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The First look at Luc Besson's THE MESSENGER (his Joan of Arc movie)
Hey folks, Harry here. You know... Sometimes magazines like ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY just confound me. Recently in their summer movie preview they give Luc Besson's THE MESSENGER like a 3 on the ol buzz-meter. And SCREAM 3 is an 8. WHAT?!?!?!?!? This just angers me. How can any true cinephile be more buzzed about SCREAM 3 than a balls to the wall LUC BESSON.... JOAN OF ARC movie. I'm sorry, I've been jonesed to see this movie for a VERY long time now. Now sure... I understand... Besson hasn't been very open with the press about the film, but you know what? That's what gets me buzzed. When I try as hard as I can to find out about a project and get VERY LITTLE INFORMATION and it's from one of the coolest filmmakers in the biz.... I GET EXCITED! It's a present. One of those stocking stuffers. And folks... after this review of this very early test screening... I'm excited even more so... And when you hear what Luc Besson said at the end of this review... tell me sparks didn't connect down your spine.
Harry,
Long time listener, first time caller. You are neato. Enough with the
pleasantries:
Earlier this week I was able to catch a screening of The Messenger (Luc
Besson's newest).
General reaction: A beautiful, beautiful movie. Milla Jovovich proves that
she's truly one of the more underrated talents out there (she's a
super-talented actress, a gorgeous, mega-successful model, and has even cut
a fairly successful album--what other 'Hollow-wood' talent can compete with
this?). For the uninitiated, the movie is a realistic (for the most part)
story of Joan of Arc, the teenage peasant girl who commanded an army of
French soldiers for the will of God.
The movie, aside from some strong acting performances by Milla and others
(John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, and Dustin Hoffman, as well as some excellent
French actors I'm not familiar with), is brutally realistic. (I lost count
at how many heads, arms, or legs were chopped off in the battle scenes.)
Some stunning countryside landscapes and feels-so-real-you-can-smell-it
battlegrounds add to the richness of the tapestry that our main man Besson
has created.
While some may be dismayed at Besson's choice to do a historical biography
instead of a sleek, contemporary project, I certainly wasn't let down. I
would consider myself a definite fan of his work (The Big Blue struck a
nerve with me) and was impressed by his decision to make this movie.
Some definite issues are explored in the movie that may seem unconventional
to those familiar with the Joan of Arc story, as indicated by the title of
the film. Some people may have a view of Joan of Arc as strictly a
courageous warrior who battled the English. Besson has chosen to depict her
primarily (as the title states) as a messenger of God's will (brought forth
in some surreal scenes in the movie). Eventually, Joan comes to question
everything she stands for, and the audience feels her confusion strongly
(this is a good thing) as she struggles with her entire foundation. Big,
good stuff here.
Some negative reactions:
This movie could be perceived as too much in the same vein as Braveheart
(unknown upstart leads underdog army against the English, is captured and
killed). I think it deals with many different issues not even touched in
Braveheart, and think the comparison between the two is primarily
surface-based. Still, this could be a complaint that people might have
after leaving the theater who were looking for a story about a nice, sweet
little girl. As with any movie (or anything else in life), go into it with
an open mind and fully consume it before you react.
Also, this is only the second time I've felt this before, but I didn't care
for John Malkovich's performance (lest we forget Making Mr. Right some years
ago). This is a rare occurrence, but his performance seems a bit strained
and (dare I say it?) I think he was miscast. He's not horrible, mind you,
but he just doesn't seem to fit into the shoes as the King of France.
The movie isn't short. I think it's about 2 and a half hours, but it might
be cut down a bit shorter (since this was a test screening). I wish people
wouldn't focus on the length of movies as much--time is irrelevant if the
film is good. And this is.
The ending may not be very palatable for a mass audience. Yes, Joan dies.
