Constantine the Movie: Science Fiction or Anti-Catholic and Anarchist Propaganda?

New Republican Archive ^ | April 2005 | James Burke

[MarkL]

I'd like to know the list of controlled substances this clown was taking when he was watching the Matrix movies.

My first thought when reading the opening paragraph was, "this guy needs to have his medication adjusted!" LOL!!!

Mark

[MarkL]

The Wachowski Brothers made it clear in interviews (Detroit Free Press, etc.) that the inspiration for their films was Cornel West's Marxist revolutionary take on Christianity, which was itself an "innovation"/critique of Western institutional doctrines.

Well the Wachowski Brothers are something of whack jobs themselves (isn't one of the brothers now a "sister?") And it wouldn't suprise me if they got their inspiration from another whack job, Cornel West, who they also cast in their movies. I still can't believe that guy's a professor...

Mark

[MarkL]

Well, to put it bluntly, while the first Matrix movie was ground breaking in its effects, and extremely stylish, it was also the best of the movies, precisely because it wasn't full of the sort of stuff you mention.

Let's not forget, those "FBI/Secret Service 'Agents'" that you mention were controlled by, and a part of the Matrix, which held all humans in slavery. So, wouldn't that be more like killing KGB/GRU agents?

The second movie was OK (if they actually shipped Ducatis like that, on a truck, ready to ride, as opposed to disassembled in crates, I'd become a truck hijacker), up until the end where he met "the architect." Then the script went all to hell. And as far as I'm concerned, the third movie sucked, although I did like watching the wife of the "operator" on Morpheous' ship. Man, she was a babe!!!!

Mark

[ColdSteelTalon]

No, "Constantine" is a BORING movie.

Well its both thats for sure. Your point is well taken :-)

[FastCoyote]

Actually, I liked Constantine for what it was, an AVANT GARDE STORY BASED ON A COMIC BOOK THAT HAS A HERO STRUGGLING WITH HIS CONSCIENCE.

Some people are thinking toooo hard.

[NCSteve]

One of the fundamental necessities of any propaganda organ is that its message be understandable at least on some level by those whom it targets. In the case of The Matrix trilogy, the vast majority of those who attempted any deeper analysis of the films than "That was cool!" seemed to find strong Manichean and Valentinian overtones. I noted some of these as well, but the whole charade fell apart with the introduction of so much Eastern mysticism and elements of the Priory of Sion. In short, about fifteen minutes into the second film, it was obvious the writers were going to subject us to the muddled stew of new-age mystical synthesis so favored in usenet groups and fringe websites. Once it became obvious that these ideas were nothing more than plausible deniability for the Wachowski brothers, it was easy to just sit back and enjoy the effects and the marshal arts. Plausible deniability, you ask? Of course. It wouldn't do for these boys to get nailed at the latest Hollywood cocktail party with the accusation that they just made a special effects bonanza targeted at teenage boys, now would it? That's exactly what they did, because that's where the money is, but that just doesn't play well in the self-important atmosphere so crucial to the film industry's social life.

And if ascribing anything deep to The Matrix was a mistake, doing the same for Constantine is a blunder of colossal proportions. This is nothing more than the latest adaptation of whatever underground or quasi-underground comic book writers and producers could find that easily lent itself to film. The only thing Constantine had in common with The Matrix was Keanu Reeves. Far from calling up references to Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, and the gang, I was more reminded of The Prophecy, with Christopher Walken playing a far better fallen Gabriel, and Hellboy, with its cynical, morally ambiguous hero. But mostly I was struck by a movie that could have been a lot better. I fail to understand why anyone would ever put Keanu Reeves in their movie. Not only is he one of the worst actors of this generation, but parts for a non-animated Butthead (or was that Beavis?), which is the only part he seems to be able to play, don't exactly show up in every script.

The biggest problem with trying to ascribe any propagandist motives to anything coming out of Hollywood is that it gives way too much credit for intelligence and character depth to these people. These are people who understand spirituality and philosophy on a Cliffs Notes level. Besides, it just tickles them to no end to hear that someone has found meaning in their work that is obviously so much deeper than they intended or were capable of. If for no other reason than that, articles like this one are pretty pointless.

[Cacique]

btt

[FreedomSurge]

Constantine the Movie: Science Fiction or Anti-Catholic and Anarchist Propaganda?

How about a cool movie based on a comic book.

[Cacique]

BTT 4 L8R

[CaptIsaacDavis]

ANOTHER interesting take on the film, including its use of Nazi allegories...

http://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=28735