View Full Version : The Messenger: The Story of Joan OF Arc.
Just finished watching this and I have to say I was very impressed. I thought it was a truly enjoyable piece of film. Now if I remember correctly on it’s release it received quite a lot of poor reviews and Milla Jovovich in particular took some stick over her performance. Does anyone know if this was in fact the case?. Also I would be interested to hear others peoples opinions on this film.
NexusSheep
01-01-2002, 19:43
I must say I wasn't too impressed. I know I shouldn't, but I couldn't help comparing it to Braveheart, even as I sat there watching it. I think it's a pretty average film, nothing to write home about. (But Milla Jovovich does look fine in the featurette, though). :D
Ahh, thanks for reminding me.
Another film I have had (on R1) since release but couldn't be arsed to watch.:D
Tristan H
01-01-2002, 20:02
I really couldn't stand the film, but I'm not sure exactly why. I think my main problem was Joan who I found to be one of the most annoying characters ever. I was actually delighted when she was finally burned, so I guess the film might split opinion.
Jimmyboy
01-01-2002, 20:07
Had high hopes for this but turned out to be quite poor despite an excellent first 20 - 30 minutes.
I think the film was doomed to begin with as Milla and Besson went through a devorce during filming.
It isnt helped by the fact that the French are played by English actors with sometimes English accents, which led to some rather confusing moments.
...ahh... yes... Zee Messangair... zee attractively pouting Milla... zee woefully miscast Malkoveech... zee absurde 'Offman - probably weesheeng 'e were somewhere else...
http://www.mrcranky.com/movies/messenger.html
...in short: a fun movie... (but I'll take Leelee Sobieski in the almost contemporaneous TV version of the same story any day!) --- and if you want to see, not just a good, but a truly great film on the subject, try the splendid Criterion Collection edition of Carl Dreyer's The Passion Of Joan Of Arc starring the ineffable Falconetti...
...all just MNSHO, of course!...
. . . :D . . .
Looks like I'm in a minority in liking this one. I do agree about the accents but as far as Milla is concerned I thought her performance was very good.
It was generally panned upon its release.
Check out my review here (http://www.dvdtimes.org.uk/index.cgi?html=y&id=reviews/region1/messenger.html)
Chris
Complete misfire, Besson is out of his depth.
But I can second NexusSheep's comments on Milla in the featurette - I almost considered holding onto the disc just for a few periodic looks at that little beauty.
But I didn't - the film is crap.
Jimmyboy
01-01-2002, 22:29
Originally posted by gap
It was generally panned upon its release.
Check out my review here (http://www.dvdtimes.org.uk/index.cgi?html=y&id=reviews/region1/messenger.html)
Chris
What made you think this - "Besson gives it a new slant. Joan’s visions are ambiguous. He suggests that Joan was less of a message-receiver and more of a schizophrenic" - ?.
I myself felt that Besson side stepped the issue on whether Joan was insane or not, it seems he didnt have an answer or an opinion himself, which led to big problems with the story arc imo.
adamvbarker
02-01-2002, 00:09
Milla Jovovich looked fantastic (like Leo Dicaprio, but even prettier) but her performance was all on one frenetic note. I found that it made the whole thing annoying to watch, and I could see no reason why the people of france would follow her into battle.
This can't be entirely put down to the actress, its up to the director to tell the performers to vary the tone and level of the performances to fit the flow of the movie.
BigHairyScotsman
02-01-2002, 00:38
Originally posted by Bish
Looks like I'm in a minority in liking this one. I do agree about the accents but as far as Milla is concerned I thought her performance was very good.
Got to agree with you Bish, I really liked this film and Miss J was a revelation after seeing her in the only other role to date Ive watched, The 5th Element, where her acting was a little ... uhm merde.
I thought the battle scenes were as good as Braveheart, especially when right in the action........
damn why did I trade my copy? (might nip to HMV tomorrow and pick one up in the sale, Im sure I saw it for 8 or 9 quid).:D
MrMcrolly
02-01-2002, 01:10
i really like this film for the fight scene's alone and the story is not so bad plus i am a milla fan....
i even got this one shipped early when it first came out in usa to get it..
Jimmyboy
02-01-2002, 02:07
Originally posted by BigHairyScotsman
I thought the battle scenes were as good as Braveheart, especially when right in the action........
The fight scenes are actually quite poor on close inspection.
Mainly because they use the same footage over and over again but from different angles.
Cap'n Al
02-01-2002, 11:21
I was very surprised on its cinema release to find that it wasn't showing at <i>any</i> cinemas near me, and so got the DVD unseen, which I seldom do which new films. I personally quite liked it, as it's a very stylish and quite enjoyable piece of work, but it suffers from being structurally flawed, namely by having the major action scenes halfway through in one 40-minute block, and then heading towards a bizarre anticlimax.
Oh, and Dustin Hoffman is about as miscast as a major actor has been in a film lately, in an incredibly misconceived part.
Arch Stanton
02-01-2002, 11:28
Awful film only just about made watchable by some very good Cinematography.
To say the script is a confused mess would be an understatement.
