Based on the Hellblazer comic, Constantine is determined to solve some new problem, in the wake of condemning himself and a young girl to an eternity in hell.
Trailer Impressions
My first thought on this series was “but, I saw the movie…” which sort-of still holds true after watching this trailer. Not that I remember much of the movie beyond the ending, and that it was weird, and that Shia Labeouf was in it. I mean, don’t we know that at the end of the series our character will be redeemed? But it’s the rest of the mysteries, the journey, and the whole comic book trend that it’s about. And I’m a sucker for nothing if not mysteries. I need to know the answers. Plus, I like thrillers!
Still, I’m not entirely sold with this sidekick – like at :50 when she randomly falls down as concrete “attacks” her, or at 2:35 when she has a screaming fit in Constantine’s arms.
(BTW, can anyone tell me why the line “I hate to put on airs” at :20 is giving me serious déjà vu??)
Some scenes look better than others
Let’s hope that this pilot was shot on a miniature budget, with a restricted time frame, because that would explain things quite a bit. Mostly how we can have silly scenes with a woman flying around the room, or our sidekick tripping over a hill of asphalt, or power lines looking like snakes as they careen through the air. Then we have others which were given a lot of detail, like rain drops stopping in mid-air and beautifully falling as they are pushed aside by a car door, or the main characters getting hit by a train that disappears into smoke when it touches them (although there is probably no reasoning behind the going-up-in-smoke part, if we are being picky – which we always are).
Then let’s pretend that explains all of the poor decisions that were made, like having an asylum with dim or broken lights and a person sobbing on the floor, because that’s not fake and contrived at all. Also, how important was it to put the driver in a remarkably unique car? Do we really need him to stand out that sharply?
If you’re not too picky about quality, there is enjoyment to be had
Moments during which I enjoyed this show immensely:
- The Eye of Horus is mentioned – finally, a pay off from reading The Red Pyramid!
- Some dead/attacking girl is breathing ridiculously and it’s hilarious.
- I discover that either Constantine is Cas, or Cas is Constantine, but they look similar enough that it can’t be a coincidence!
- Our girl learns to scry and everyone’s totally nonchalant about it.
- A new character is dangled in front of us, knowing about Constantine’s past but revealing no more.
Constantine’s trench coat and loose tie remind me of Cas, from Supernatural.
Capacity to improve
Based on this pilot, I have to give Constantine a pretty low rating. Compared to the other shows coming out this Fall, this pilot just lacked polish. The scenes weren’t beautiful. The plot wasn’t entirely enjoyable. And the characters leave a lot to be desired.
That being said, it has been released that while our sidekick will remain for the first episode, she’ll quickly be written off and replaced with a psychic, which I think could absolutely do wonders for the show’s dynamic. Adding someone who can be more along the lines of partner rather than making Constantine into a babysitter can give the audience a more enjoyable experience. So, hey, have half a star extra for good direction in the future!
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