Couch potato review of Hell Blazer
A couch potato’s review written months back:
I watched Constantine last night. It starred Keanu Reeves as John Constantine– seer and exorcist.
It was with a level of apprehension that I went to the theater with my friends to see the film. For those who are comic book freaks, John Constantine, aka the "Hellblazer" is an icon of sorts — the British bloke with the dry wit, cutting one-liners, the infamous ash gray trench coat (matching the ash that keeps falling from John’s endless series of coffin nails he never stops smoking despite the emphysema) and the seemingly harmless religious artifacts that become deadly weapons in his callused hands. John is one of my all-time favorite comic book characters along with Shade the Changing Man and Dream.
So imagine my shock when I heard that it was Keanu Reeves (of Bill and Ted fame, and lately, of the Matrix Revolutions) who would play John. Keanu! Juice ko pineapple, he looks nothing like John. He’s too damn clean and pleasant looking. And he’s American. John is British, and in the comic books (by DC and DC Vertigo) he always looks like he’s been to hell and back: mussed up dirty-blond hair, scruffy, scraggly facial hair, eyebags. Not surprising because he has been through hell and back. Literally.
To cut a long story short, Mr. Reeves did a surprisingly okay job as John. Sure he lacked the timing when it came to the delivery of John’s dry, brittle and often stinging, hilarious one-liners; and sure he looked too beautiful for the role (Ewan McGregor would’ve fit the part physically. Remember him in Danny Boyle’s indie punk film "Trainspotting" where he played the ultimate druggie? Irvine Welsh, the author of the book of the same title the movie is based on must’ve clearly approved Ewan as Renton), but he WAS TRYING SO HARD! In a good way. I guess he must have read all the Hellblazer books just to get the feel of the character. He was brooding, he was secretive, he was quiet, and he smoked a darn lot.
Mr. Reeves shouldn’t be pilloried by Hellblazerheads because he did a passable job (he kept saying "asshole" in the movie instead of "arsehole" kasi nga American yung film, not Brit. But at least this American transformation wasn’t so painful as what happened to Alex Garland’s The Beach when it was made into a Hollywood film starring Leonardo de Caprio.
That one was awful.I feel a little ill thinking about it. The book was, well, it wasn’t bad at all. Comparisons to William Golding’s Lord of the Flies are rife, but really, Mr. Garland’s language and sensibilities did not come close. Pero di rin naman faaaaar.
Anyways, back to Hellblazer. The real reason I felt moved to write about this film was because of how it attempted to explain the existence of evil and the motives of people committing evil or good acts. About God, faith, religion and hypocrisy. Actually, the Hellblazer books are discourses on these topics, and they’re quite interesting (think Angels and Demons or the da Vinci Code books by Dan Brown illustrated and made darkerrrrrr and much lessssss commercial). The film doesn’t overtly make one think (unless one likes to think about metaphysical concepts and try to explain the socio-political context wherein they’re created).
Being tibak, it’s easy to see how all the evil in this world is created. It doesn’t take the devil or Lucifer to wreak havoc on this planet — the exploiting classes are doing this already, using their IFIs and military powers and their trade agreements with equally greedy and treacherous puppet governments.
John wants to go to heaven when he dies, but he can’t and isn’t allowed because he keeps saving other souls because he wants to get something in return for all the effort: to get himself saved too. No offense to Catholics (was baptized Catholic myself too when I was 11. long story), but i’ve always wondered why the main incentive for going to church and for doing good was for you to be able to go to heaven yourself. Save others and do good so you yourself can win a gatepass. Not doing good for the sake of it, and nevermind your own hide. I asked my mom about this (devout Catholic ex -colegialia) when I was 17 , why it was this and the fear of going to hell prods Catholics to try being good and doing good.
Sabi nya I just interpret things wrongly.
I answered (very politely) that it’s what the priests alwasy preach about, and my religion teachers always said (heck, even my yayas warned me every night).
Tipong "Ina, pag salbahe ka, pupunta kang impyerno. O magpakabakait ka and tumulong sa ibang tao para pupunta kang langit."
It got me to thinking, tibaks do the work ("trying to be good and do good") without really thinking what’s in it for them in the long run. i mean, they sacrifice a whole freaking lot for the cause of salvation (in religious terms muna tayo) of this nation and its people, and consequently, the world. Global class struggle. What do they get in return? And do they ever think of themselves when they do the work?
John Constantine is not saintly, he’s not perfect, and he makes a lot of mistakes that sometimes lead to tragedy); but he tries very hard; and even when he fulminates and lashes out against God, he still does his job and saves souls. Quite often, he forgets that he’s going to hell but wants to go to heaven (because he had already committed suicide but he got sent to hell, but hell sent him back. long story) and just helps people. Nevermind that he gets beaten up (the least of the things he suffers on the job. Think Gladiators meets the Matrix meets the Ghostbusters), he just does the job and does it well. kahit walang kapalit. With or without god, he helps people. Sabi nya, since God knows everything anyways, even if stops believing in His existence, He would still know who’s genuinely committing holy acts and who’s just acting.
Sheesh. Am just thinking outloud. it’s Sunday afternoon and im a bit sick of writing resolutions etc so i thought I’d relax and vent.#
