Rating: 
Summary: This movie should have been so much more
Review: I actually give this 2 1/2 stars. After watching Milla Jovovitch in The Fifth Element, I was enchanted. So much facial expression and wonderful potential as a great actress. Her acting doesn't disappoint in this film either. The others in the cast are in top form also; John Malkovitch, Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway all give wonderful performances. The photography is stunning, the battles are exhilarating. And yet the movie falls short because of the poor presentation. There was no real connection, flow, or even story line between the battle sequences and her dream sequences. The editing fell short in tying the remarkable individual elements into one sensible theme. As another reviewer mentioned, it would have been better if this movie had less going for it from the start, such as the superb acting and extraordinary visuals. By the time we get toward the end of the movie when her conscious appears, I just wanted the movie to end.
Rating: 
Summary: The messenger delivered
Review: The story of Joan of Arc as portrayed in "The Messenger" is highly uplifting and deeply moving despite some of the most akward scenes, and the many errors with the story. The way that Milla potrayed Joan was on my account moving to the point where it has pushed me in new heights with my beliefs about God and how I react on a whole. She showed a Joan of Arc that was a teen, a loyal follower of God, and a fighter till the end. She poytrayed a Joan that in my opinion is a role model in the fact that she practiced what she preached, followed her heart and faith until the very end of her life. The only part of the movie I really didn't like was the rape scene really made me sick. The fact that they put that in there and it didn't really happen was kinda disturbing. The movie in a whole is good, and is definatly rentworthy or a good purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: Stunning and outstanding
Review: Before viewing this movie I'd recommend spending 24 minutes watching the documentary on the making of the movie. The background given will greatly improve the appreciation of the movie itself. We are taken around the parts of France where Joan herself lived, and shown the buildings she lived in and where the events shown in the movie actually happened. We are shown a document signed by Joan that is 570 years old - WOW! For myself, it was fascinating to see these ancient buildings and relics which without a doubt helped me to better appreciate the actual movie. There is also info on the 100s of suits of armour and 1000s of costumes made that were as true to the originals of that era as possible. They did this by taking the designs and patterns for the costumes and armour from old tapestries and paintings.The performance of Milla Jovovich as Joan of Arc was brilliant except near the end of the film where she perhaps overdid the "poor, nervous and bewildered Joan" bit! I'd have given the movie five stars if it wasn't for this. One point that I found inspiring is the way the film showed how just one simple young peasant girl, deeply pious and obedient to the call of God on her life could change the history of France, and perhaps ultimately that of Europe itself. I don't know how intentional it was, but what struck me was the way Joan feared disobeying God far more than she feared offending the pompous and arrogant civil and religious powers of her day. What wasn't made clear (perhaps because no-one really knows for certain) is exactly how Joan heard the voices which told her what to do, so we are treated to spooky wind noises, cloud scenes, bangs of thunder and some guy in a stone chair in a wood! Surely there must have been a better way of showing her hearing "The Voices?" I titled this review as Stunning and outstanding - and so it was. The picture quality is superb as is the Dolby 5.1 Surround which is very powerful and rich in low frequencies. Seldom have I enjoyed and been so deeply touched by any movie as this one! This DVD is a must for any serious collector IMO.
Rating:
Summary: Saint or Lunatic, or both?
Review: Being french, I am somewhat familiar with the history of Joan of Arc. This movie is well made and the historic details are compelling. The movie doesn't portray war as "fun" as it did not take away of the gruesome parts of medieval wartimes. Even some of the medieval war machines (porcupine, tailor spin...) are portrayed very accurately. The Actors are very efficient in their roles as they portray the medieval mentality to the best of our understanding. My only drawback to this movie is the visions of Joan of Arc as they seem to be needlessly stretched and done deliberately to confuse the audience. they could have easily cut them back by half without taking from the story. Did Joan of Arc really have visions from God? Maybe it doesn't matter. What matters is that SHE believed she did and the people of France believed it also. This changed the entire face of the England-France war.
Rating:
Summary: Good movie, but it portrayed her wrong.
