Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 5.0
An Underrated Film
This movie was picked apart by the critics and died at the box office. Why? It really doesn't deserve this treatment, in fact, I found it to be a stirring, cerebral epic with some of the most engaging medieval battle sequences I've ever seen, and a facinating peek into the nature of intense religious faith.Milla Jovovich does a great job in the title role. Yes, she's extremely erratic, but this serves to convey the feeling of overwhelming religiosity and sense of purpose...and, she's of believable age and appearance for Joan. The entire film has an undercurrent of tension that comes from the weight of the subject matter. Luc Besson has created a visual masterpiece, sometines looking MTV-ish, but in a manner that makes the period come alive for modern audiences rather than being distracting.Even though the aforementioned battles and action scenes are riveting, the best thing about the fim is the cerebral undercurrent. Does the Dustin Hoffman character represent the Devil, God, something strictly inside Joan's head, or all three? The interplay between these two is intriguing, as are the trial sequences, which were often lifted from the actual historical texts.All in all a very satisfying film. Don't listen to the talking heads, go out and form your own opinion. This film will become more appreciated with time.