Still Looking for the Genuine Joan but entertaining nevertheless
Added 10/7/2009
As a movie, certainly entertaining, but don't look for anything historical here since it must have been a Joan from an alternate universe being depicted. For example, in this movie Joan has deep angst about her sword she may have found in a field.
While in fact this Sword:
"- --In place of the sword offered to her she described in detail the location and appearance of a sword in the Chapel of St Catherine de Fierbois. It was found deeply buried exactly where she had described and the blade was so covered in rust it would have been impossible for her to describe it without having seen it before. The rust readily fell off when the blade was wiped. -- "
Perhaps this film is a conspiracy of the irreverent, irreligious and atheistic working to "deconstruct" Joan; to convince a modern, uninformed audience she was a raving schizoid lunatic leading the superstitiously ignorant to lucky victory; with a flaming end. Or not.
Aside from that, I found it entirely entertaining filled with arrow sticking battle scenes and screaming mayhem. Once I brainwashed myself into believing that actress Milla Jovovich was portraying a personality from the bizzaro world instead of a real-life historically significant figure, I actually enjoyed the film.
I give it 5 stars minus 3:
1 For Milla Jovovich
1 For the incredible exciting siege sequence
-1 for being magnificently historically inaccurate
-1 For conning me to believe this was a movie about Joan of Arc
-1 For being so unfaithful to her hard to believe true story making up stuff when it's so easy to Google it out the Real Deal otherwise (hmm, insult my intelligence comes to mind...)
Buy it for the two stars though, the siege IS really good...
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Fun...But not historical.
Added 9/23/2009
While the movie proves entertainment if you are looking for a historical movie this isn't it. Joan's talks to G-d and the saints make her seem as if she had a psychological problem, and seveal scenes make her look demonic. While i wouldn't watch this for historical value it is definalitly entertaining.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Pure excellence
Added 8/16/2009
Truely one of the best Biographical films ever made, ever witnessed on screen. Not very often does an interesting historical charecter show up in cinema, some actors get immersed in the charecters so well, so fine... you just have to believe that you are taken back right there at that very time. 'The Messenger' is one of those films that carry you all the way with it and take you back to its time, the time where a once little girl who turned out to be a rebellious young woman taking charge of the French army. The lead role is played brilliantly by Mila Jovovich, you simply run out of words when it comes to her performence. The pain, the madness, the temper, the true nature of Joan so beautifuly shown by the young actress. The film as a whole leaves you quite sattisfied, the performence, the acting, the directing, timing and a reasonable score. Look forward to some really good performence. It was good to see Pascal Greggory in a very brief role. A fine piece of cinema indeed.
0 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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"JOAN OF ARC" THE MINISERIES IS WAY BETTER
Added 5/5/2009
I agree with most reviews of "The Messenger: the Story of Joan of Arc." While Mila Jovich, or however you spell her last name, is an AWESOME actress, (she was in "Return to the Blue Lagoon" and all three "Resident Evil" movies) I'm sure that this portrayal of Joan is very inaccurate. In this movie she is portrayed as a screaming, annoying and lunatic b****!! What the hell was the director thinking? He or she clearly did NOT do thier homework. I have seen the 1999 miniseries of "Joan of Arc" starring the beuatiful young Hollywood actress Leele Sobieski, (Deep Impact, The Glass House.) Sobieski portrays Joan as an innocent but brave nineteen-year-old who fought for the freedom of France, and who sought to have the French King crowned. Although some argue that the miniseries is not entierly accurate, (but than again what movie now-a-days is?) still the "Joan of Arc" film depicts the herione the way the world remembers her. The miniseries is truely powerful, gripping and dramatic. It's sad that the big budget version of Joan in "The Messenger" is so twisted beyond any historical accuracy. In this film you don't even get the impression that Joan really was holy to the point of hearing the voices of saints calling out to her; rather Joan is simply crazy and dillusional beyond anyone's comprehension. It seems as if the director and producers intentionally portrayed Joan as a mad woman with a disperate need for making herself known to the world. But yet, as the director of the miniseries "Joan of Arc" stated during his research, even in books and in that movie Joan was portrayed as a sweet, loving and giving character who's strong faith in God led her to her ultimate demise; for SHE choose to go into the flame, rather than she was forced to burn at the stake. And I believe that "Joan of Arc" is as accurate as any film could possibly get about the "the flower of France."
