Corrected entry: Constantine threatens demon Balthazar with the last Rites, so Balthazar goes to heaven where he for sure doesn't want to end. However, if it is so easy and possible even for a demon to go to heaven, why is occult expert Constantine still searching so desperately for the big way out of hell? He only needs to find a catholic priest who gives Constantine the last Rites.
lionhead
16th Dec 2020
Constantine (2005)
Correction: Constantine was bluffing when he threatened Balthazar with the Last Rites. "True contrition" is required as well. This is different than just asking for forgiveness, something Constantine shows not to have. Of course, the Devil heals him in hopes that Constantine will once again damn himself to hell.
8th Dec 2017
Constantine (2005)
Question: Even though Isabel committed suicide, shouldn't she have gone to heaven? She willfully sacrificed herself to insure that Mammon couldn't cross on to earth so in a way, she was saving billions of people, so that should have guaranteed her entry into heaven.
Answer: Sin for a good reason is still sin, and as Gabriel says earlier, you can't buy your way into Heaven. Real Catholic dogma, however, doesn't hold the mentally ill as condemned for committing suicide.
Except Isabel wasn't mentally ill. She saw angels and demons just like Constantine did. It was her parents who believed she was mentally ill.
While suicide is a mortal sin, it's shown later (as in major plot point) that sacrificing yourself to save the world is a redeeming act.
Yes, but Constantine also said "My parents were normal. They did what most parents would do. They made it worse. You think you're crazy long enough, you find a way out" which could relate to Isabel losing her sanity in a way as well because of her family and how they saw her. The whole Isabel's sacrifice is added by the novelization but the movie is ambiguous about the suicide.
Except Isabel wasn't mentally ill. She saw half breeds just like John did.
Sacrificing yourself for others isn't a sin.
Answer: If a soldier jumps on a grenade and dies to save his fellow soldiers, it's considered giving one's life for others. To my understanding, that isn't considered a "sin." If it was a mental health issue, a just God would give her a pass. If she was doing it to thwart Mammon's plans, again she was sacrificing herself. If she did it to get Constantine involved to help stop Mammon, again is was self sacrifice. (Notice how she says "Constantine" just before jumping when her sister views the video?). As a plot device, I understand it, but from a theological standpoint it is weak.
Answer: It is shown in the movie that it was Balthazar who whispered into her ear, gave her suggestions. Eventually she committed suicide to escape that, to escape her torment. She certainly didn't sacrifice herself to keep Mammon out because Mammon needed twin psychics, one in hell and one on Earth to do it, which Balthazar achieved for him.
The film doesn't give information about the need of having one twin in hell and the other on earth to complete Mammon's plan; the movie states Mammon needs a powerful psychic and God's help. It isn't shown either that Balthazar was the one whispering to Isabel's ear considering she was apparently hearing Hellspeak, but no individual besides her appeared on the death scene; therefore, it was left ambiguous. Otherwise, provide evidence of the statement above.
When John and Angela are walking back to the elevator after taking care of Balthasar they specifically mention Mammon needed twin psychics. The only reason would be for their connection. One is in hell, the other on Earth. Through their connection Mammon is able to posses Angela. As for the second thing. When Isabel commits suicide you both hear Balthasar whisper to her and she has the mark on her wrist, like Hennessy had on his hand palm, the sign of Mammon. They wanted her in Hell.
The dialogue, when they are walking towards the elevator, is "Constantine: Beeman said Mammon needed divine assistance to cross over. How's the blood of God's only son? Ángela: The stains on the spear. Constantine: Yeah. Ángela: So he gets the spear. He still has to locate a powerful psychic. Constantine: Not really. Ángela: Twins." Angela says "twins" after hearing Constantine say "Not really." (while looking at her) which made Angela realise that she was Isabel's replacement as a powerful psychic since they had the same gift, but the former's was dormant up until that moment. It's not because the plan needed one in hell and the other on earth. That's never stated as far as we know from the information provided by the film. As for Balthazar, it's never stated it was him who whispered to Isabel. That's an assumption based on hearing the voice alone. Also, the mark appeared on the guy's hand at beginning of the film after he found the spear and Balthazar was probably not there.
It's not an assumption when it's his voice. It doesn't all have to be "stated." And the whole twin part is just a coincidence? Are you saying Gabriel and Balthasar found twin psychics so they have a backup if one of them dies? That's ridiculous. They needed twin psychics specifically, and they make one of them commit suicide. That's not just a random thing, it's what needed to be done. And it's Mammon's sign, not Balthasar's.
It's an assumption because there is insufficient evidence to prove it, and there were other voices in the film to assume it was specifically Balthazar's given that Angela heard a similar voice calling her name when she was in hell and Mammon appeared, which could indicate that maybe it was Mammon who whispered to Isabel too but still not clear though. It's more speculation. Yes, not everything has to be stated since some things are implicitly given although it also depends because it can become ambiguous if it lack details which is open to interpretation, but the movie dismisses any possibility of your theory of "one in hell and the other on earth" by stating what the "villain" needed and with that the argument doesn't work. Otherwise, it would be a plot hole for creating an inconsistency with the rules established before. Angela just realised she was the powerful psychic since they had the same gift, so Mammon didn't have to locate another one since it was there in the other twin.
There is no inconsistency with the rules, there is help from god, there is a psychic. All that fits, the Hell Bible just wasn't specific enough, they didn't know the full plan. There is something significant about them being twins. Both because Isabel was killed and Angela and Constantine realise that's what Mammon was looking for.