This is no secret. She is a teenage girl who struggles with a sudden
onslaught of emotions. It's not action packed cinema, but it's damn
powerful. The ending of this movie is true and it's great. After the
movie, my girlfriend commented to Luc Besson outside the theater "Don't let
them change the ending." And, after a second or two, he leaned forward and
said in a very matter-of-fact way, "God wrote it. It can't be changed."
Let us hope that God's will is greater than that of the 40-something
mini-van/SUV suburbanite test audience that filled the theater.
Final Word: There's more to say about the movie(mostly good stuff), but I'll
leave it at that for now. It's definitely worth my $7.50.
Call me,
John Smallberries
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Looks like another crap fest. Thats all I hve to say.
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This film has been a passion of Besson's for a long time now and I'm a big fan. I hope this reviewer isn't a studio plant hyping it, because most of what he says is what I was hoping for out of Besson and it sounds like he delivered. I just wish they didn't have to change the name to "The Messenger" for the American audiences to avoid confusion with the miniseries. Here's to hoping for greatness Harry!
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About two weeks ago I went to the El Ray in LA to see a really good band, Remy Zero. Milla's band opened up for them. Her band Plastic has No Memeory is actaully quite good. Milla was sick, but you could tell her voice was amazing. Her boyfriend Jeremy Davies, just stood in the crowd staring up at her as if she were a goddess. She was.
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What are you kidding? "Doesn't look good?" It's fuckin' Joan of Arc for crying out loud, perhaps one of the most epic stories of the ages: war, triumph, tragedy, martyrs, sacrifice, and true nobility and passion. Doesn't look good? Why? No car chases or big fireball explosions? sorry. I hope you're kidding. Plus, it was made outside the Hollywood system with a fine director who was given a free hand with no interference.
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This will win Best Picture 1999. Just wait. JUST WAIT!
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I just started feeling the buzz about 2 weeks ago, (and it was a good buzz). Scream 3 has no buzz that I am aware of (except for the question about will they finally kill Sydney or will she be the killer now) which the answer for the most part is, who really cares. Entertainment Weekly (although I like their overall layout) is the worst. Any time anyone at that rag gives an opinion, do yourself a favor and gloss over it. If you took the most shallow people in California (I would say the world but it's the same people either way) and had them write articles about what they think other people want to see, you would have EW (which is pretty much what it is so I am being redundant). Let's start our own damn magazine damnit, where the average guy writes articles about what he's excited about!! (and let's try to have all writers be east of the san andreas fault). OK my venting is done with, on to the next loser.
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p.s. who wants to feel my buzz?
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Okay....anyone who has seen Milla in the Loreal "Because I'm Worth It" commercials knows she's hot. Anyone who's seen The Fifth Element knows she kicks ass and has some acting talent. This film is going to put it all together. Screw The Phantom Menace (I'm getting a new ID), this movie has to be the most anticipated film of the year....plus its got Dustin Hoffman as The Grand Inquisitor. Regarding that Braveheart comparison, do people really think they are going to get a film about Joan of Arc without blood and guts? To be a little shallow for a second......I WANT to see a hot chick version of Braveheart. Who doesn't? Anyone who wants to argue with me can feel Harry's buzz!!
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There was, in fact, a screening earlier this week. I caught it, and very much enjoyed the movie. I would describe it as "intense with some flaws". I'm bummed I didn't see Besson myself.
