• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Constantine Season 1 Episode 4 Review – ‘A Feast of Friends’

November 19, 2014 by Gary Collinson

Martin Carr reviews the fourth episode of Constantine…

John Constantine is about to have another bad day…..

Imagine an addiction so powerful it consumes you. Flesh and blood are your only means of containing a compulsion both self-aware and demonic in origin. You need an impressionable vessel with some serious guilt issues, plus a sociopathic tendency for manipulation and unwavering belief that yours is the right choice. Bear in mind there will be no coming back from this. It will only make matters worse. Welcome then to the latest Constantine pitch, black as sack cloth, morally reprehensible and brimming with Breaking Bad quantities of network baiting.

What any writer should know is that clarity comes before all things, always. With this in mind let me start by making one thing clear. ‘A Feast of Friends’ gives us more of the same with added nuance. Trapped by a situation which comes to him and faced with nothing but bad choices, Ryan continues to keep things interesting. Hints of remorse seep between the cracks of sarcasm and indifference, proving that a half decent defence mechanism is no match for human frailty. However such performances are rarely that organic and often need a great character performance to bring them out. In this case it is Jonjo O’Neill who brings vulnerability to the portrayal of Gary Lester forcing Ryan to up his game.

This role is pivotal and plays on a long and barely mentioned history which exists between these two. In harking back to early issues of Hellblazer for inspiration, producers have subtlety revealed a chink in the armour. O’Neill’s characterisation is skilled and incorporates a barely veiled sense of hero worship within their dynamic, which will ultimately be his undoing. What his presence allows is a venting of resentment from our protagonist, making him feel somehow more grounded. There has already been talk of a big screen cross over which on this evidence seems likely. In my opinion this Constantine has the ability to make that leap with no problems. Already the character feels confined by television. With a broader palette afforded them and three times their current running time, this formulaic approach could be jettisoned for something with legs. As such characters like Harold Perrineau’s ‘Manny’ would get more to do than freeze time and deliver sage advice. We would potentially get more moments of pathos similar to those delivered this episode, rather than exposition borne from necessity due to time constraints. There is a supremely rich world here to be mined and more than a few who would help with the digging. Any Hollywood studio worth its salt should start considering this property a viable option. Just do us all a favour and keep the main actor. You know what they say. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Martin Carr – Follow me on Twitter.

Originally published November 19, 2014. Updated November 29, 2022.

Filed Under: Martin Carr, Reviews, Television Tagged With: Constantine, DC

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, TV and digital content producer and writer, who is the founder of the pop culture website Flickering Myth and producer of the gothic horror feature film 'The Baby in the Basket' and the upcoming suspense thriller 'Death Among the Pines'.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Ten Great 80s Movie Stars Who Disappeared

Ranking Video Game Movie Sequels From Worst to Best

10 Essential Home Invasion Horror Movies

The Most Disturbing Horror Movies of the 1980s

Philip K. Dick & Hollywood: The Essential Movie Adaptations

Seven Superhero Comedies to Add to Your Watchlist

Lock, Stock and The Essential Guy Ritchie Movies

10 Great Comedic Talents Wasted By Hollywood

Cannon’s Avengers: What If… Cannon Films Did the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Great Movies Guaranteed To Creep You Out

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

Top Stories:

10 Great Forgotten Gems of the 1980s You Need To See

The Witcher season 4 first look introduces Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt of Rivia

10 More International Horror Movies You Need to See

Eight Essential Sci-Fi Prison Movies

Movie Review – Little Lorraine (2025)

Movie Review – Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025)

Movie Review – Night of the Reaper (2025)

Movie Review – Nouvelle Vague (2025)

Movie Review – Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)

Movie Review – Out Standing (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

PM Entertainment and the Art of Rip-offs With Razzmatazz

Godzilla Minus One and the Essential Toho Godzilla Movies

10 Stunning Performances Outrageously Snubbed by the Oscars

The 1990s in Comic Book Movies

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket