Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 4.0
Good movie, just a not so good portrayal of Joan of Arc
I admire Besson's interpretation of the story of Joan of Arc. Being a huge fan of The Profeesional and The Fifth Element, I couldn't help but like The Messenger. I remember when I first saw it in the hotel room I stayed at in Asheville, North Carolina. I was astounded. Everything about the movie was good. The battle scenes, for one, were good. Not as good as Braveheart, but they were all right. I love good music in a movie as well. The Messenger's was good. Excellent actors and actresses to play the parts. You couldn't help but like Joan's colleagues in war. Especially the big guy whom Joan always reprimanded for swearing. But there were some things that I wasn't too happy about. Now I knew that Dustin Hoffman's "The Conscience" was either an evil spirit or the devil himself, but I'm still leery about the boy who grew up to look like Jesus. I wasn't sure whether he was a good spirit or a bad one. Also, I didn't like the fact that Saint Michael didn't appear to Joan. Although, Saint.....I forget. And I'm Catholic. Anyways, that saint did appear to her in the chapel. She broke through the glass and revealed herself. And lastly, the portrayal of Joan as being mentally ill. It was kinda cool in the fact that you got to see the psyche of Joan, but Besson probably has her turning in her grave right now. But, all in all, Besson still managed to show Joan as the heroine she was.