The Messenger - the Story of Joan d'Arc R
Starring Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, & Dustin Hoffman
Eric says: *** (3)
What a disappointing film. Some Braveheart-like gore effects jumbled together with a lead character that no one could make work, and cheap use of Dustin Hoffman combine to make a movie that I cared not at all about. I repeatedly thought about Milla's relationship with Director Luc Besson and wondered if he'd have cast someone different if they weren't a couple. Don't get me wrong, Milla wasn't bad at all, but I just kept hoping she'd yell at the advancing English army, "Leeloo Dallas, Multi-Pass".
It is the story, itself that I have the most problem with. Besson seemed to have no idea what side to take on the whole witch/saint debate - and it shows. Even though Joan is the main character, there's never any clear focus on her. The story meanders to result in a completely unsatisfying yarn.
John Malkovich is the movie's saving grace as the man who would be France's King. He adds eccentricities and a very royal holier-than-thou attitude towards what could easily have been a standard bland supporting character. Faye Dunaway was also entertaining as the mother-in-law type unsavory schemer. I can't say that I like Hoffman's work, however, because his entire chartacter seemed like a shortcut that Besson didn't need to take. Overall, a failure.
David says: ********** (6/10)
I had fun. Maybe not the deepest movie, not the most intelligentit has many squirting blood scence intersperced with several good one-liner ('No. It was a sword. Laying in a field.' or 'Whay are you staring at me!''You have an arrow in your leg.''Oh!Take it out!'. For the most part, Jovovich did a good job of playing a rather confused girl, strongly propelled by the strgth of her convictions and faith in God's will, held back by her ignorance and unsurity of the world. At times though, the different sides of her character seemed almost to be different characters...
If you look at the credits, they mention Czechoslavakia many times. What happened to France?! (ok, I suppose they've gone and modernized those cities, but still...)
Every so often you come accross a movie that must be seen time and time again, big screen litttle screen, any screen. Despite enjoying the film, I must say it's one that I'll only enjoy once.....
-our review of the preview:
THE MESSENGER
One of those "glimpse" previews, this looks promising just because it stars the wonderlul Leeloo Dallas, uh, I mean Milla Jovovich as Joan of Arc directed by The Fifth Element director and Milla's former beau, Luc Besson. The glimpse shows Milla in a field wielding her sword.