Why So Blu?

Constantine (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Constantine directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Keanu Reeves, is a visually stunning film that delves into the supernatural world of demons and angels. The movie is based on the DC Comics’ Hellblazer series and follows John Constantine, a cynical occult detective with the ability to see and communicate with half-angels and half-demons. Now after 20 years, the film has elevated from box office sleeper hit with bad reviews to huge selling physical media fan favorite with tons of fans! Now, will those fans be pleased with this new 4K release? Find out below and keep your Holy Shotgun cocked just in case any half demons come popping out!

Film

Constantine follows the story of John Constantine, a cynical and chain-smoking occult detective who can see and communicate with half-angels and half-demons. Constantine is tormented by his past and his impending damnation, and he seeks redemption by exorcising demons back to Hell. When a police detective named Angela Dodson seeks his help to investigate the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, Constantine uncovers a dark and sinister plot involving the balance between Heaven and Hell. As he delves deeper into the supernatural world, Constantine must confront his own demons and make a sacrifice to save humanity.

Constantine is deeply cynical, often displaying a jaded and world-weary attitude. His experiences with the supernatural have left him disillusioned and skeptical of both Heaven and Hell.  Constantine is tormented by his past and the knowledge of his impending damnation. He is haunted by the guilt of a failed suicide attempt and the belief that he is condemned to Hell. Despite his inner turmoil, Constantine is determined to seek redemption by exorcising demons and protecting humanity from supernatural threats. His relentless pursuit of justice drives him to confront powerful and dangerous entities.

Constantine possesses extensive knowledge of the occult, including rituals, spells, and exorcisms. This expertise allows him to navigate the supernatural world and combat demonic forces. In addition to his occult abilities, Constantine is skilled in physical combat and is proficient with various weapons, including holy artifacts and firearms2.

Constantine forms a partnership with Angela Dodson, a police detective seeking his help to investigate her twin sister’s mysterious suicide. Their relationship evolves as they uncover a dark and sinister plot involving the balance between Heaven and Hell. Throughout the film, Constantine interacts with various supporting characters, including half-angels, half-demons, and other supernatural beings. These interactions highlight his complex relationships and the moral ambiguities he faces.

Constantine’s character arc revolves around his quest for redemption. As he delves deeper into the supernatural world, he must confront his own demons and make significant sacrifices to save humanity. This journey ultimately leads to moments of self-discovery and growth. Overall, John Constantine is a compelling and layered character whose struggles with inner demons and supernatural forces make him a captivating protagonist in the film.

Angela is portrayed by Rachel Weisz as a determined and resilient individual. Despite the tragic loss of her sister, she remains steadfast in her quest for the truth and is willing to confront the supernatural to uncover the mystery. Initially skeptical of the supernatural, Angela’s experiences with Constantine and the unfolding events lead her to become more open-minded. Her journey from skepticism to belief is a significant aspect of her growth throughout the film.

As a police detective, Angela possesses strong investigative skills. Her ability to analyze evidence and follow leads is instrumental in uncovering the dark and sinister plot involving the balance between Heaven and Hell. Angela’s courage and bravery are evident throughout the film. She faces numerous dangers and supernatural threats with determination and resolve, showcasing her inner strength.

Gabriel as portrayed by Tilda Swinton is the half-angel who plays a significant role in the film. Gabriel’s character embodies both divine and human traits. Gabriel exhibits a sense of arrogance and self-righteousness, believing that their actions are justified by a higher moral authority. This attitude often puts Gabriel at odds with other characters, including Constantine.

Gabriel is manipulative and deceptive, using their divine status to influence and control events. This cunning nature is revealed as the plot unfolds, showcasing Gabriel’s willingness to go to great lengths to achieve their goals. Gabriel’s character is marked by a sense of conflict and ambiguity. While they are a half-angel, their actions and motivations are not always aligned with traditional notions of good and evil. This moral ambiguity adds depth to Gabriel’s character and makes them a compelling antagonist.

As a half-angel, Gabriel possesses divine powers that surpass those of ordinary humans. These abilities include enhanced strength, speed, and the power to manipulate supernatural forces. Gabriel’s charisma and persuasive abilities allow them to sway others and manipulate situations to their advantage. This influence is a key aspect of their character and plays a crucial role in the film’s plot.

Gabriel’s character arc involves a gradual revelation of their true intentions and motivations. As the plot progresses, Gabriel’s manipulative and deceptive nature is exposed, leading to their eventual downfall. This arc adds a layer of complexity to the character and underscores the film’s themes of redemption and sacrifice. Their interactions with John Constantine and other supernatural beings add depth and intrigue to the story.

And then there is Lucifer (Peter Stormare) a powerful and malevolent figure in the film. He is the ruler of Hell and has a deep interest in the souls of humans, particularly those who have committed grave sins. Lucifer’s character is marked by his cunning and manipulative nature, often using his influence to sway events to his advantage. His interactions with John Constantine are tense and filled with underlying threats, showcasing his dominance and control over the supernatural realm. Despite his malevolent nature, Lucifer’s character adds a layer of complexity to the film, highlighting the eternal struggle between good and evil.

