Rating: 
Summary: Not very accurate but still enjoyable
Review: After reading the reviews here I've come to the conclusion that this movie is very innacurate 'cept for the actual historic characters. With that said, I have to say that this movie was very enjoyable and didn't seem to be that long, even though it was nearly 3 hours long. Even though this may seem a little sexist and blatantly innacurate; I think they should not have cut Miila's hair. She was breathtaking with her orange-ish hair and very male looking with her bowl cut. The way I see it, if they were going to go the "hollywoodz' route and ignore factual acceruacy then they should leave some eye candy in the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Arc
Review: The movie was wonderful, plain and simple. The Messenger tracks the story of Joan of Arc from childhood to warrior to her unfortunate death. All 148 minutes slipped by like an hour. Milla Jovovich provided an outstanding performance that paired very well with director Luc Besson's cinematic vision. Luc Besson pieced together a fantastic movie that not only makes you think, but also keeps you entertained as well. The movie is intelligent and filled with imagery.
Rating: 
Summary: A 'Vulgar Film'
Review: I suppose I should know better than to present a historian's view of a film of this sort, but such is what I do.
While the scriptwriter, Andrew Birkin, has said that he made sure the end result was far more historical than what director Luc Besson and distributor Sony had originally planned (don't ask...), and Birkin seems to have had good motives, the end result nevertheless bears little resemblance to the time period, people, or events in question. Nor, good motives aside, is it respectful of the heroine: both the director and scriptwriter have confirmed that the film's intent was to show, in essence, that Joan allegedly betrayed her religion by leading an army (hence the lurid "Thou Shalt Not Kill" message, the scene with a bloodied Jesus figure who asks her why she's hurting Him, the business with her "conscience" (played by Dustin Hoffman) at the end, and so forth). Luc Besson had the following to say about the film's take on the subject: "If she wanted to be a good Christian, a good person... even if her motivation was good, to have her country free, it was wrong to participate in the massacres. 'Thou shalt not kill' - that's a commandment." Actually, the commandment is believed to be "Thou shalt not murder", a distinction no longer made by the modern "Woodstock Christianity" which is here being inserted, ironically enough, into a war film about a medieval military saint who lived in an era in which the Church itself had many orders of "warrior clergy". But, having determined that all warfare is condemned by the Bible, the film's creators decided, according to the scriptwriter, that Joan must have been motivated by revenge, for which they inserted an entirely fictitious rape and murder scene near the beginning in order to give her a reason for seeking vengeance against the English - in stark contradiction to the evidence in the original documents, in which her compassion for English soldiers is repeatedly described by the eyewitnesses. This evidence also contradicts the film's version of Joan as a twitchy, hysterical neurotic, which has led many viewers to come away from the film with the notion that she was insane - despite the fact that, as many scholars have pointed out, we can prove that she certainly did not suffer from schizophrenia or other form of mental illness. In fact the eyewitnesses said repeatedly that, far from being the out-of-control figure portrayed in the film, she, quote, "speaks little, [and] demonstrates remarkable prudence in her speech"; she was able to hold her own against trained theologians and devise "new stratagems that two or three of the most experienced commanders could not have done", etc. The film's version, on the other hand, was aptly described by one viewer as "a Valley Girl on methamphetamines".
Along similar lines, Besson has said that he made the character to look as androgynous as possible, thereby dredging up another bit of slander leveled against her by her enemies but contradicted by the eyewitness accounts. Based on Besson's comments in "Le Monde" and elsewhere, he was apparently attracted to doing a film about Joan of Arc because he thought she was androgynous like the character played by his (then) lover Milla Jovovich in "The Fifth Element", and so he found them both "sexy". One reviewer, Kathryn Norberg, dryly commented that this seems a pretty thin premise upon which to make a movie about Saint Joan.
The film is no more respectful of history than it is of Joan herself. Despite claims by the distributor that the movie was based upon careful research, very little of it is true to the period. The dialogue is pure late-20th century. The battlefield sequences have little in common with 15th century battles, and neither do the weapons. Some viewers were impressed by the bloody mess created as giant spinning propellers lop off the heads of any soldier unfortunate enough to get in the way (ah yes, it was those giant propellers which made the late-medieval battlefield the brutal arena that it was); some even made absurd comparisons to Spielberg's excellent "Saving Private Ryan". But whereas the latter movie featured reasonably authentic tactics and weapons, and the characteristic wounds produced by those weapons, Besson's film is merely gory for the sake of being gory. Whereas Spielberg's use of first-person camera footage (with drops of blood and dirt spattered on the lens) was meant to suggest the military cameramen who did in fact accompany the troops onto the beach that day, Besson's similar tactic of showing blood spattering on the camera lens is merely a hopelessly anachronistic gimmick - is the audience being asked to believe that cameramen accompanied 15th century armies? Apparently, Besson decided to borrow a technique he thought would be seen as "chic", without taking any account of the change in time period from World War II to the Hundred Years War. And whereas Spielberg's film is a sympathetic and sensitive attempt to portray the nightmare that the actual troops had to endure and to honor their sacrifice, Besson's fantasy portrayal of battle, and his stated opposition to (if not outright contempt for) those who fight wars, results merely in a trendy bloodfest that cheapens the subject rather than educating the public or honoring the fallen.
