History shows that it took nothing short of a miracle to save France from being overrun by the English. This miracle arrived in the form a female. First France loves, stands by, and supports her; then when they finally gain freedom, they abandon her. The miracle is Joan of Arc, the leader in France’s crusade toward independence. Her amazing life as a soldier is portrayed in The Messenger.
As a peasant girl, Joan tragically loses her sister to the hands of the English. This ordeal invokes a feeling of hatred, and she looks to the church for comfort. Through startling visions as a young girl, she believes that she is the one chosen by God to win back France. Only one thing can stop her: Charles VII (John Malkovich), King of France. In order to follow through with God’s plan, she must first receive the King’s blessing to fight.
Going into this film, I was excited to finally see what this amazing female figure was really like. I wanted to see how she earned her legendary status as one of the most admired and hated females in history. The Messenger only showed her as a brave, strong willed soldier, instead of a woman conflicted by her fate. The immediate transition from her tragedy as a little girl to meeting the King was completely unexpected. I kept waiting to see her grow up at least a little bit, but didn’t get that gratification. Once she met with King Charles VII, the immediacy of her becoming a soldier and going straight into battle left me with too many unanswered questions.
The true excitement and adrenaline rush of the movie came when Joan galloped with her horse into the fort. The battle scenes were remarkably coordinated by Chief Stunt Coordinator Phillipe Guegan. Not only were they volatile, but genuine as well. The realism of the sword fights was unexpected; I couldn’t help but notice the crowd’s reaction. Another highlight in the film lies in the beautiful costume designs by Catherine Leterrier. Unlike other medieval period films, The Messenger is full of elegant hairpieces and robes that steal the scenes.
Milla Jovovich portrayed the character Joan of Arc well. Her best scenes come while she’s in prison, awaiting her trial. During this time, she struggles with her beliefs and is faced with doubt. These scenes also offer a view of the mixed emotions people were feeling toward her. Was she real, a pure conveyor of God’s will, or was she a woman suffering from neurosis and possible hysteria? The Messenger contains a cast of high-profile names who also add realism to their characters: Dustin Hoffman (Joan’s conscience), Faye Dunaway (Yolande D’Aragon), John Malkovich (King Charles VII), and Tcheky Karyo (King’s half brother).
If little girls want to look up to a female figure, Joan of Arc would be a good one. The Messenger lives up to its expected hype. The previews depict a strong young female leader, but the movie fails to answer why she is so strong. We only know that Joan communicated energy to the French soldiers to win back France. This film is a little choppy. It would have been better as a mini-series for television; we’d then have more time to find out about the real Joan.
+ kim hutchison
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