Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 1.0
THE MESSENGER: THE STORY OF NIKITA OF ARC
In my whole 26 years long life I had never undergone such a test of human resistance until I saw this Besson's nightmare in the cinema. I don't speak so much English to express my absolute disgustance after seeing this unbelievable film phantom, but I am sure I would have problems to express the feelings decently even using my own language.There is no doubt that Besson and his "Joan Jovovich" have brutally abused the legend of the medieval heroine because of their private film careers. I couldn't believe my eyes: the medieval saint is beating her soldiers with a fist and during her hysterical fit, she is furiously cutting her hair with a dagger! Besson and Jovovich say that they have devoted a lot of time for the study of historical sources. So if they have found that Joan of Arc was an insane, furious, psychotic, fanatic (etc.) monster, they should immediately show these super top secret sources to all historians!In any case, Besson shows that he is really a big creator; he doesn't need historical facts or testimonies of Joan's contemporaries. But already in the middle of the movie, the difference between a big creator and a big creature is not distinct at all and one could change them very easily. If this is not a product of an insane brain, it is at least a work of an arrogant, narrow-minded and self-satisfied man.No, I have never seen such a awful historical spectacle. And I can't believe that some people can appreciate it as an "excellent work". I can understand that they have no idea about Joan and French history, but I can't understand how some human being can stand the scenes I mentioned above. Do they really think that the French national heroine was such a demented lunatic and the French army could follow someone like that! My Goodness! Have I perhaps seen some other movie! I think that such cold-blooded people could join Chuck Norris' Delta Force brigade.After this horror, any discussion about artistic qualities of this grotesque patchwork is unnecessary. The battle scenes are not above the average (If someone wanted to deny it, he should see War Lord or some another great historical movie)and the mad Milla Jovovich is confusedly running among Moravian stunts with an absent look like a frightened animal - I missed only foam on her mouth.I think that this movie could have been a good, although very provoking parody. What a pity!(P.S.: Besson, give me back my money!)