The relatively few critics who praised the film mostly praised only the "hip" filmmaking prowess of the director himself, which is perhaps what the director was after.
While we've all become resigned to silly Hollywood films that distort history, the shameful treatment of La Pucelle in this one marks a low point for the genre. Film critic Charles Taylor has said that "The Messenger" was the only movie he has ever called "vulgar", which is perhaps as good a way of summing it up as any.
Rating: 
Summary: A visual stunner with impressive battle scenes.
Review: Milla Jovovich is the titular heroine who believes she's a messenger from God who's come to free the French from English tyranny. Luc Besson's interpretation of the legendary historical figure is visually impressive and the battle sequences are bloody and exciting. Unfortunately, the story is muddled, the film is pretentious, and scenes meant to come across as deep sometimes come across as goofy and campy. Good performances across the map, with Jovovich faring quite well in a rather maniacal portrayal. Mostly middling material, with occasional excellence. If you're looking for a Medieval period, battle-filled epic, you could do a lot worse, but Braveheart is still THE clashing-sword masterpiece.
** 1/2 out of *****
Rating:
Summary: ooh yeah
Review: This film is a superb depiction of the medieval struggles of women to justify their claim to the promised prosperity of Western idealism. Milla Jovovich's performance is above par for actresses her age; the choreography in the dance scenes had me jumping; and the costumes had a certain, how shall we say, "jubilant panache." ...
Rating:
Summary: Messanger (Joan of Arc)
Review: I just bought the dvd.
Myself and my family of five, (I'm the Father)watch in awe as
this movie unfolded. I cannot say as to the accuracy of this
short portion of history. But, this is a movie which was based on what knowledge we have of this event. Joan of Arc was a child in a dangerous time with no buffers
as you and have. The courage and fundamental thinking about war
was not lost on Joan of Arc. I bet she died with honour when she was burned, she had more
faith then anyone since. I recomend this movie to anyone just to show them what faith alone can do!
Rating:
Summary: excellent!!!!
Review: i have now seen 3 versions of the story of jeanne d' arc.. the first being carolyn gage's play "the second coming of joan of arc", the second being this video, and finally "joan of arc" starring leelee sobieski. i am a radical feminist. i was sure that this version of the story would offend me, based on my first encounter, through carolyn gage. i was not offended. this portrayal is jeanne herself, not "saint joan of arc." this portrayal is her as a woman who is on a mission, a passionate woman standing up for her beliefs, knowing that she is right. i am thrilled that there is a piece about jeanne d' arc that i, as a radical feminist can enjoy, but also that the masses can enjoy. that everyone can now understand the passion of this woman, the power of this woman. the true remarkable woman that jeanne d' arc was. this piece creates a role model for all women now. this piece allows us to embrace ourselves as women and know that we are powerful. this movie should be applauded for its passion. this movie should be applauded for making available to the masses the story of jeanne d'arc in a respectful manner.
Rating: 
Summary: I have seen better versions of Joan D'Arc
Review: It is definitely a Hollywood version. They have changed a lot the real history of Joan D'Arc. I don't think that Joan of Arc was angry all the time like they present her in the movie. Joan, according to the story heard voices from three saints, St. Catherine, St. Margaret and St. Michael. But in the movie they present three images and they never speak. Is like the same angel or saint in three different ages. The movie has more o less a slow pace and it turns really boring after 3/4 parts of the movie had elapsed. I think the version of Joan of Arc, starred by Lelee Sobieski is more loyal to what really happened than this one. Even the one in black & white with Ingrid Bergman was even better than this one.
Rating:
Summary: simply great
Review: this the best historic,religious,godly movie i have ever seen.
the cast is superb.
milla jovovich has done excellent work.
i reccomend this as a must see
Rating:
Summary: Moan of Arc
Review: I guess like most people who bought/rented this dvd, I am a huge fan of medieval flicks. Granted, most films set in this period are bereft of historical accuracy; Braveheart and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves being two obvious examples. But if the film is a genuine masterpiece then such concerns are - within reason - mere side-issues. But this effort from luc besson is no masterpiece - not by any manner of means. The rot stems from Milla Jovovich's catastrophic portrayal of Joan of Arc. If I was French I'd be mortified at the thought of seeing that nation's most revered heroine depicted as a screaching harpie. The character of Joan comes across as downright irritating and, quite frankly, ridiculous. What vestige of credibility may have remained was scattered to the four winds in the scene when the English Army refused to fight the French with Joan as their general. After all, this is the same band of soldiers that brutally killed and raped a member of Joan's family only a few years before (apparently): is it really believable that the rantings of such a derranged brat could inspire so much confidence in her men - and fear in the English - that she could lead the French to victory? Of course, this did actually happen, but in the context of this film its absurd. ..., you actually find yourself rooting for the English - hoping they put you out of your misery by burning the witch at the stake post-haste. This really shouldn't be the case, but it is. Francophiles and lovers of the Joan d'Arc legend beware: This is three hours of torturous tosh. Do yourself a good turn and burn this travesty of a dvd at the stake!
|
