基努·里维斯在电影《康斯坦丁》中勇斗恶魔（在线收听）

Keanu Reeves Fights Demons in New Film Constantine

基努·里维斯在电影《康斯坦丁》中勇斗恶魔

(Movie Lines)

"I need to see what you see."

"You do this and there's no turning back. You see them and they see you. Understand?"

John Constantine has the ability to see "them" - the demons and angels that, in the world of this film, are all around us.

(Movie Lines)

"What if I told you that God and the devil had made a wager for the souls of all mankind? No direct contact with humans - that would be the rule - just influence. See who would win. They call it 'the balance.'"

Armed with religious icons and knowledge of obscure, ancient texts, Constantine performs exorcisms and tries to keep the evil from dominating life in Los Angeles; but it becomes clear something is tipping the balance:

(Movie Lines)

"A demon just attacked me right out in the open on Figueroa. Not some angry half-breed, Midnight, a full-fledged demon here on our plane."

"Clearly I do not have to remind you that is impossible. Demons stay in hell, angels in heaven: the great detente of the original superpowers."

"Thanks for the history lesson, Midnight."

Keanu Reeves stars as Constantine, bringing to life the character from the Hellblazer graphic novels or comic books.

Keanu Reeves: I wasn't familiar with the character before I read the script; and when I read the script and then familiarized myself with the work, I saw that what was important was the essence of Constantine. We worked really hard to keep that aspect of it, because it's really what it's all about: that kind of hard-edged, hard-boiled, world-weary, cynical, fatalistic, nihilistic, self-interested ... with a heart ... guy. And I think we did. I mean I hope so. I hope that fans of the comic don't feel that we sabotaged something that is so well-loved.

(Movie Lines)

"Are you still trying to buy your way into heaven?"

"What about the minions I've sent back. That alone should guarantee my entry ..."

"How many times have I told you: that's not the way that this works."

"Haven't I served Him enough? What does He want from me?"

"Only the usual: self-sacrifice, belief."

There is religious symbolism and ritual woven through what is essentially a horror-thriller; but Reeves believes it is appropriate.

Keanu Reeves: The piece itself is using icons and a platform - a kind of Catholic, heaven and hell, God and devil, human souls, fighting for those -- but I was hoping that these concepts could become a platform that are humanistic. You know that this kind of journey of this particular hero is, hopefully, relateable to; even though there are such fantastical characters and situations that, you know that is still a man trying to figure it out.

Rachel Weisz co-stars as Angela, a police detective who turns to Constantine because she believes he can help her solve the mystery of her twin sister's death.

(Movie Lines)

"Just before my sister was committed she became deeply paranoid. She started talking about demons and angels. I think someone got to her, Mr. Constantine. I think they brainwashed her into stepping off that roof."

The English actress whose hits include the two Mummy films, admits horror is not her favorite genre; but she found this one different.

Rachel Weisz: There's something about it that I couldn't get out of my head - something about the world that it created and something about the character in the midst of it. I thought she was a very interesting character: she was someone who was haunted by her past and she was just complex and how many layers. And she was just an interesting female role.

Director Francis Lawrence makes his feature film debut with Constantine after a successful career making music videos.

Francis Lawrence: I didn't want to make a 'comic book' movie, even though it is based on a comic book, so I didn't want to go down that path of comic book movie cliches. I did want to focus on character and story, so I tried to root it in a reality; but there's also kind of a timeless quality to Constantine. He seems somewhat like a timeless character and it also has some noir and hard-boiled aspects to it, so I wanted to capture that.

They are qualities and themes reminiscent of the three Matrix movies; but Reeves says it's a classic hero's journey so that, like Neo in The Matrix, this character has to face his destiny.

Keanu Reeves: Learning about this kind of curse that was given to him as a kid - 'a gift,' another character says, but Constantine doesn't see it quite like that and I think that part of the journey is Constantine understanding his life and the circumstances. He comes to a kind of ambivalent peace, of sorts.

(Movie Lines)

"Why me, Gabriel?"

"You are going to die young because you smoked 30 cigarettes a day since you were 15 and you're going to go to hell because of the life you took."

Constantine was filmed on location in Los Angeles and the international cast features Tilda Swinton as the angel Gabriel; rock musician Gavin Rossdale [of the band Bush] plays the suave demon Balthazar; Djimon Hounsou is the hero's Earthly ally; and Peter Stormare personifies evil as Satan.

Alan Silverman for the Voice Of America in Hollywood.

注释：

wager [5weidVE] n. 赌注

icon [5aikRn] n. 肖像，标志

obscure [Eb5skjuE] adj. 暗的，晦涩的

exorcism [5eksC:sizEm] n. 驱魔

Hellblazer 漫画小说《地狱侦探》

essence [5esns] n. 本质

hard-edged 轮廓鲜明的

hard-boiled 无情的

world-weary 厌世的

cynical [5sinikEl] adj. 愤世嫉俗的

fatalistic [7feitE5listik] adj. 宿命论的

nihilistic [9naii5listik] adj. 虚无主义的

self-interested 自我本位的，利己主义的

sabotage [5sAbEtB:V] v. 破坏

ritual [5ritjuEl] n. 宗教仪式，典礼

weave [wi:v] vt. 编排，组合

fantastical [fAn5tAstikEl] adj. 空想的，捕风捉影的

paranoid [5pArEnCid] n. 妄想狂

Mummy 电影《木乃伊》

genre [VB:Nr] n. 类型

cliche [5kli:Fei] n. 陈词滥调，老套

Matrix 电影《黑客帝国》

Satan [5seitEn] n. 撒旦，魔鬼