Luc Besson is a filmmaker known for style over substance. He likes big colors, big music, and even bigger action. So, when he decided to tackle the story of the Maid of Orleans in his 1999 film The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, people didn’t really know what to expect. Was it going to be a historical epic or a fever dream? Honestly, it ended up being a bit of both. It remains one of the most debated depictions of the French saint ever put to film, mostly because it dares to ask if Joan was actually talking to God or if she was just struggling with a massive amount of trauma and psychological distress.
History is messy. Movies usually try to make it clean. Besson did the opposite.
The Milla Jovovich Problem (And Why It Kind of Works)
Milla Jovovich was an interesting choice for Joan. At the time, she was mostly known for The Fifth Element, and critics were brutal. They called her performance "manic" and "unbalanced." But if you look at the actual history of the real Joan of Arc, the girl was a teenager leading an army. She was probably pretty stressed out. Jovovich plays Joan with a wide-eyed, terrifying intensity that feels less like a polished Hollywood hero and more like a kid who is genuinely overwhelmed by the voices in her head.
She screams. She cries. She hacks her hair off with a sword in a scene that feels visceral and jagged.
The movie doesn't treat her like a stained-glass window icon. Instead, it treats her like a human being pushed to the brink of insanity. This bothered a lot of people who wanted a traditional "Saint Joan" story. If you’re looking for the pious, quiet martyr found in the 1928 silent masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc, you aren't going to find her here. You get a Joan who is sweaty, dirty, and potentially delusional.
Historical Accuracy vs. Cinematic Flair
Let's talk about the siege of Orléans. This is where the movie shines and fails at the same time. The scale is massive. We see the "tourelles," the massive wooden towers, and the sheer brutality of 15th-century warfare. Besson doesn't shy away from the blood. People are crushed by stones, pierced by arrows, and burned alive. It’s loud. It’s chaotic. It’s probably the closest a modern audience can get to feeling the claustrophobia of a medieval battle.
But then there are the inventions.
The film introduces a scene where Joan witnesses her sister being murdered and raped by English soldiers. Historically? That didn't happen. The real Joan of Arc didn't have a sister who died like that. This was a "Hollywood" addition meant to give Joan a "revenge" motive. Most historians, like Kelly DeVries, who wrote Joan of Arc: A Military Leader, point out that Joan’s motivation was purely religious and nationalistic. She didn't need a personal vendetta; she had a divine mandate. By adding the sister subplot, the movie arguably weakens her character. It turns a spiritual calling into a standard cinematic revenge arc.
The Dusting of Reality
Dustin Hoffman shows up halfway through the movie as "The Conscience." He isn't named, but he’s essentially the personification of Joan's internal doubt. This is where the film gets really weird—and really smart.
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Hoffman’s character challenges Joan. He asks her how she knows the sword she found in the field was "sent by God." He points out that there are a hundred logical ways a sword could end up in a field. He deconstructs her miracles. It’s a bold move for a big-budget movie to spend its final thirty minutes debating the nature of coincidence versus divine intervention.
- The Sword: Was it a miracle or a lost relic?
- The Voices: Were they angels or echoes of her own desires?
- The Signs: Did the wind change because of prayer or just because wind changes?
Why the Critics Hated It (And Why You Might Like It)
When it came out, the movie was a bit of a flop. It holds a pretty low score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics like Roger Ebert felt it lacked the spiritual depth necessary for a story about a saint. They felt the "MTV style" editing clashed with the medieval setting.
However, looking back at it now, The Messenger feels ahead of its time. It’s a psychological thriller masquerading as a historical epic. It’s about the danger of certainty. It’s about how a young girl was used as a political tool by the Dauphin (played with wonderful sliminess by John Malkovich) and then discarded the moment she became inconvenient.
The political maneuvering is actually quite accurate. Charles VII needed Joan to get to Reims to be crowned. Once he had the crown, he didn't need the war to continue. He needed diplomacy. Joan, who only knew how to fight, became a liability. The movie nails that transition from "Saviour of France" to "Annoying Prisoner."
The Trial and the Fire
The final act focuses on the trial. This is where the movie sticks closer to the actual court transcripts. The questions the priests ask her—the traps they set—are real. They asked her if she was in a "state of grace." This was a trick. If she said yes, she was being arrogant (a sin). If she said no, she was admitting she wasn't led by God.
The real Joan famously answered: "If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me."
The movie captures the frustration of the inquisitors. They were dealing with a girl who was uneducated but incredibly sharp. The tragedy of the ending hits hard because, by the time she’s being tied to the stake, the film has stripped away the glory. You’re just watching a terrified young woman die for a cause that has already moved on without her.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs and Cinephiles
If you are planning to watch or re-watch this movie, here is how to get the most out of the experience without getting tripped up by the "Hollywood-isms."
- Watch for the armor: The costume design is actually quite stellar. The way the armor restricts movement and the weight of the equipment is portrayed realistically.
- Ignore the sister subplot: Just treat that as a hallucination or a narrative device. It has zero basis in history.
- Compare the "Conscience" scenes: Pay close attention to the dialogue between Hoffman and Jovovich. It’s the philosophical core of the film and explains why Besson took so many liberties with the rest of the story.
- Check the locations: Much of the film was shot in the Czech Republic, providing a gritty, authentic European feel that you don't get from soundstages in California.
To truly understand the "real" Joan, read the trial records translated by Daniel Hobbins. They are fascinating and read like a modern legal thriller. Then, go back and watch the movie. You'll see where Besson stayed true to her spirit and where he let his imagination run wild.
The movie serves as a reminder that history is rarely about what actually happened; it’s about the stories we choose to tell about what happened. Whether she was a saint, a soldier, or a girl suffering from the horrors of war, the movie ensures you won't forget her name.
Practical Next Steps
To deepen your understanding of the 15th-century context, look into the "Burgundian" faction. The movie touches on them, but in reality, the French civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians was just as important as the fight against the English. Understanding that political split makes the Dauphin's betrayal of Joan much clearer. You should also look for the 1928 Dreyer film mentioned earlier; watching it back-to-back with the 1999 version shows just how much our cultural view of "faith" has shifted over the last century.