The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)
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Cast
as Joan of Arc
as Charles VII
as Yolande D'Aragon
as The Conscience
as The Duke of Alencon
as Gilles de Rais
as Dunois
as La Hire
as Aulon
as Comrade
as Look Out
as Bishop
as English Judge No. 1
as English Judge No. 2
as Captain No. 1
as English Judge No. 3
as Nobleman at Rouen's Castle
as Captain No. 2
as Talbot
as English Judge No. 4
as Cauchon
as Old Priest
as The Bludgeoned French Soldier
as Domremy's Priest
as Joan's Father
as Vaucouleur's Priest
as Captain
as Compiegne's Mayor
as Church's Peer--Coronation
as Xaintrailles
as Dijon
as Mary of Anjou's Lady's Companion
as The Aunt
as La Tremoille
as Woman at Rouen's Castle
as Poitiers' Inquisitor
as Church's Peer--Coronation
as The Duke of Bedford
as Cell's Guard
as Duchess of Bedford's Lady's Companion
as Joan's Mother
as Blackbeard
as Laxart
as Catherine
as Senlis' Bishop
as The Hag
as Conscience--Child
as English Guard at Rouen's Castle
as Assessor
as Nobleman at Rouen's Castle
as Orleans' Priest
as Comrade
as Assessor
as Woman at the Cemetery
as The Duke of Burgundy
as English Judge
as Church's Peer--Coronation
as Conscience--Young Man
as Assessor
as Beaurevoir's Guard
as Poitiers' Inquisitor
as Young Monk
as Rouen's Priest
as Glasdale
as The Duchess of Bedford
as RedBeard
as The Teeth Soldier
as Regnault De Chartres
as Poitiers' Chief Inquisitor
as Louis
as Scribe at Process
as Young Girl in Bath
as The Executioner/Torturer at Process
as English Judge
as Monk at Coronation
as Louis XI (age 5)
as English Judge
as Richemont
as Buck
as Dijon's Assistant
as Poitiers' Inquisitor
as English Judge
as Corridor's Guard in Rouen
as Bishop
as Gamaches
as Young Girl in Bath
as Mary of Anjou
as Canon
as Captain
as Orleans' Physician
as Joan (age 8)
as Girl
as Raymond
as English Judge
as Poitiers' Inquisitor
Critic Reviews for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
All Critics (73) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (51) | DVD (4)
Milla Jovovich, who plays Joan, is a young woman who has been unmemorable in several pictures.
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.
The English are uniformly and broadly portrayed as villainous louts, and today's four-letter oaths sound laughably anachronistic.
What an unholy mess.
Half-baked.
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.
Audience Reviews for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
Luc Besson's The Messenger is a fairly underrated dramatic action film about Joan of Arc. Although not perfect, I found this one to be much better than what most critics have said about it. The film packs action and those scenes are very well done, but in terms of effective storytelling, I felt that the performances were decent, but what really stood out were the battle scenes. In terms of story, this does a good job at telling Joan of Arc's story, but it is not accurate either. The film has the potential of sparking interest in the subject. Milla Jovovich does what she can and she gives a fairly good performance here, but the film overall will never stand out in terms of an epic. In retrospect, there are far better films than this, but The Messenger is still mindless popcorn fair that is fun from start to finish. Of course there are things that seem out of place, but overall, it's definitely not as bad as what I'd think it would be. There are things that could have been improved upon considering its subject, but in the end, it's a fairly accomplished movie that manages to be quite good despite its flaws. If you're going into this film expecting something historically accurate, then you'll be disappointed. Director Luc Besson obviously takes creative liberties with Joan of Arc's story. Go into this one expecting a mindless action drama with an interesting plot, but it is never anything great either. I enjoyed it, but felt it should have been much better. The story had the potential of being truly memorable, and with that being said, The Messenger is good, but the definitive Joan of Arc film has yet to be made.
Super Reviewer
When Joan walks into the royal court for the first time to plead her cause, to free France of English poachers, they are already whispering about the peasant girl some claim as a saint. Except for not seeing how she came to be whispered about I really enjoyed Besson's tale (pro-French and anti-Catholic) that underlines how any act of faith is ultimately a dance with self doubt. It may is may not be of importance that Besson and Jovovich were divorcing as this filmed, so you decide.
Super Reviewer
Luc Besson's mad tale is more of a visual experience than a story.
Super Reviewer
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Quotes
| Joan of Arc: | I'm off my meds. |
| Joan's conscience: | I can't save this movie. I can only stink it up even more. |
| Joan of Arc: | I'm on the rag. |
| Joan of Arc: | May God forgive your blasphemy, because I never will! |
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