Hellblazer

jcpruckus nov 15 2008

Let me start out with my scores. On a technical level, this definitely earns a 5 star review. If I didn’t know this wasn’t a professional re-cut, I never would have known the difference. In fact, the only thing I can think to criticize is the club scene. The subtitles were definitely too big and looked weird, and I think it would have helped to have someone actually say the lines and then mixed that in, because if they aren’t talking loud enough for us to at least hear the sounds of human speech (even if we can’t make it out), then there’s no way they’re talking loud enough to hear each other. However, if judged in comparison to the original, as to which is a more “definitive version”… I can only give it 3 stars. By this, I only mean to say that I found it neither better nor worse, just different. You very did a very nice job of turning a supernatural action flick, into more of a supernatural thriller. And I applaud you for that.

Personally, I enjoyed Constantine when I originally saw it on DVD (note: I was completely unaware of the comic at the time), and if anything was slightly disappointed because I thought it was sold as more of an action movie than it turned out to be. While I do believe that you’ve constructed a film closer in feel to the comic (I’ve read the first few trades at this point), I actually think you’ve erred on the opposite side this time. There are a few things that just felt out of place. First, are the 2 Evanescence songs (which I assume are the ones when John first goes to the bowling alley, and the one after the credits). They just didn’t fit the tone of the rest of the movie. Second is when Angela gets pulled out of the building, its cut as a chase scene (which is the original cut and no fault of yours, but I never really felt it worked) and I think it would work better if it was rearranged to be less “actiony”. Third, (and I’m getting down to nitpicks here) I think the gunshot sound effect with Satan bursts the doors near the end is over the top for this cut, It should be more subtle if at all possible. Finally, I think that the thriller aspect might have been heightened by beginning with the suicide instead. Maybe it’s just me, but I like when a movie sets its tone early. I think a cut from the suicide to John bitching about his cancer or the same girl (as far as the audience knows) in a confessional would have set-up a very “WTF” feeling. Now maybe there’s no way to really make that work considering the footage you have available, but it’s just an idea… version 2.0 perhaps?

So to summarize, good… different… not different enough. But that’s just my 2 cents, so take it for what it’s worth.