Now, all that is just speculation, and misinterpretation of what has been explained in the reply above yours. Not continuing the discussion.
Answer: The film itself can't be blamed for that really because it was left ambiguous; the novelization added the part of Isabel's sacrifice to the story. If we go by what the film gave us then Isabel might have been an unstable person considering even Angela didn't back her up about what they could see which could've led her to believe that maybe she was indeed crazy, and as Constantine said "You think you're crazy long enough, you find a way out." Perhaps she just wanted to end everything that was happening to her. There isn't enough information in the movie to confirm or deny it.
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Correction: Constantine mentions to Balthasar afterwards you have to ask to be forgiven before you are accepted into heaven. He needs to believe, it only a bluff. Constantine himself is too stubborn to ask to be forgiven and instead feels the need to buy his way into heaven, he does not believe in the grace of God (who he feels is a hypocrite). The demon can not be sent to heaven just because he was read his last rites, he doesn't believe in the grace of God either.
lionhead
Constantine himself is too stubborn to ask to be forgiven and would rather go to hell where the devil would so love to meet him? To be honest, that's even a bigger plot hole. The whole story is about Constantine being too selfish and now him being more stubborn than being selfish is the problem? I don't think so.
Goekhan
The problem is he doesn't believe in the grace of God. Thats bigger than his stubbornness. He knows he is going to hell, but he doesn't think that's fair and should be admitted to heaven regardless of his believes. He won't submit to the hypocrisy of God. He doesn't like God, almost as much as he doesn't like the devil. But naturally he doesn't want to go to hell so he tries to buy his way into heaven by fighting the devil's spawns. But he would never bow to God to get to heaven. At the end of the movie he does find a way though, by sacrifice, but an opportunity like that needs to present itself, he can't create one, unlike being forgiven. It's not a plot hole, it's the plot.
lionhead
I am really upset with "corrections" like this. With stubbornness people could "correct" any movie mistake caused by any protagonists. And it also makes no sense. I think the entry is valid and should be published without any "corrections"! Constantine for sure would believe in the grace of god if he would get some AND he would for sure get some, if he would call a priest which gives him his last Rites. Problem solved. You are creating a problem where no problem is, just pure assumption. And for sure he would bow to god cause he doesn't want to bow to devil even less.
Goekhan
The correction is valid if you ask me. Constantine specifically refers to God as being a kid with an ant farm, and doesn't really believe God cares that much for humanity. At the end of the film, he acknowledges that God does indeed have a plan for everyone and that he had to die twice to finally understand that. That's Constantine's arc. As lionhead said, that is literally the film's plot.
Phaneron ★
Problem with the correction is, that he escapes hell not because he has lost his stubbornness or because his relationship to god has changed (which has not). He indirectly escapes hell cause he commited suicide to save Angela from being killed by Gabriel. Which wasn't even awarded by god, only the devil was so nice (!) and asked him unnecessarily for a quid-pro-quo wish. And that's not even suicide, it is martyrdom and that alone should buy him a ticket out of hell, plus he saves a woman he loves, plus he keeps the balance in balance. 3 tickets in once, he doesn't even has to trade his soul for the soul of Isabel, he has already done more than enough. There are many plot holes.
Goekhan
You assume those 3 tickets are enough, but they aren't. All of them are him still trying to buy his way into heaven. It's about love for god, not love for another person nor fighting the devil. Plus he was dying anyway. But the self-sacrifice, not his life saved by the devil but the twin sister send to heaven, is the one thing he could do to be admitted.
lionhead
He already sacrificed himself for one sister, second sister is unnecessary. The devil's him granting a wish is just a feelgood moment for the audience to save the second sister. That's unnecessary and therefore a plot hole.
Goekhan
He didn't sacrifice himself for the first sister. He did it to stop Mammon, not for the love of Angela.
lionhead
"Stubbornness" is a valid correction when people submit mistakes, especially plot holes, because they think a character should act in a different way than they would. Nothing about Constantine's behave or believe goes against his already established character (which is based on the comics). Having him act the way you want him to could also be seen by some as a plot device and thus a plot hole.
Bishop73
However him committing suicide a second time, is an act of love, maybe not for god but for Angela (so she doesn't gets stabbed by Gabriel). This is martyrdom cause he also prevents Mammon to conquer earth and shows the love for an other human being. The one or the other way he has got the ticket out of hell already. Saving Isabel which he also does, isn't even that much compared what he has already done. So why should god forgive him after saving Isabel but not before (after saving Angela). The devil offering him a wish like a jinn is silly and unnecessary for sure.
Goekhan
He commited suicide the second time to stop Mammon because he knows Satan will show up and wouldn't like it when he finds out his son is trying to take power on Earth. He doesn't do it for love of Angela, nor would God see that as good enough to admit him into heaven (as he would still be buying his way into it). God and Satan are bound to certain rules (according to the "game" they play as mentioned by Constantine) so in exchange for helping Satan, Satan grants him a wish, not realising it is a wish that will admit Constantine into heaven. He is admitted into heaven not because he is forgiven, but because of his self-sacrifice (as Gabriel mentions, and the bible). I think you really need to rewatch both the conversation between Gabriel and Constantine at the church as well as the conversation between Constantine and Satan to understand the reasoning behind it all.
lionhead
He already self-sacrificed himself for one sister, second sister is unnecessary. The devil's him granting a wish is just a feelgood moment for the audience to save the second sister. That's a plot hole.
Goekhan