Reviewed by: Maggi
CONTRIBUTOR
Moral Rating: | Extremely Offensive |
Moviemaking Quality: |
|
Primary Audience: | Older Teen to Adult |
Genre: | Drama |
Length: | 2 hr. 10 min. |
Year of Release: | 1999 |
USA Release: |
Featuring | Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, Dustin Hoffman, Timothy West |
Director |
Luc Besson |
Producer | |
Distributor |
Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures |
Don’t miss Ronald F. Maxwell’s* in-depth historical commentary —*“Gettysburg” writer/director
Six months has been my waiting period to eagerly view “The Messenger”. I was so excited to finally see a recent feature film created around Joan of Arc. I was even more excited to here that cast members included John Malcovich and Dustin Hoffman (two very fine actors). After several long months of high expectations, I was sorely disappointed in this attempt seen in “The Messenger”. I feel as if I just wasted six months of my life waiting to see a lie, and one that mocks the Christian faith as well.
Firstly, “The Messenger” included unnecessary violence. For example, Joan’s sister is murdered and then raped. I have read and seen many documentaries about Joan of Arc and never heard of any rape taking place, which leads me to believe that this did not happen. The movie also has war-related violence, but that is understandable as war is indeed violent and gruesome. There are also some odd visions of Joan that include winds blowing as packs of wolves. Don’t ask me to explain that vision, though. I’m still trying to figure out the significance of it.
Not once is Joan of Arc shown as being visited by specific saints, nor does “The Messenger” concentrate on Joan’s strong faith in Christ. Some other offensive language includes an army member using profanity, including the off-color “f” exclamation. Joan is also referred to as a “b*tch” several times.
She is portrayed as a psychotic nut case, instead of the young woman of God that she was. In many scenes she looks and acts as if she should be in a mental institution. History says that when Joan was burned, she didn’t move at all. It was as if she didn’t feel the fire. Right before she died, she yelled out the name of Jesus. At that time, one of her executioners states “My God, we just killed a saint.” Sadly, all of this was conveniently ignored.
Confusion reigns during much of the film. Dustin Hoffman’s character makes it hard to distinguish whether he is an angel of the Lord of Satan himself. Joan of Arc appears in one scene as a woman of God, and in the next as a mental patient. Further, the acting was terrible. Why was Milla Jovovich chosen to portray Joan? She simply failed. Joan Malcovich and Dustin Hoffman give semi-decent performances, but their characters are so unbelievable that one could care less about their acting ability.
As a Christian, who was raised as a Catholic, I was highly offended. “The Messenger” is nothing but a pack of lies. I am just pleased that I did not take any of my non-Christian friends along on this one. They may be left with the impression that Joan is a pawn of Satan rather than of God. Of much higher recommendation would be the TV miniseries, now available on video.
Don’t miss Ronald F. Maxwell’s* in-depth historical commentary.
*“Gettysburg” writer/director
It left us feeling sick to our stomachs and relieved that we hadn’t gone to this movie with any of our non-Christian friends. Christ was portrayed as a cold and unloving person and not all there psychologically. No wonder some of my friends aren’t interested in getting saved or knowing God.
There was a scene in it where Joan says she wants to be one with Christ, now, and goes back to the local church, where she proceeds to drink what looks like blood. It trails down her face and makes her look insane.
I also remember the scene where she witnesses her sister being murdered then raped. It was very graphic and unnecessary. The war scenes were very graphic, also. I will say one thing for it though (after really searching the movie for good things) I really liked the parts where Joan kept telling one of the men not to swear and take God’s name in vain.
It also didn’t show her as a perfect person, like I think of some highly remembered Christians in the past, she had problems with anger and authorities.
One last thing, it is much more satisfying to watch the TV mini-series, which was more accurate, historically and 10X’s cleaner. My Ratings: [1/1]