Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 3.0
It could be much, much better.
Luc Besson looks now as a man with the Midas touch surprised for the first time in his life by the result. The thing he'd touched did not turn to gold but to something less valuable - something more like copper.I was stunned by Nikita - no one was expecting such a cool and modern action movie from a French director. Professional was much more kitschy but still enjoyable. The Fifth Element's visuals were so exciting no one really cared about the content and just enjoyed the extravaganza.Now it seems Luc Besson was carried away and decided he can create a masterpiece just from a scrap - from his girlfriend's photo to be exact(see the DVD's leaflet).He employs and directs the team of very skillful cameramen and costume designers, gets the adequate funding - it's easy for the most popular French director planning to tell the story of the most famous French heroine - employs the most handsome French actors and invites some Americans. Like an experienced pyrotechnic he puts together the fabulous fireworks expecting them to burst in the sky in many-colored blaze.What we have instead? Psssshhhhhhhhhick.Why?Obviously Luc Besson has nothing to say about Joan of Arc. He had no coherent idea to express - just action, design and music.There are 3 definite parts in the film - The Visions, The Battle, The Trial.When he feels one more vision would be one too much Luc Besson lets the battle begin. Battle scenes are a genre in themselves, they can hold the viewer's attention with the gory action and display of curious war machines, weaponry and armour. But after an hour it all began to look too much. That is 101th time we are shown "The True Face Of War" in recent years, all these crows pecking dead flesh and oozing bloody limbs lying all over are something we expect to see - their's shocking potential is exhausted.What's next ? The Trial. Nothing memorable here. Dustin Hoffman contributed his name to the film's posters and DVD covers. I am sure it helped to sell hundreds thousand of tickets and copies extra, but the role is just ridiculous. Hoffman in gray beard and hooded robe looks barely recognizable - his best disguise since Tootsie. In a sadistic monotone he is stubbing the girl with his stupid and pretentious questions.By the way - no doubt that was a fashion these days but Faye's shaven forehead makes her look so much like RoboCop I could not concentrate on her words - just enjoyed the unexpected similarity.But! I think that Milla is perfectly cast. Of course first of all she is a model, but do we need a Meryl Streep for the role of young peasant girl, the messenger, the medium? And the girl is so suitably androginous yet sexy, great to look at - since the film is obviously not "serious" I'd prefer to see Milla in a leading role, not someone with richer inner life but not-so-perfect body.Besides, she is a fellow Slav. Any French actress with Gallic calculated charm and sophistication could not be credible in her fervour.The dialogues are contemporary. When I saw Joan stopping her adjutant on his way out of her chamber to ask for a hairdresser I was struck by the realisation that Ms. Jovovich in her The Ritz suite would communicate with a valet in exacctly the same tone,with the same gesture.Most of the reasoning and the concepts worded are clearly does not belong to the Middle Ages.Music is so predictable you hear just what you expect to hear.And the burning scene is so abrupt! I did not plan to contemplate the death throes, but to finish the 160-minutes long film in the 2-minute haste...Still I can not call the movie a complete flop. There are some images - Milla with boyish face and man's haircut on her white horse, raising the banner,etc - that will stay in public consciousness. And I was not bored watching the film.Yes, it could be much better, but still it's definitely worth seeing. I've even bought the DVD - to continue my Luc Besson collection - but I hope the next addition will be more rewarding.