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"This
'Messenger' Delivers"
by Scott Mantz
"The Messenger:
The Story of Joan of Arc"
Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich
Directed by Luc Besson
In Hollywood,
nepotism goes hand in hand with cel phones, expensive cars, and
first-look deals. For those of you just joining the picture, nepotism
is when you cast someone close to you, usually your wife, brother,
or cousin, in your film. Even though it's such a common practice,
you can't help but roll your eyes at it and think to yourself, "oh,
puh-leeze". Antonio Banderas cast his wife (for now, at least) Melanie
Griffith in his directorial debut, "Crazy in Alabama". When Kate
Capshaw needed someone to produce her movie "The Love Letter", all
she had to do was roll over in bed and ask her famous husband Steven
"what's-his-name".
When the stakes
are high and the budgets are even higher, it makes sense that casting
should be done in the best interest of the project. That's why I
almost lost my lunch when I heard that director Luc Besson was casting
his relatively inexperienced wife (although they are now separated--what
a town!) Milla Jovovich in the title roll of his latest film. Although
she held her own in "The Fifth Element", taking on the role of one
of the most extraordinary heroines in the history of the world is
no small feat. Considering I had such low expectations, I was pleasantly
surprised by Jovovich's portrayal of Joan of Arc. While this subject
has been filmed many times before, "The Messenger: The Story of
Joan of Arc" is an interesting and lavish production that's a worthwhile
moviegoing experience.
OK, let's backtrack
about 500 years for a little history. France is under the reigning
hand of the English when then teenage Joan (Milla Jovovich) has
a vision in the fields. She is convinced by none other than the
Big Guy himself that she is to be the one to set France free. No
problem, but now try explaining that to King-to-be Charles VII (John
Malkovich). When word gets out around the country about this self-professed
prophet, the next thing she knows she has the entire French army
at her fingertips. After overcoming resentment from her fellow soldiers,
she leads the French army to victory. Now that Charles VII is the
King, he has no further use for Joan. When she still professes to
carry out God's mission, Charles gets nervous and burns Joan at
the stake. So much for gratitude.
While Milla
Jovovich's portrayal of the betrayed Joan is passionate, she goes
a little over the top at times. Instead of being authoritative and
controlled, she comes across like a crazed and spoiled lunatic.
Whether it happened 500 years ago or not, if she came to me and
asked for an army of soldiers to command, I'd sooner throw her in
the loony bin. John Malkovich brought some ingratious disconnection
to the role of Charles VII (although it was strange to see him so
serious after "Being John Malkovich"), and Faye Dunanway played
Charles 's controlling mother Yolanda D'Aragon a little too well.
In an effort
to bring a new edge to the Joan of Arc story, director Besson throws
in some interesting twists. He hints that Joan's vision of God could
easily have been all in her mind. When her Conscience, played by
a coolly-clad Dustin Hoffman, indicates that the sword that she
found in the field that gave her the message could have gotten there
in a number of ways, the ambitious and driven Joan begins to doubt
her own motives. Also, the Conscience hints that this whole scheme
could merely have been Joan's over-the-top revenge escapade for
watching her mother get raped and killed before her very eyes.
Joan was used
as a sacrificial lamb and burned at the stake for heresy. When her
image took on mythical and divine symbolism, she was finally vindicated
by France. That only took over 500 years. Like they say, better
late than never.
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