Luc Besson's take on St. Joan as a confused, possibly schitzophrenic, religious fanatic whose victories against the English having as much to do with revenge for the murder of her sister as her religious beliefs is certainly interesting. He portrays her not as a great fighter, but as a flawed but inspiring leader and lateral thinker.
But not a leader in the same sense as, say, Mel Gibson's William Wallace in Braveheart. She believes she is following the signs of God, though her motives are dubious to say the least. You feel that she is just using the French army for her own murderous revenge and not just the good of her country.
As a result, the long and very bloody battles against the English do not have the same sense of victory as in Braveheart. In fact they leave a bad taste in the mouth, as they are meant to.
Milla Jovovich is simply stunning as the angry, confused teenager. I have only seen her in Resident Evil and have grown to love her style of acting, which is a crossover between theatrical and naturalistic. She can portray kick-ass strength whilst showing great vulnerability and naivity. A fine actress, though not to everyone's taste it seems.
Even Dustin Hoffman, an actor who never fails to irritate me, (except in Midnight Cowboy, his finest hour), gives a terrifically restrained performance as Joan's inner conscience, and is excellent as a result.
Faye Dunaway gives a fine understated performance, yet, surprisingly enough, it is John Malkovich who lets the team down somewhat. Though he doesn't spoil the movie, you know he's done better work elsewhere.
As a movie, it moves along at good pace, though anyone expecting a feel good movie like Braveheart beware. Joan of Arc is not a heart-warming tale of an underdog country's victory over the tyrannical English. This is a very affecting portrait of a flawed individual who may have used the lives of a few thousand countrymen to do battle with her own inner demons, who by chance helped lead them into liberation.
A fine movie with enough good performances for repeated viewings.
But not a leader in the same sense as, say, Mel Gibson's William Wallace in Braveheart. She believes she is following the signs of God, though her motives are dubious to say the least. You feel that she is just using the French army for her own murderous revenge and not just the good of her country.
As a result, the long and very bloody battles against the English do not have the same sense of victory as in Braveheart. In fact they leave a bad taste in the mouth, as they are meant to.
Milla Jovovich is simply stunning as the angry, confused teenager. I have only seen her in Resident Evil and have grown to love her style of acting, which is a crossover between theatrical and naturalistic. She can portray kick-ass strength whilst showing great vulnerability and naivity. A fine actress, though not to everyone's taste it seems.
Even Dustin Hoffman, an actor who never fails to irritate me, (except in Midnight Cowboy, his finest hour), gives a terrifically restrained performance as Joan's inner conscience, and is excellent as a result.
Faye Dunaway gives a fine understated performance, yet, surprisingly enough, it is John Malkovich who lets the team down somewhat. Though he doesn't spoil the movie, you know he's done better work elsewhere.
As a movie, it moves along at good pace, though anyone expecting a feel good movie like Braveheart beware. Joan of Arc is not a heart-warming tale of an underdog country's victory over the tyrannical English. This is a very affecting portrait of a flawed individual who may have used the lives of a few thousand countrymen to do battle with her own inner demons, who by chance helped lead them into liberation.
A fine movie with enough good performances for repeated viewings.