Constantine (movie) question

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Peace be with you!

So I saw Constantine when it was in the theater. I thought it was pretty good, but I did NOT like the way Gabriel was portrayed AT ALL! I did think that they did a good job of showing that faith and works have to be combined. Some Catholic reviewers that I heard were mad at Constantine trying to “work” his way into heaven, but that was the point of the movie–that working your way into heaven doesn’t work. I liked the part where Constantine is talking to Gabriel at the beginning and says “I believe in God.” and Gabriel answers, “No, you KNOW there’s a God; you don’t believe.”

So my question is, for people who have seen this (don’t read ahead if you haven’t seen it yet; this will spoil the end of the movie!)…

What do you think of the sacrifice at the end of the movie? Where Constantine kills himself to save the world and that detective’s sister from hell? Did you think that was accurate that it would not be a mortal sin? Personally, I do think so, but I haven’t talked with any other Catholics about this to see what they think about it.

In Christ,
Rand

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

Rand Al'Thor:

Peace be with you!

And also with you!

I’ve been waiting for someone to ask this question, since I’m a HUGE fan of this movie. (I’m even writing a few stories of my own, using some of the characters from it.)

So I saw Constantine when it was in the theater. I thought it was pretty good, but I did NOT like the way Gabriel was portrayed AT ALL!

I think the writers and the director were referring to a somewhat clumsy legend that claims the Archangel Gabriel somehow got on the outs with God, and was changed into a human until he made good.

What do you think of the sacrifice at the end of the movie? Where Constantine kills himself to save the world and that detective’s sister from hell? Did you think that was accurate that it would not be a mortal sin? Personally, I do think so, but I haven’t talked with any other Catholics about this to see what they think about it.

I know there was a martyr back in the days of the Roman persecutions, who threw herself off the roof of her house to escape a bunch of Roman soldiers who had come to arrest her, and most likely at the same time, do some very shameful things to her, so I’ve placed Constantine’s self-sacrifice in the same category.

For that matter, if you think about it, Christ’s death was arguably a suicide. He came here to die, He knew He was going to die, He probably could have found another way to save us without shedding His blood, but instead, He willingly chose to give His life for us. It’s an odd analogy, considering the kind of guy John Constantine is (he’s like a “bad” Catholic character in a Walker Percy novel: He’s actually a good guy, he’s just not a very nice guy), but in that moment, he becomes a figure of Christ.