Constantine (film) - Plot

Plot

John Constantine is an exorcist who lives in Los Angeles. Born with the power to see angels and demons on Earth, he committed suicide at age 15, unable to cope with his visions, but was revived by paramedics, having spent the intervening two minutes (feeling like "a lifetime") in Hell. Because of this, he knows his soul is condemned to damnation when he dies once more, and has recently learned that he has developed cancer as a result of his continuous smoking habits.

After a case involving a full-fledged demon trying to break onto the "human plane," Constantine seeks an audience with the androgynous half-breed angel Gabriel, who tells him that his exorcisms will not gain him a reprieve from Hell because his motives are selfish. As he leaves, Constantine repels an attack by a full-fledged demon. When his meeting with a former witch doctor known as Papa Midnite fails to produce answers, Constantine begins investigating the situation with his associates Beeman, Hennessy, and Chas Kramer. L.A.P.D. Detective Angela Dodson shows up at Constantine's condo looking for his help with her investigation into her twin sister Isabel's death. Angela is convinced that Isabel would never commit suicide, although she leapt from the roof of a mental hospital. Constantine tells Angela that God and Lucifer are engaged in a proxy war; a standing wager for the souls of all mankind. Neither true angels nor demons can manifest on Earth, but they are allowed to possess and influence humans, suggesting that Angela might have resisted being possessed.

Hennessy and Beeman's findings lead Constantine to the conclusion that Mammon, Lucifer's son, seeks to create his own kingdom on Earth by breaking through onto the human plane. To do so, Mammon required a powerful psychic, Isabel, who was provided by the half-demon Balthazar. Hennessy and Beeman are found dead soon after and Constantine concludes that Balthazar was responsible. Angela reveals that she possessed the same gift as her sister but denied it to the point that it became inactive. Constantine reawakens Angela's psychic ability through a near death experience, then hunts down and interrogates Balthazar who reveals that Mammon has obtained the Spear of Destiny, which has the blood of Jesus Christ encrusted on it. Angela is abducted by an unseen force and taken to Isabel's hospital to be used as the portal for Mammon’s entrance to Earth. Constantine storms Midnite’s club and Midnite allows him to use "The Chair", an old electric chair from Sing Sing Prison that had killed over 200 inmates, and it shows Constantine a vision that the Spear was discovered in Mexico and has been brought to Los Angeles. Constantine and Chas head to the hospital and interrupt the ritual, but Chas is beaten to death by an unseen force in the process.

Using incantations and sigils tattooed on his arms, Constantine reveals the force to be Gabriel, who subdues Constantine immediately. Gabriel laments God’s favoritism towards humans and believes that bringing Hell to Earth will enable those who survive to become truly worthy of God’s love through repentance and faith. Gabriel then throws Constantine from the room and begins to draw forth Mammon. As Gabriel moves to stab Angela with the Spear and release Mammon, Constantine slits his wrists. Time stops as Lucifer arrives to personally collect his soul. Constantine tells Lucifer about Mammon’s plan and Lucifer sends Mammon back to Hell to keep Mammon from conquering Earth before him. When Gabriel attempts to smite Lucifer, the angel's wings are burned away and Gabriel becomes human. In return for his help, Lucifer grants Constantine a favor, and allows Isabel to go to Heaven. As Lucifer drags Constantine toward Hell, he is redeeemed by his self sacrifice and begins to rise into Heaven. Infuriated by the idea of losing Constantine's soul, Lucifer heals his wounds and cures him of his cancer so that he may live again. Constantine departs with the Spear after refusing the temptation to kill Gabriel, and gives the Spear to Angela instructing her to hide it, then forget it. As he watches her leave, instead of producing a cigarette, he starts to chew on some nicotine gum.

In closing, Constantine visits Chas' grave. He leaves his lighter that he always used. When he leaves, Chas appears as an angel with wings and flies upward to the sky. Constantine smiles, shakes his head and leaves.