Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 2.0
A Novel Attempt Ruined by A Poor Screenplay and Bad Acting
Besson's film on the legendary Joan of Arc leaves mixed results. Although he presented an original angle in showing her to be less than heavenly inspired, Besson has seriously and uneffectively distorted several documented facts about Joan of Arc. This is rendered worse by a bad script and questionable acting.All historical accounts suggest that Joan of Arc was soberly persistent in her pleas for the Dauphin to give her an army but she was never the delusional psychotic as shown in the movie. Her visions were inspired by the Saints and not by Christ Himself. All accounts are conclusive in that Joan of Arc was leading as a symbol of inspiration to the army and never once raised a weapon against the enemy: she never shed any blood. Finally, Joan of Arc never reneged her faith or retracted her statements about her divine mission: that's why she was put on the stake.The film is unique in showing Joan of Arc more as the political puppet that she was in real life and how she became a liability after the crowning of the Dauphin in Orleans. The film also shows Joan as a person suffering from a dissociative disorder rather than being a divine messenger. John Malcovich and Faye Dunaway play their roles well as the Dauphin and the Regent Queen. Mila Jojovich is the worst performance in the film and, with her being the main character, the quality of the whole film is reduced to below average. The battle and siege scenes are interesting but perhaps a little exaggerated.The movie is perhaps worth renting once but this is certainly not the best rendition on this most intriguing of Christian saints/martyrs.