicism conceals a deep need to balance personal atonement with effective action against supernatural threats and sacrifice.