A Mind-Blowing Silent Film Masterpiece (Almost)

Rating: 9/10 (2 May 2020)

Pros:
1. There is not a weak performance in sight, with Maria Falconetti (Jeanne d'Arc), Eugene Silvain (Évêque Pierre Cauchon), and Antonin Artaud (Jean Massieu) standing out as exceptional.
2. The score wonderfully emulates and induces every emotion from: hope, despondency, sadness, fear, grief, and more.
3. The set and costume design are great and build up the 15th century world greatly.
4. The cinematography is fantastic. The framing is incredible, and the zoom-ins and close-ups help to add so much weight to every scene.
5. The long and intense pauses are incredibly powerful in hitting home the emotions to the viewer.
6. The dialogue, although it's in written form to be congruent with the silent film model, is captivating, and almost ethereal in its structure and delivery.
7. The pacing is perfect, despite the limited setting and constricting plot. The movie never once feels tired or outstays its welcome.
8. The death of Jeanne d'Arc is simultaneously enthralling, beautifully shot, and exceedingly sad.
9. The film serves as a fitting tribute to Jeanne d'Arc, by detailing her indomitable faith, the virulent church suppression, as well as her staunch French nationalism.
Cons:
1. Jeanne d'Arc was famously a teenager, and it's blatantly obvious that Maria Falconetti is much older than that (she was 35).
2. The ending riot scene feels rather unnecessary.