Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 3.0
Diappointing/with some merits
Historical inaccuracies, anachronisms and Besson's interpretation of Joan of Arc prevent this from being a great film. Instead it's merely entertaining and gratuitously violent. Joan was never near battle as a child, had no older sister and never succumbed to, what would be mad behavior, by modern standards. It makes the viewer wonder why Besson, a Frenchman, would bother. Jojovich is credible, but tied by the director's vision of a ranting and revengeful mad woman. I saw a preview trailer that was simple (the child Joan swinging a sword in a field, topping off flowers) that was more evocative than the film. Too bad, as this could have, with more thought and care, been a classic biography. For more accuracy and feeling, see the television miniseries with Leelee Sobieski.