John Constantine is a mess. Honestly, that is why we love him. He’s the guy who walks into a room smelling of silk cut cigarettes and old regrets, usually bringing a literal hellstorm along for the ride. But if you’ve only seen the 2005 Keanu Reeves flick or caught the short-lived (but beloved) NBC series, you might have missed the most "Hellblazer" version of the character ever put to screen. I’m talking about Constantine City of Demons, the 2018 film that basically stripped away the broadcast TV safety nets and let the magic get truly, deeply nasty.
It’s dark. Like, "don't watch this with your kids or your religious aunt" dark.
Originally, this project started as a series of shorts on CW Seed. You might remember the marketing back then; it was supposed to be a digital spin-off. But eventually, DC realized they had something meatier on their hands. They stitched those shorts together, added a bunch of new footage, and released it as a full-length, R-rated feature film. The result? A story that feels less like a superhero romp and more like a supernatural noir horror.
Why City of Demons Hits Different
The plot is loosely based on the Hellblazer graphic novel All His Engines by Mike Carey and Leonardo Manco. It centers on Chas Chandler, John’s long-suffering best friend and the only guy who hasn't completely given up on him. Chas’s daughter, Trish, falls into a supernatural coma that isn't just a medical mystery—it’s a soul-napping.
John and Chas head to Los Angeles, the titular "City of Demons," to track down the entity responsible. What they find is Beroul, a demon who is basically running a demonic movie studio. It’s a bit on the nose, sure—demons running Hollywood—but the execution is grotesque and creative.
Beroul isn't just some guy in a suit with red eyes. He’s a sprawling, fleshy nightmare. He’s using the souls of the innocent to fuel his own infernal interests, and he wants John to do his dirty work in exchange for Trish’s soul. This is where the movie shines. It understands that John Constantine’s greatest weapon isn't a magic wand or a glowing punch; it’s his ability to out-con the con artists of the underworld.
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The Newcastle Shadow
You can’t talk about Constantine City of Demons without talking about Newcastle. If you’re a casual fan, you know Newcastle is the "Big Mistake" that haunts John. It’s mentioned in the TV show and hinted at in the comics constantly. Here, we actually see it.
We see a younger, cockier John try to summon a demon to kill another demon. It goes predictably sideways. The demon Nergal shows up, drags a young girl named Astra to hell, and John ends up in a mental institution. The film uses these flashbacks not just as filler, but as a mirror to what’s happening in the present. John is desperate to save Trish because he knows, deep down, he can never save Astra.
Matt Ryan returns to voice John, and let's be real—he is Constantine at this point. He captures that specific blend of self-loathing and arrogance that defines the character. When he’s arguing with the Nightmare Nurse or trying to navigate the politics of the "Queen of Angels," you feel the weight of every year he's spent in the trenches of the occult.
It’s Actually Quite Gory
Seriously, the R-rating isn't just for a few f-bombs. This movie is visceral. There’s a scene involving a demonic pool party that is legitimately stomach-churning. We’re talking bodies being used as decoration, ritualistic flaying—the whole nine yards.
But it’s not just gore for the sake of gore. The violence underscores the stakes. In the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU), magic usually looks like glowing circles and cool light shows. In Constantine City of Demons, magic is gross. It’s blood, it’s sacrifice, and it always comes with a bill you can’t afford to pay.
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The animation by Warner Bros. Animation and Blue Ribbon Content is sharp, maintaining that gritty aesthetic that fits the Vertigo roots of the character. It doesn't look like a Saturday morning cartoon. The shadows are heavy, and the character designs for the various demons are genuinely unsettling.
The Ending That Sticks the Landing
Most superhero movies end with a big fight and a victory lap. This film? Not so much.
The resolution of the Trish/Beroul conflict involves a sacrifice that is quintessentially Constantine. Without spoiling the exact mechanics, let’s just say that John "saves" the day, but the cost is devastating for his relationship with Chas. It’s a bittersweet ending that reminds you that being John’s friend is a dangerous, soul-crushing job.
It’s one of the few times a DC animated project has felt like it had real emotional consequences. You don't walk away feeling pumped up; you walk away feeling a little bit bad for everyone involved.
Where This Fits in the DC Universe
There’s always some confusion about where these things sit in the timeline. Basically, this film is part of the DCAMU—the same continuity as Justice League Dark and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. However, it works perfectly as a standalone story. You don't need to know who Superman is or what the Flash is doing to appreciate this.
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In fact, it's better if you ignore the wider universe. This is a street-level story about a guy who knows too much and cares just enough to be miserable.
Getting the Most Out of Your Rewatch
If you’re going to dive into Constantine City of Demons, there are a few things to keep an eye on that make the experience better:
- Spot the Comic Easter Eggs: Look for nods to the original Hellblazer run. The inclusion of Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the dead, is a deep cut that pays off in a big way during the climax.
- Listen to the Sound Design: The way the "Nightmare Nurse" (voiced by Laura Bailey) sounds compared to the gravelly demons creates a nice auditory contrast.
- Pay Attention to the Colors: Notice how the palette shifts when John is in the "real" world versus when he’s dealing with the demonic influence in LA. The neon-soaked hellscapes are a visual highlight.
If you’re a fan of the Hellblazer comics, this is likely the closest you’ll get to seeing that specific tone captured on screen. It’s mean, it’s smart, and it’s unapologetically adult.
For your next move, track down the Blu-ray or the 4K version if you can. The "Movie" version is the definitive way to watch it, as the original web shorts feel a bit disjointed. Once you've finished it, you might want to look into the Justice League Dark animated films to see how John plays (poorly) with others.