Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 4.0
Medieval warfare at it's worst
The story of Joan of Arc is familiar to most, and I appreciated this movie for putting a spin on it. Dustin Hoffman plays her 'spiritual guide' in a way that makes one wonder if Joan was truly a tool of God. An interesting footnote was that she was made a saint almost 500 years after she was burned. The dauphin was played admirably as a young bumbling king. Almost all the French Kings of history were buffoons save a few.But what makes this movie stand out is the terribly violent battle scenes. In an age before gunpowder, the imagination used for weapons was truly astonishing. The 'bowling balls' that were dropped and shot out of the castle was something I had never heard of before. The 'gatling gun' arrow machine was also gruesome. The decapitation device that swung as soldiers reached the casle roof was another example of the horrific violence of being in the military in those days.If you're not particularly interested in Joan of Arc, check out this flick for the battles , they'll leave you floored.