Review: I liked this movie; I really did. It had a good cast, good plot.... it was a little too bloody, but what do expect from a bunch of war sceens? It really was an okay film. But she was portrayed as a crazy person, which I don't really think she was. She really did seem crazy -- whispering half the time (when she wasn't screaming her head off), eyes wide, seeing things. I'm pretty sure those are the actions of a crazy person. And she wasn't crazy. It would seem that one of the most prayed to saint in the world would be given a little more credit, wouldn't you think? Either way, it is enjoyable -- whether or not she was portrayed an insane teenager.
Rating:
Summary: 2 great Vich'es
Review: Great acting by Jovovich and Malkovich. Unparalleled cinematography and directorship by Besson. Excellent supporting cast in Dunaway, Hoffman and many others. The DVD has superior sound and picture quality, and a few extras. The movie is a bit too long, and the historical facts may be debatable, but [i]t was not a bad choice for me, I really enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: Will the real Joan of Arc stand up?
Review: Let's forget about historical truth. OK, people did not go to a private confessional box in the 15th century as portrayed. The map of France did not look as we are shown in the movie's introduction. Military technology had not then invented all the siege devices shown on screen. And nobody but nobody actually understands what made Joan tick. You take your pick from saint to tomboy and from heroine to crazy. But Milla gives a convincing portrayal of a gifted teenager who was used and finally betrayed by the man (the Dauphin) she tried to help. It's a great story, marred only by some silly sequences. The French apparently tried to force open the gates of Paris with three locksmiths and two men on a ladder! Come on now. By contrast, the battle scenes at the siege of Orleans are magnificent. Vive La France.
Rating:
Summary: The Messenger
Review: The Messenger Joan of Arc: If you like Period movies, and costume epics you have a good chance of liking this DVD. If you want things to be accurate as far as history, or(The Myth of Joan of Arc) you might not like this DVD/movie because Joan is Portrayed as a bit of a nut. If you can keep an open mind, and accept Joan as a person of her times. You have a good chance of liking the movie. The extras on the DVD try to explain why they did what they did. Remember Joan of Arc's time was called, (The age of Faith). Overall a good DVD, worth the price, and worth a look. If you like "The Fifth Element" get this one too.
Rating:
Summary: An stumptious epic, of the maid of lauraine.
Review: ...No one in France 500 years ago knew that one peasent girlcould do everything that she accomplished everything she did was forgod and her country of France , but did Joan really hear voices fromthe heavens above was she given a sign or did she only beleive what she wanted to the small French teenager who was born in the village of doreme. Shes your typical teenager who's wild and very stubborn and at time presistant but she was also very brave and couragous and determined.When she approches the doufer of France she realizes her destiny is all the more closer after she passes a test to see who the real doufer is , she tells him about her visons that she is to lead the French army into battle at Orleaon they will take the castle underseige and with Joan they hope to gain the victory to crown there King. The battle scenes realistic and grousome and precise of the way this battle was and this film shows the scale and tragedy of battle.Avoiding a full scale war with the english she speaks her mind ...but when Joan wants to complete her mission the French don't want any part of giving her another army.The French would rather solve affairs with diplomacy but when she decides to fight she is captured and charged with treasen and called anything from a witch to a herotic she stood trial and after the trial she was sentenced to be burned to death at the stake in front of thousands of people. This is an epic movie version of this story the DVD has an inside look at the history of Joan and Trailers until Braveheart comes out this one will keep you busy great sound and cinimatography.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Review: The film was visually beautiful but it felt like it dragged on for too long. What this film added, which I thought was brilliant, was Dustin Hoffman as Joan's conscience or perhaps God if you want to look at it that way. Towards the end Joan questions her actions and we really get taken aback by the fact that Joan, in a way, contradicted herself throughout the film. I thought this was actually fascinating the way her consciense took her back and made her question whether God was the voice she was listening too. It made her more human and actually shed some light onto the fact that perhaps young Joan was a bit crazy. It was a good film but it could have been shorter. I thought Milla Jovavich was wonderful, but John Malkovich as the Dauphin was a bit to subtle--he borderlined parody. Dustin Hoffman was great too.
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