Constantine (Review) This is gorgeous!

 

Some weeks ago I started with a new series… but, you know… it’s not a new series at all, because it was released two years ago, but you understand what I’m talking about. This series is based on a very famous VERTIGO’s comic (VERTIGO is the adult edition of DC Comics). I don’t know how many people have heard about this, not the character, I mean… the series. I’m sure you have seen the Warner Bros’s film: Constantine, right? Well, the NBC did something similar in 2014 and adapted Hellblazer to TV. And after the first season, they cancelled. My question is: WHY!? This is fucking awesome! WHY?

Lately, I’m like bloody addict to urban fantasy. The good urban fantasy I mean. Harry Dresden, Constantine and others. I really enjoy this genre. If the authors do things right, everything could be enjoyable. And I think the Constantine series is one of this enjoyable exceptions.

During thirteen chapters, we know about the adventures of this Exorcist, Demonologist and Master of the Dark Arts… or petty dabbler as he said. His name? John Constantine (Matt Ryan). Every chapter has it's independent story but carries on with “main one”.  Defeating a demon, or a ghost or something supernatural on each one and… that’s it. Well, we know about Constantine’s past: about him and Astra and Newcastle. And those are the basic points in the series.

The story begins in an English asylum in Newcastle where Constantine is being “treated”. And during a session of group therapy he follows a cockroach track to the art studio. There’s a young woman who’s writing in the wall. The girl is possessed by an old dead friend of John's (his name’s Jasper) but he exorcises her equally. And after that, Constantine leaves the asylum to get to work at the United States.

After this, we witness how Constantine fights devils, ghosts and other magic creatures using his occultism knowledge, arcane spells and enchanted artefacts. I really liked the series, it hasn’t got the best story ever, but it’s what Hellblazer comics did some years ago. I think we can’t judge the elements of the series separately, we must put it all together and admire it; that’s what I sincerely think.   

As I said before, the story isn’t the best, but I like it. If we add the characters, we have something very interesting. Everybody has a terrible past and we discover each past in very little pieces during the chapter, well… not always; just in some of them. Even so I really like the characters. Constantine, Chas, Papa Midnite, Manny… Zed… I prefer the three first ones, I don’t know why; maybe cause I think they are better characters, I mean everybody is a better character than Manny. “I’m Manny and I’m a very strict angel. I just can talk with you appearing and disappearing in few seconds” that’s it. Apart from this, he’s a good character.

One of my favourite parts of the series are chapters eight and nine (SPOILER more or less), because they happen in Mexico and the actors get to speak Spanish which I found funny. There are some extras and secondary characters who speak in Spanish and their pronunciation is terrible taking into account they are Mexicans and there, the people speak in Spanish all the time. But if we ignore this detail, these two chapters are two of the best, I think.  

I want to highlight something that every DC fan would like: the Easter Eggs. I’m sure there are lots of them, but I haven’t read all the DC comics and I’m not a bloody expert, but I could find some. For example: chapter number one. The first time we see the Mill House, Liv (a character who disappears at the end of the same chapter) finds a golden helmet; Dr. Fate’s helmet.

And is something more. Bloody… Bloody. BLOODY. I’ve fallen in love with this word! Constantine says it in every chapter. There’s no exception. Definitely this is my favourite English word (imp laugh).

Well, that’s all. I can’t extend my writing all I want because my English is not the best and I can’t joke as much as I wanted. And I know I could speak about more things, but I think it's a chance to discover it for yourselves. If you want to read it in Spanish, click here. Good night and dream with ravens.

 

TITLE: Constantine

CREATOR: Daniel Cerone, David S. Goyer
RELEASE DATE: 2014

CHAPTERS: 13

DURATION: 43 minutes

PRODUCER: NBC

QUALIFICATION: 7,8/10