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Movies / On DVD / The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

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The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)

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31 %
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Reviews Counted: 71

Fresh: 22

Rotten:49

Average Rating: 4.5/10

Consensus: The heavy-handed narrative collapses under its own weight.

Runtime: 2 hrs 38 mins

Genre: Dramas

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... 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). Features several exciting medieval battle scenes. [More]

Starring: Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, Dustin Hoffman

Starring: Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, Dustin Hoffman, Pascal Greggory, Vincent Cassel, Tcheky Karyo, Richard Ridings, Timothy West, Desmond Harrington, Andrew Birkin

Director: Luc Besson

Director: Luc Besson
Screenwriter: Luc Besson, Andrew Birkin
Producer: Patrice Ledoux
Composer: Eric Serra

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Dec 2, 2008

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • The year is 1429. France is in political and religious turmoil as members of the royal family battle for rule. But one peasant girl from a remote village gave her country the miracle it was looking for. Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element, Dazed and Confused) is Joan of Arc, a young woman who would inspire and lead her countrymen until her execution at the age of nineteen. Raised in a religious family, Joan witnessed her sister's rape and death at the hands of an invading army. Years later, as the same war raged on, Joan stood before her king with a message she claimed came from God: give her an army, and in God's name she would reclaim his diminished kingdom. But was the message real, or thedelusion of a girl whose life had been shattered? This startling epic drama by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) explores the life of Joan of Arc, her amazing victories, relationship with God, and tragic death. Co-starring John Malkovich and Academy Award(r) winners Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway, THE MESSENGER is a modern take on a medieval saint who enthralls people even today.
  • Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
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    Reviews for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
    01/23/09
    Screen International
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Jovovich brings an intensity to the role well-matched to Besson's stylistic energy, though this comic-bookish take on Jeanne D'Arc won't be winning any historical-society awards. [Blu-ray]

    Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
    01/20/09
    Peter Canavese
    Groucho Reviews

    Impressive to look at, but in the end, it just doesn't ring true.

    Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
    11/13/08
    Brian Webster
    Apollo Guide
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
    01/15/08
    Garth Franklin
    Dark Horizons
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    06/24/06
    Time Out
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
    05/26/06
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Combustible Celluloid

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    12/06/05
    Film Threat
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
    04/09/05
    Robin Clifford
    Reeling Reviews
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    08/30/04
    Janet Maslin
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: New York Magazine | comment Comment
    08/07/04
    Peter Rainer
    New York Magazine
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
    05/20/03
    Susan Tavernetti
    Palo Alto Weekly

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
    04/25/03
    Globe and Mail
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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    Full Review Source: Film Quips Online | comment Comment
    02/08/03
    John R. McEwen
    Film Quips Online

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    12/08/02
    Film Threat
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Sight and Sound | comment Comment
    12/02/02
    Ginette Vincendeau
    Sight and Sound
    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
    06/05/02
    Annlee Ellingson
    Boxoffice Magazine

    Makes precious little sense.

    Full Review Source: Matinee Magazine | comment Comment
    03/07/02
    Chuck Rudolph
    Matinee Magazine

    This unusual French interpretation of Joan of Arc sees her as a radical zealot like John Brown.

    Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
    03/04/02
    Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
    Spirituality and Practice

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
    04/24/01
    Almar Haflidason
    BBC

    Girlfriend was a few fries short of a happy meal.

    Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | comment Comment
    02/14/01
    Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel
    3BlackChicks Review
     
     
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    Latest News for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

    January 11, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Can Sony "Stomp" the "Museum?"
    Can Ben Stiller and his living artifacts four-peat at the top of the North American box office, or will one of the new releases take the crown over the four-day Dr. Martin... More...

    May 25, 2006: Sony Buys Besson's "Angel"
    French filmmaker Luc Besson, who produces tons of flicks but hasn't directed one since "The Messenger," has directed a new movie. It's a comedy called... More...

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