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you geeks never cease to amaze me... go down your street and ask everyone if they're excited about The Messenger.... then come back and tell me why it deserves any higher than 3 on the buzzometer. Now I'm in High School... I'm much more excited The Messenger than I am about Scream 3, but I'm also not blinded my geeky stupidity like so many of you seem to be. If I ask my classmates what they are most dying to see you better bet your ass that Scream 3 has TONS of buzz surrounding it. LOOK AT THIS FUCKING WEBSITE!!! There's a new scoop on Scream 3(oh yipee! character names) every other fucking day... CERTAINLY more than "The Messenger." Talk about a WALKING FUCKING CONTRADICTION. Sorry I'm being vulgar, but I just think that was a rediculous thing to say. This site has done nothing but buzz Scream 3 more than any other movie(save The Iron Giant) ALL SUMMER LONG!!!! And now Harry, you are saying "wah wah it got an 8 and The Messenger got a 3" well buddy EW's primary source is you, and that's precisely where they got it. As Ice Cube or one of those rapper people once said "you betta check yoself before you wricketywreck yoself"
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God wrote it? It can't be changed? Give me a break. The bitch burned. Get over it. And Milla's a super-talented actress and mega-successful model? Give me another break. She's barely capable of sustaining herself in film, and she's a model of moderate success. Like Brooke Shields and Cindy Crawford, she has yet to learn the difference between posing and acting. Who else but Besson would have cast Milla as Joan of Arc? Certainly not Kathryn Bigelow, but that's another story.
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Not to defend EW, but they do give (at least in their online version) SCREAM 3 only a 3 on their buzz meter. Haven't seen the mag yet so is the rating there different? Who gives a shit about SCREAM 3 anyway?
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So, Brendan3, according to you, this movie will be good because it was made "outside the Hollywood system with a fine director who was given a free hand with no interference." Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the same thing said about 'Eyes Wide Shut'? Joan of Arc = Religious Nut. If she were alive today, she'd be the head of a heavily-armed cult somewhere...
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A: "Noah's wife." Sorry. Had a little BILL & TED flashback there.
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Scream 3 has a hell of a lot more buzz than The Messenger, and it will end up making a whole lot more than it too. This is like the second time I've seen The Messenger mentioned in here, where Harry has posted a lot of Scream 3 stuff, most of which has been bogus. Oh and the online Entertainment Weekly site messed up the buzz factor for Scream 3, they said 3/10, but in the magazine it's 8/10. That should't be surprising seeing how they have backed both Scream & Scream 2 with great reviews and numerous articles/mentions.
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I hope they toast a few on her. It would be a shame to let all that good fire go to waste...
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I've built a racer its the fastest ever
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Hi Guys,
I myself think this movie is gonna rock! If you want to see tons of pictures from this filma nd lots of news check this page out...it is pretty sweet!
MovieGuy
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/4388/JoanArc/index.html -
Hold on. Perhaps I need to clarify what I said earlier. You're right that giving a director a free hand doesn't always guarantee a good final product. Though you have to admit studio interference has fucked up a lot of good films in the past....not just studios, but actors with egos and rewrite powers as well. Luc Besson is a damn fine director who has been passionate about this project, so I anticipate a good film at the very least. As far as Joan of Arc herself, you're right she was a fanatic and she probably would be holed up in some compound if she was around now. But you have to admit her story has all the ingredients for epic film storytelling. That's what I was trying to say. I wasn't defending her life - I was just saying that it has the potential to be a great film if put into the hands of a good passionate director without interference.
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I wasn't inferring you said anything about Joan of Arc being a religious nut, Brendan3. That was my own observation. And, for the record, I am curious (in a good way) about this movie.
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This movie just like has so much potential. It's certainly high on my must see list. Oh, and I haven't even seen Scream 2 yet so I don't really give a flying whatcha call it about it's sequal.
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Am I the only one that remembers her from 'Dazed and Confused'?
Oh yeah! And shouldn't we have more of the "I haven't seen the movie and i've only read about whose in it...but it's gonna suck."??
Oh wait, that's just:
X-men
Star Wars Episode 2
Lord of the rings
or anything else that has a certain amount of buzz. -
Hey screamer, the amount of money a film makes means jack shit. What really matters is the QUALITY of the film. I'd rather see a great film that has been relegated to one theater rather than some cookie-cutter piece of trash that brings in $300 million (LOST WORLD). And if hype is what makes you go to see a film, then you're just another jabroni that is gonna get checked directly into the SMACK-DOWN HOTEL!!!!
