I think Keanu takes a lot of undeserved grief. - Constantine (2005) Discussion

[–] Cobra1986 11 years ago

I really like the way Keanu plays John Constantine. These moody, troubled characters almost always suit his personality type. I've seen lots of Keanu's films, and I tend to enjoy most of them.

Most notably Point Break, Speed, A Scanner Darkly, Bill & Ted movies, The Matrix...etc I think he's been in some really great films.

He's no Gary Oldman or anything, but he's never pretended to be. He's just a nice guy, and I think he deserves his success.

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[–] runforfree 11 years ago

Keanu is an awesome actor I don't know about versatile he is but he was great in this and so many other movies I've seen him in too. His portrayals r just so natural

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[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] runforfree 11 years ago

Yeah as long as the thread's open we'll have this discussion. Aside from the hair colour thing I thought he pulled it off quite well. Where I'm from which is Trinidad and Tobago the hellblazer comics aren't as popular as others but I know a a thing or two about them. Imo a lot of where the john constantine character in the movie falls short is due to the writer and direction taken not the fault of the actor.

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[–] activista 11 years ago

@robertwcole

But most of all, Keanu failed to portray Constantine's
edge on screen.

I wasn't familiar with the comic at the time I saw CONSTANTINE, but after having read and enjoyed the Hellblazer comics since then,I totally agree---the Constantine in the comic books was far more grittier,edgier and more darker/brooding---he also had an interesting back story that I don't real remember being touched on in the film. The character as Reeves played him just didn't come off as all that unique or interesting at all. In all fairness to Reeves though, the movie itself was pretty pedestrian and just followed typical Hollywood supernatural tropes---it really didn't tap into the unique dark vision of the Constantine comics---it was just basically watered down for mainstream audiences, naturally (hey's, it's Hollywood---can't have anything too thought-provoking,can we?)

However, the upcoming TV series definitely looks like it's going to be much more closer and truer to the vision of the comics than the movie was, so I'm already geeked about seeing that, at least.

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[–] king_of_bob 11 years ago

I agree. I think the main problem people have with him isn't so much his acting as it is his accent. It's hard to get past in certain roles. Like Dracula. His surfer sounding voice sometimes makes it hard to take him seriously.

Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!

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[–] drgnndblls88 11 years ago

he is very stilted in all the movies I've seen him in but there is just something about him that manages to make it work. it isn't unemotional. he just has this melancholy aura in general that looks good on screen. I get why he keeps on finding work.

also, he's very physically beautiful. there's that too.

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[–] Dejay 11 years ago

Yeah I don't get the hate either. Keanu is just COOL and acts a lot through his voice. People say he can't act, but he can play certain "badass cool" roles very very good, that are often played really bad by other actors. He doesn't have a lot of range, but he plays some characters really well.

He is a bit like the "mysterious women" a stereotype for a seductive female that doesn't give anything away about here, so that others will imagine their own fantasies on her about what they wish.

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[–] elizabeth-145 10 years ago

I am a big fan of Keanu and outside of Bill and Ted I would recommend for his acting alone

Rivers Edge

Permanent Record

The Night Before

Brotherhood of Justice

And just because he is awesome in

Speed

Point Break

Parenthood

I Love You To Death

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[–] martoni64 10 years ago

Apart from flat and unemotional, he's totally not the character of Constantine. John Constantine is a british careless rebelious character. Reeves is not even far from it.

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[–] Viltrumite 10 years ago

This movie is set in a dark period in Constantine's life. Midnite even said "You were John Constantine", implying that he's not the man he used to be. In my head, pre-cancer Keanu Constantine is basically an American version of the character from the comics. A couple of things that bugged me about the movie is that a) Constantine is more of an exorcist that a mage. I don't even think that "magic" was even mentioned or alluded to in this movie. B) He wasn't in his recognisable coat. I don't care if his hair isn't blond, or that the accent isn't right, but the coat is part of his uniform.

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[–] mail-2217 10 years ago

He has been the most mis-cast actor I've ever seen.

He has literally -ruined- several otherwise great movies (Dracula, Much Ado About Nothing, etc.) But that's more the fault of producers who wanted to cash in on his star-power.

That said, he was perfect for The Matrix and he was good in this.

In short: Like many He is a one-dimensional actor. And he's fine for the movies he's fine for.

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