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Amazon.co.uk Review
In the US, 1999 may be remembered as the year of Joan of Arc: NBC created a miniseries in her honor, Carl Dreyer's long-lost The Passion of Joan of Arc was discovered in a mental hospital, and Facets re-released Jacques Rivette's Joan the Maid. Luc Besson rounds out the corpus with his stylistic and vaguely heretical grand-scale feature, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc.
Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element) challenges established notions about the Maid of Orleans as he creates a decidedly more human heroine than have previous biopics. The story line is the same--a young, illiterate peasant girl convinces the Dauphin of France to give her an army, and she leads them to victory in Orleans, only to be burned at the stake for heresy--but Milla Jovovich, in the title role, is a woman possessed. Her influences are less than heavenly; as a child she witnesses the murder of her sister by the English, a death caused by the sister's giving her hiding place to young Joan, which causes an intense desire for revenge. Yes, God still speaks to Joan, but even this is undermined, as Dustin Hoffman, playing The Conscience, questions her motives.
Cinematically, The Messenger is stunning, with fantastical sequences of Joan in communication with higher powers. Yet the graphic violence (scenes include random decapitation and a dog gnawing on a body); the uneven accents, which make it difficult to tell who is fighting on which side; and the rewriting of lore may make this version of Joan of Arc appeal only to Besson fans. Jovovich is convincing, and while at times the film may drag (at times you wish they'd hurry up and burn her), it is a remarkable and insightful retelling of a well-known piece of history. --Jenny Brown
Synopsis
Action master Besson takes on French history in this ambitious look at the legendary saint and martyr. Beginning with a young Joan witnessing her sister's rape and murder at the hands of brutal English soldiers, the film picks up years later when Joan (Jovovich) appears at the court of the French Dauphin (Malkovich), who is making little progress against his enemies. Joan's self-confidence and charisma induce the Dauphin to take a gamble by allowing her to lead troops, resulting in an upset victory at Orleans. However, Joan eventually outlives her usefulness to the French throne and is sold out to the English, who burn her for heresy. All the while, Joan struggles with her faith, exasperating the experienced French generals and having impassioned arguments with her imaginary 'Conscience' (Hoffman).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Luc Besson has a reputation for spectacular movies such as Taxi, Leon, The Fifth Element, etc. Joan of Arc is no exception. It details the life of Jeanne, the maiden of Lorraine, who in and around the year 1431, helped France defeat England, and win a war that has lasted for almost an entire century. The plot is great, and paced well. The performances that impressed me the most, however, were those of Milla Jovovich and Dustin Hoffman, as Jeanne and her conscience, respectively. They never cease to amaze me. The characters were well-written and credible. I liked the way the film seems to question Jeanne's sanity; whereas most believe that she *was* in fact, sent by God, this film sits down and asks the question, if she really was, or if the signs and miracles weren't all in her head, and caused by everyone wanting to believe it. The very last scenes especially puts doubt in the viewer. It was quite a gutsy move by Besson, to question his own country's hero. I will admit, the film does really make it seem more like she is crazy rather than sent by God, but it doesn't feel like Besson is pushing his view onto us, telling us that that's the way it was; it feels more like he tries to make us question it. The action and the war scenes were very well done, very chaotic and disturbing, very intense and bloody.
All in all, a very enjoyable war-drama, with an authentic story and some well-done battle sequences. I recommend it to fans of the actors, of Luc Besson's other work and of war movies/dramas in general. Just don't expect a full-out war movie; it's two hours and thirty minutes long, and I don't think more than forty-five minutes in total are spent fighting.
All in all, a very enjoyable war-drama, with an authentic story and some well-done battle sequences. I recommend it to fans of the actors, of Luc Besson's other work and of war movies/dramas in general. Just don't expect a full-out war movie; it's two hours and thirty minutes long, and I don't think more than forty-five minutes in total are spent fighting.