Well i thought it was an amazing film...esp the fight scenes....the use of murder holes and trebuchets made the film
i love it when Aulon claims the captured trebuchet as his own by declaring "zis is mine!" . the way he says it makes me crack up every time....
Thoroughly enjoyable... but it looks like im joining the minority here....
DeadKenny
02-01-2002, 13:08
Thought it was pretty good myself. Maybe not Bessons best, but still good, but then I love all his films :D.
Depends if you're just interested in an all-out-action-film-blockbuster or appreciate Besson's visual style of filmmaking.
The French R2 DTS version (in English) is top notch too.
Nice to see I'm not the only one who liked it after all.
In fact I enjoyed it as much as I did Braveheart and it’s one film I’ll definitely try and watch again. It did make a positive impression on me which resulted in me starting this thread, which as more than I can say for many films that I see.
Silent Bob
02-01-2002, 17:42
I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Messenger...' it's not my sort of film in general, given the cash to pick anything, i never in a million years would have choosen it (to my own disadvantage) but the king of the 'GTT' Baz gave it me many moons ago and i was most impressed on first viewing, watched it a couple of times since then also and still enjoyed it immensely, Jovovich puts in a fine performance IMHO, maybe it had to do something with the accent (miaow). :rolleyes:
Like i said not something i would of chosen myself sadly, but damn GLAD i got it!
Good film!
If this thread carries on like it is I may end up in the majority :D .
jonathan.e
02-01-2002, 18:12
Bloody awful movie. My idea of hell would be having to endure this movie followed by Magnolia and American Beauty over and over and over and.....
Originally posted by jonathan.e
Bloody awful movie. My idea of hell would be having to endure this movie followed by Magnolia and American Beauty over and over and over and.....
One mans hell is another mans heaven. Another couple of amazing films, Magnolia being my favourite of the two.
Jimmyboy
02-01-2002, 19:45
Originally posted by Bish
If this thread carries on like it is I may end up in the majority :D .
Ha, Don't think so mate.
Give up while your ahead !. :D
Jimmyboy
02-01-2002, 19:47
Originally posted by jonathan.e
Bloody awful movie. My idea of hell would be having to endure this movie followed by Magnolia and American Beauty over and over and over and.....
Blimey !,
I think we actually agree on something.
Les Visiteurs tells the Joan of Arc story sooo much better I feel.
Dan is Fat
02-01-2002, 20:50
I loved it, and i must be the only person who thought that Dustin Hoffman's character was amazingly interesting. I mean, ok, it was a bit odd, but it added another perspective to the film, and it was better with him, than her running round the cell grunting on her own. I thought the bit where he offered the possibilities of the way the sword reached its destination was superb.
Am i the only one who felt the swearing seemed out of place. Im not saying that they didnt swear but to hear the dudes in armour and stuff shout out the f-word every 5 seconds felt a bit odd to me.
jonathan.e
02-01-2002, 21:13
Originally posted by Jimmyboy
Blimey !,
I think we actually agree on something.
:eek:
:D
Just thought i'd add my two penneth and say i liked the film too. :nuts:
Silent Bob
02-01-2002, 23:22
Originally posted by jonathan.e
:eek:
:D
Shouldn't the grinning fellow be at the back. :p
:D
:eek:
I did not enjoy this film as much as I expected to and have since traded my copy on. It was one of those films I really wanted to watch and was perhaps expecting to much from it although I did think Milla Jovovich was excellent in it.
wide_inside
04-01-2002, 07:35
this film was such a disappointing bag of cock. I love Besson, got all the films, blah de blah. Couldn't believe what a let down this was. Couldn't even believe this was Besson, the direction was so clichéd and unimaginative.
f- must try harder.
wide
In spite of the fact that it's flawed both dramatically & historically I still like it - at least it doesn't take itself that seriously unlike the woefully po-faced BRAVEHEART !!
LordoftheDance
22-02-2009, 22:22
Did a search, and HOLY THREAD RESURRECTION BATMAN!!!
7 years - is that a record?
Anyway, just finished watching this with the other half and we both thought it was excellent. Bish, if you're still around, our minority's growing steadily. :)
I thought Milla Jovovich was excellent in the role, in fact it's the best acting I've seen her do (but I've only seen her in the Resident Evil series of films, Ultraviolet and The Fifth Element).
Battle scenes were visceral and (fairly) exciting - some of these scenes did remind me of Braveheart, as someone else on here mentioned, in fact I can't believe some of those weapons actually existed at the time, like that big spinning tri-mace that was beheading soldiers as they tried to climb the castle walls... :eek:
Timothy West was excellent, as was Tcheky Karyo, and Desmond Harrington was good too. Fine performances all round.
We both found it a very powerful film. For what it's worth, the Blu-ray sounded fantastic and looked pretty good too. :)
8/10
RomerojpgX
22-02-2009, 23:22
Stop it, your making me want the Blu Ray more :lol:
Its just a shame the HD transfer was not a great one that I know it could have been, as its a bloody good looking film.
I adore the film myself. All the actors are fantastic in their roles.
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