Legend has it she ended the siege of Orleans. According to historian Roger Caratini, Joan was merely along for the ride and that the town was, in fact, never under siege. Malkovich is fun to watch, even if he's too old, and Besson allows him to get away with his cross-eyed shtick. His chief concern throughout the film is whether the crown will fit his head. She gives a stunning performance as the real power behind the throne, especially considering the massive headdresses she is forced to wear.
Some small moments make the film slightly bearable.
One of the best scenes of the movie takes place when the ordinance chief sends the English a message. A huge ball is catapulted into the fort. Then there were the giant balls that were dumped into holes in the floor of the castle that would shoot out at the foot of the castle and knock down soldiers like bowling pins. It was the stuff of comic books, not a would-be historical masterpiece. The version that ran in theaters for about a week was 23 minutes shorter, due to the cutting of some real violent stuff and general sympathy for the audience.