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
I really enjoyed this film. Contrary to Amazon's review, I felt that Milla gave a riveting performance as Joan, making her a sympathetic, but real, warts and all, character. The portrayal of her God given messages are suited to today's more sceptic audiences. The film never really answers the question were they real or not, which is a positive point, as no one really knows. It's nice not to be offered simple answers. On a personal level it's the interaction between Joan and the generals that interested me most, and which gives the film a human aspect. I know very little about the real Joan of Arc, but this film makes me want to find out more, which is what historic films should do. The battle sequences were honestly brutal - making Gladiator look tame by comparison. Not a film for the faint hearted but fascinating for anyone who wants to watch a complex film that doesn't insult the audience by offering a lame, cliched solution.!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
My wife and I enjoyed this movie. Joan's behaviour is a bit bizarre, but seeing the other down to earth characters and their humorous bewilderment in her wake, it seems obvious that Joan acts exactly as the Director intended.
The battle scenes, costumes and sets are great, this is no b-rated movie. The dialogue makes sense and flows through well. Its true Dustin Hoffman's cameo appearance at the end is drawn out, tedious and confusing, but this should not put you off getting the film as, on the whole, it is well worth viewing.
The Blu-ray quality is fantastic; crystal clear full 1920x1080p video and perfect audio makes this a great blu-ray for trying out your new home cinema system.
The battle scenes, costumes and sets are great, this is no b-rated movie. The dialogue makes sense and flows through well. Its true Dustin Hoffman's cameo appearance at the end is drawn out, tedious and confusing, but this should not put you off getting the film as, on the whole, it is well worth viewing.
The Blu-ray quality is fantastic; crystal clear full 1920x1080p video and perfect audio makes this a great blu-ray for trying out your new home cinema system.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Tons of eye-candy but not much else
Positive: Spectacular, well-choreographed battle scenes; Milla Jovovitch puts in a decent enough performance and looks the part; blu-ray image quality is highly impressive; Dolby... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cartimand
AUDIO Y SUBTITULOS CASTELLANOS
ESTE BLU-RAY EDICION UK CONTIENE AUDIO Y SUBTITULOS EN CASTELLANO TANTO EN LA PELICULA COMO EN LOS EXTRAS.ESPERO HABEROS SERVIDO DE AYUDA
Published 3 months ago by Pirujo
A lot better than 'Braveheart'
...as a visual spectacle, with a realistically professional looking enemy. Although, like 'Braveheart' also historically highly flawed. Read more
Published 5 months ago by P. F. Darlington
A Visually Impressive Unworthy Romp
Whatever may be the truth behind the mystery of the real Joan of Ark, this film fails to carry any conviction. Read more
Published 5 months ago by R. C. Ross
Jeanne, the maiden of Lorraine, on film by Besson
Luc Besson tackled a difficult subject when he decided to film Joan of Arc, an enigmatic historical character, despite the information we have. Read more
Published 6 months ago by RR Waller
A bit of a bugger's muddle!
That the tale of Joan of Arc has over the years and not just in films led to so many different interptetations of the character and the actual facts used, inevitably means that Luc... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Siriam
best one yet
as far as ''maid'' films go its the best one out, still loads of historical faults, and skims over quite a lot, but saying that it has to be the best one about her
Published 8 months ago by Mr. B. B. Etteridge
Joan of Ark
Another great production from Luc Besson. Plenty of action & amusing in parts. Milla Jovovich looks hot as usual & John Malkovitch is as brilliant as ever.
Published 9 months ago by A fan
I don't think. I leave that to God. I'm nothing in all this, I'm just...
Luc Besson directs and Milla Jovovich stars as the Maid Of Orleans who lifted France of its knees-and was tried and executed for being a heretic. The End. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Spike Owen
Joan of Arc, a modern take
An interesting take on the Joan of Arc tale. Mila J. is quite annoying but the awesomness of Hoffman's character has to be seen to be believed. Seriously he. is. the. best. Read more
Published 15 months ago by MadHatter
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