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The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)
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Reviews Counted:21
Fresh:1
Rotten:20
Average Rating:3.4/10
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
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Release:
Dec 2, 2008
Reviews for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
I've never left a Luc Besson movie not thinking that the guy has Froot Loops for brains.
Like its almost-demented heroine, The Messenger is unnervingly consumed with energy.
Besson seems to have no sense that Joan herself was giving a performance.
The English are uniformly and broadly portrayed as villainous louts, and today's four-letter oaths sound laughably anachronistic.
It's hard to recommend it to people who like action and blood because of all the talking; and, because of all the blood, it's hard to recommend it to those who might be interested in the talk.
Besson is unable to weave the comic scenes together with the serious gory ones, so both seem increasingly jarring and unbelievable.
Nothing less than a miracle saved France, The Messenger tells us, and nothing less than a miracle would be needed to rescue this film from itself.
Milla Jovovich, who plays Joan, is a young woman who has been unmemorable in several pictures.
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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