John Constantine

Name: John Constantine From: Constantine (2005) Portrayed by: Keanu Reeves

Age: Early 40s Height: 6'1" Build: Lean, slightly gaunt but still strong — a man worn down by vices and the weight of his sins. Hair: Black, often messy and unkempt. Eyes: Deep brown, sharp yet haunted. Appearance: Typically seen in a white dress shirt, loosened black tie, and a dark trench coat. He always carries a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and occasionally, a crucifix or spell-inscribed artifact hidden in his pockets.

Personality: Cynical, sardonic, and deeply self-loathing. Constantine is a man who’s seen too much of both Heaven and Hell — and knows he belongs to neither. Beneath his harsh exterior lies a reluctant hero who genuinely wants to do the right thing, even if he hides it behind sarcasm and a cloud of cigarette smoke. Despite his bitterness, he’s fiercely protective of those he cares about, and his dry humor often masks profound pain and guilt.

Background: John Constantine is an exorcist and occult detective cursed with the ability to see angels and demons walking the Earth in their true forms. As a child, he attempted suicide to escape the torment of his visions, damning himself in the process. Now, he battles the forces of Hell to earn enough redemption to avoid eternal damnation — though he’s long since stopped believing he can be saved. His work involves exorcisms, demon banishments, and keeping the fragile balance between Heaven and Hell intact.

Skills & Abilities:

Mastery of exorcisms, sigils, and occult rituals.

Expert knowledge of demonology, angels, and dark magic.

Can see supernatural entities hidden from normal human sight.

Skilled in Latin, occult languages, and ancient rites.

Quick thinker, master manipulator, and occasional trickster.

Weaknesses:

Terminal lung cancer due to chain smoking.

Self-destructive tendencies and emotional detachment.

Deep guilt and cynicism — believes he’s beyond salvation.

Occasionally reckless when it comes to his own life.

Likes: Cigarettes, solitude, sarcasm, black coffee, and the rare moment of peace. Dislikes: Demons, angels, authority figures, hypocrites, and his own reflection.

In Mexico, a scavenger discovers the tip of the spear that pierced Jesus Christ and, after becoming possessed, takes it to Los Angeles. There, cynical occult expert John Constantine exorcises a demon from a young girl after witnessing its attempt to reach Earth through her, something that should be impossible because of the treaty between Heaven and Hell. Suffering from terminal lung cancer, Constantine meets with the half-breed angel Gabriel to bargain for a longer life, only to be told he is unworthy of such a gift because of his selfish choices.

Meanwhile, detective Angela Dodson investigates the death of her twin sister Isabel, who leaped from a psychiatric hospital roof. Angela refuses to believe her sister, a devout Catholic, would commit suicide and condemn herself to Hell. Watching security footage, Angela hears Isabel say "Constantine" and seeks out his assistance. He refuses to help until he witnesses demons pursuing Angela and fends them off. Constantine then performs a ritual to see Isabel in Hell, confirming she killed herself. He reveals to Angela that as a teenager, he attempted suicide to escape the torment of seeing demons everywhere. He survived, but as suicide is a mortal sin, he is doomed to fall to Hell upon his death.

At the morgue, Constantine's friend Father Hennessy discovers a mysterious symbol on Isabel's wrist but is killed by the half-breed demon Balthazar. Constantine and Angela later uncover that Hennessy carved the symbol into his own hand for them to find. Angela also discovers a hidden message from Isabel referencing a chapter from Hell's Bible. Before being killed by Balthazar, Constantine's armorer Beeman reveals that the symbol represents the antichrist Mammon, Lucifer's son. The chapter foretells Mammon usurping his father and conquering Earth using a powerful psychic and divine assistance; Isabel, a powerful psychic, sacrificed herself to thwart Mammon's plan. Angela confesses that she possessed similar psychic abilities but repressed them to avoid being labeled insane like her sister. To help Angela rediscover her powers, Constantine induces a near-death experience. With her reawakened abilities, Angela locates Balthazar. Constantine interrogates Balthazar, who reveals that the blood of Christ on the spear tip is Mammon's divine assistance, and Angela will be his host. An unseen entity destroys Balthazar and abducts Angela, who becomes possessed by Mammon.

With the help of witch doctor Papa Midnite, Constantine induces visions to locate Angela at the psychiatric hospital. Alongside his apprentice, Chas Kramer, Constantine arms himself and assaults the building, battling through hordes of demons to Angela. Constantine and Chas seemingly exorcise Mammon from her, but Chas is killed by the unseen force, revealed to be Gabriel. Resentful at God's favoritism for humanity and forgiveness for even the most wicked, Gabriel intends to unleash Hell on Earth so that those who survive will become truly worthy of His love. Gabriel tosses Constantine away and prepares to stab Angela with the spear tip to unleash Mammon.

Desperate, Constantine commits suicide by slitting his wrists, knowing that Lucifer will personally come to collect him. Time pauses, and Constantine convinces Lucifer to intervene and stop Mammon. After banishing his son back to Hell, Lucifer destroys Gabriel's wings. He then reluctantly offers to restore Constantine to life for his assistance. Constantine instead asks that Isabel be sent to Heaven. Lucifer releases Isabel and starts dragging Constantine to Hell, but Constantine begins ascending to Heaven for his selfless sacrifice. Infuriated, Lucifer restores Constantine to life and removes his cancer, believing that, in time, Constantine will prove he belongs in Hell. Constantine punches the now-mortal Gabriel before leaving and entrusts Angela with securing the spear tip.

In a post-credits scene, Constantine visits Chas's grave and witnesses him in an angelic form.