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Sexy actress, wrong role. Great opening start for the movie.
Added 4/30/2009
I love St. Joan of Arc, but this movie doesn't accurately depict her or her life's story with accuracy! I'd give any St. Joan movie 5/5 stars anytime, but this one portrayed St. Joan as somewhat "mad". St. Joan wasn't always an angry, raving girl with looking to pick a fight with everyone around her! Wrong depiction of a historical figure from director Luc Beeson!
If you like sensational Hollywoood movie war scenes and computer graphics,
watch this movie.
OK, look, it has a good opening start! Modern people want to see ancient maps and history. It's awesome to see how movie showed audiences what happened, when and where at the very graphical opening start of the movie, and how St. Joan begin her life's story at the time of war. I'd give 5/5 stars on how this movie was told at the start, but everything else seems to go downhill from the second half.
Don't be lazy, go read decent historical books about St. Joan instead if you want to study her.
If you need to watch a modern movie about St. Joan, I'd recommend watching "Joan of Arc" (DVD) starring actress Leelee Sobieski (she looks like actress Helen Hunt). Her saintly aura shines out more in Leelee Sobieski. Her body type also more or less accurately depicts how the historical St. Joan may have looked like.
Milla Jovovich, my Lady, continue on with your "Resident Evil" series and sexy "Ultraviolet" movie roles! You fare much better in sci-fi action movies. You disappointed me, your fan, in this role as a saint! Throw the director's silly script aside, read the books on St. Joan, get inside her head while transporting yourself back to her world, then start acting as St. Joan in the 21st century.
Too bad the French have forgotten one of their famous saints these days!
Can someone competent make an epic Hollywood blockbuster of St. Joan?
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Still Looking for the Genuine Joan but entertaining nevertheless
Added 10/7/2009
As a movie, certainly entertaining, but don't look for anything historical here since it must have been a Joan from an alternate universe being depicted. For example, in this movie Joan has deep angst about her sword she may have found in a field.
While in fact this Sword:
"- --In place of the sword offered to her she described in detail the location and appearance of a sword in the Chapel of St Catherine de Fierbois. It was found deeply buried exactly where she had described and the blade was so covered in rust it would have been impossible for her to describe it without having seen it before. The rust readily fell off when the blade was wiped. -- "
Perhaps this film is a conspiracy of the irreverent, irreligious and atheistic working to "deconstruct" Joan; to convince a modern, uninformed audience she was a raving schizoid lunatic leading the superstitiously ignorant to lucky victory; with a flaming end. Or not.
Aside from that, I found it entirely entertaining filled with arrow sticking battle scenes and screaming mayhem. Once I brainwashed myself into believing that actress Milla Jovovich was portraying a personality from the bizzaro world instead of a real-life historically significant figure, I actually enjoyed the film.
I give it 5 stars minus 3:
1 For Milla Jovovich
1 For the incredible exciting siege sequence
-1 for being magnificently historically inaccurate
-1 For conning me to believe this was a movie about Joan of Arc
-1 For being so unfaithful to her hard to believe true story making up stuff when it's so easy to Google it out the Real Deal otherwise (hmm, insult my intelligence comes to mind...)
Buy it for the two stars though, the siege IS really good...
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Fun...But not historical.
Added 9/23/2009
While the movie proves entertainment if you are looking for a historical movie this isn't it. Joan's talks to G-d and the saints make her seem as if she had a psychological problem, and seveal scenes make her look demonic. While i wouldn't watch this for historical value it is definalitly entertaining.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Pure excellence
Added 8/16/2009
Truely one of the best Biographical films ever made, ever witnessed on screen. Not very often does an interesting historical charecter show up in cinema, some actors get immersed in the charecters so well, so fine... you just have to believe that you are taken back right there at that very time. 'The Messenger' is one of those films that carry you all the way with it and take you back to its time, the time where a once little girl who turned out to be a rebellious young woman taking charge of the French army. The lead role is played brilliantly by Mila Jovovich, you simply run out of words when it comes to her performence. The pain, the madness, the temper, the true nature of Joan so beautifuly shown by the young actress. The film as a whole leaves you quite sattisfied, the performence, the acting, the directing, timing and a reasonable score. Look forward to some really good performence. It was good to see Pascal Greggory in a very brief role. A fine piece of cinema indeed.
0 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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