On the positive side, I felt that Constantine boasted impressive (now vintage) special effects and a dark, atmospheric tone that effectively captured the eerie and otherworldly elements of the story. Keanu Reeves delivers a solid performance as the brooding and tormented Constantine, bringing a sense of depth and complexity to the character. The supporting cast, including Rachel Weisz and Tilda Swinton, also provide strong performances that add to the film’s overall appeal.

However, Constantine is not without its flaws. The plot can be convoluted at times, with a mix of religious and supernatural themes that may be confusing for some viewers. Additionally, the pacing of the film can feel uneven, with certain scenes dragging on while others rush through important plot points. Some fans of the original comic series may also be disappointed by the changes made to the source material. I did a little reading after watching the film, and there are a few changes, but since I’m not up on the lore of the comics, I wasn’t bothered by that myself.

Constantine is a visually captivating film with strong performances and an intriguing premise, but it may not resonate with everyone due to its complex plot and pacing issues. If you’re a fan of supernatural thrillers and don’t mind a bit of ambiguity, it’s worth a watch.

Video

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 2160p

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

HDR: Dolby Vision

Layers: BD-100

Clarity and Detail: The Dolby Vision 4K Transfer for Constantine is a major step up from previous releases.  The film saw release on DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray way back when, and this is a consistently stunning upgrade in every way.  Clarity is as close to “just released” as you can get from a 35MM 4K scan, and the HDR pass makes colors bright and gorgeous. Texture wise, this film looks sharp too!

Depth: Overall, the look of the film has a nice pop to it, with dimensions really fleshed out thanks to HDR, excellent camera lensing and big strengths in both light and dark scenes thanks to the added resolution.

Black Levels: Deep and inky blacks come to play with the rest of the color spectrum, with no errors in the black levels at all!.

Color Reproduction: Colors are fantastic, bright and vibrant throughout.  Unless a scene calls for a more muted look, the colors here are electric and all about that wow factor.  The light highlights might even make you squint they’re so bright.

Flesh Tones: Flesh tones are natural as they can be in this stylized film, with our main characters looking the most grounded over some of the more elevated “half-angels” in the cast.

Noise/Artifacts: Constantine sports a very fine layer of grain that isn’t very noticeable during viewing.

Audio

Audio Format(s): English Dolby Atmos, French and Spanish Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English (Unrated), English SDH, French, Spanish

Dynamics: Coming out of the gate strong, the new Atmos mix is the most dynamic, loud and in your face as you’ll hear the film.  While that sounds like a high compliment, and I can’t complain for the most part, I do find some of the things going on in the mix to be a little bit odd, mostly with some strange echoing with the dialogue earlier in the film and with some of the sound effects being louder than anything else in the film for a moment or two.  I can’t think there are audio errors and that this may well be inherent to the source, so I won’t knock it, just inform you lovely readers that these anomalies were present for me.  Besides that, we have heavy surround and atmospheric activity.  The subwoofer gets plenty to do as well!

Height: Height speakers work wonders on Earth and in Hell, especially in some of the exorcism moments and the scene of Constantine showing Detective Dodson how he communicates with the souls that aren’t on earth.  These moments bring elements of sound moving around you and take you to these places with the characters.

Low Frequency Extension: Large booming bass moments come from fight scenes, chases, and of course Constantine’s Holy Shotgun among other things.

Surround Sound Presentation: Surrounds bring the ambience closer to your ears, and really envelope you in the action.  You’ll hear plenty of battling, embittered souls, music and more in these channels.

Dialogue: Dialogue is always intelligible, but yes, there is some moments of random echo where it doesn’t seem to be necessary, and again, I think that’s inherent to the source and probably intentional.

Extras

Extras for Constantine are mostly ported over from previous releases, however we do get something new, besides the new cover art for this release, which is coming out just in time for the film to celebrate its 20^th Anniversary! The standard release features a slipcover and digital code, and there’s a now very hard to find steelbook edition too.

Bonus Features:

 

• New Feature – Two Decades of Damnation: Keanu Reeves and Francis Lawrence reunite on camera to celebrate the 20^th Anniversary of this cult-classic film!
• Commentaries
• Channeling Constantine
• Conjuring Constantine
• Holy Relics
• Shotgun Shootout
• Hellscape
• Warrior Wings
• Unholy Abduction
• Demon Face
• Foresight” The Power of Pre-Visualization
• A Writer’s Vision
• Director’s Confessional

Summary

Constantine seems to be one of those films that you either love or don’t.  I am somewhere between liking it and thinking it’s just fine.  My husband on the other hand is a big fan, who had seen the film many times before this 4K release arrived at our home for me to review. I will no doubt be revisiting it, and of course, this new 4K release will be the very best way to watch the film.  While the audio mix may not feel perfect to me, I can’t fault sound effects or odd dialogue mixing from 20 years ago, and that picture quality is A-Plus! Definitely an upgrade for fans, and worth a look for the curious too!

Get your copy of Constantine Standard 4K HERE