Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 5.0
True to History?
Maybe this film is not historically accurate. Then again, maybe it is closer to the real thing than most want to realize. Like the life of Jesus, Joan's life is vague on the printed page, and Hollywood has had a history of its own trying to fill in the gaps. No two films about her are alike.So I guess it comes down to the viewer's faith, whether Joan was a saint or just a simple peasant girl who inspired a nation.This film presents a more human approach to her story, and whether it is historically truthful is beside the point. After all, this is a Hollywood film, not a documentary. And as a Hollywood film, it works very well for me. The look of the movie is stunning, and that alone should make it worth, at the very least, a one-time rental. But the acting is so fine, with Milla Jovovich doing a superb job of creating a most difficult role.If a more religious, faith-based treatment is required by the viewer, stick with the cardboard performance by Ingrid Bergman.