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You're not The Rock and you never will be and though I agree with your statement about quality and money USUALLY (some movies bomb because they're truly bad) having nothing to do with each other, I am looking forward to Scream 3 a lot more than this Joan Of Arc flick, and I am a huge film lover/geek.
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Harry, Entertainment Weekly sucks. The only thing good about the magazine is the photos and the special editions. Also, EW doesn't know shit. Did you read the part in Dogma? They didn't mention a damn thing about the controversy for the film, yet for Bicentenal Man (spelling?) they talked about the problems it had in the start of filming. The interviews are shitty. Try Premiere instead.
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The Professional rocked!!!!! I realized that the second time I saw it. The Fifth Element was the biggest disappointment of the summer of 96, in my opinion. I have high hopes for this one. I just wish Gary Oldman was in it as......anything!!!!!
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and subscribe to PREMIRE magazine.
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So, they're using Milla as a teenager... That's a healthy idea of teen beauty for little girls. I've read postulations that Joan of Arc had a range of genetic diseases, for God's sake. At any rate, at least delusional religious zealots are getting some positive screen time.
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Hey there. The reason that Scream 3 is getting high on the buzz meter in EW is because the entire Scream series is a series based solely on buzz. They are made for a mainstream audience, whereas a film like The Messenger is made regardless of how many people go to see it. Don't confuse buzz with how good a movie is.
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Crickers really summed it up, but i'll add to it (sorry about possibly stealing your thunder, buddy).
I for one am a big Scream fan. The first made such an impact across the world and it is solely responsible for the horror rebirth. Ok, some may think Scream 2 sucked, but I don't. It's made clear in the movie that sequels very varely surpass the original, but if you stand Scream 2 on it's own without looking at how excellent the first is, I'd say it's pretty good.
So now you're comparing it to the new Besson movie on stupid EW "buzz ratings". Do we really have to do this? The Scream movies create a great amount of buzz. This is due to them being aimed at the teen market, we should all know how much "buzz" can be created by die hard slasher fans. Adding to this the fact that Miramax will spend more on marketing Scream 3 than they will financing the production, it should be easy to see how the "buzz" is created.
Now I'm not saying The Messenger will be a poor film. Hell, it may be a masterpiece, but that's got nothing to do with "buzz". Think about that, overall I would think that more people are looking forward to Scream 3 over The Messenger, but it's got nothing to do with quality.
Trust me, they'll both be fantastic... -
Who gives a shit what EW writes or thinks? I mean come on, they gave "The Matrix" a C!!! It was definitely the best film of the year is all I have to say.Totally inspirational, with thebest action sequences ever created. Luc Besson is a great director-I love his visuals. Here in Athens, Greece they play "The Big Blue" every summer. The Fifth Element was good but the Trailer was better and that's not saying much. As for Scream... It was a clever movie but the ending was sooo stupid. Scream 2 had an even more retarded ending.
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Who would have been cast as Joan of Arc had Luc Besson and Milla not been married?
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Besson is an overrated stylist who produces glossy, shiny images that mean nothing. His movies are like staring at Milla Jovovich's face for two hours. Now some may enjoy that, but I like more substance for my time spent - like story and theme, two items consistently lacking in Besson's work. His movies - Sub-standard-way, The Amateur, The Big Bore, The Non Element - are hollow. Aside from the casting of Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman and the brilliant Jean Reno in The Professional, Besson has added nothing to movies (okay, I'll throw Chris Tucker in too). Jean Jacques Beneix (Diva, Betty Blue) is a much better filmmaker. This Joan of Arc pic sounds like another piece of dried pulp. John Malkovich is HORRIBLE playing Europeans (Mary Reilly, Portrait of a Lady) and he will be horrible here. Dustin Hoffman can't do an accent - does this mean we're going to hear a United Nations of voices in a story set in France? Finally, Milla Jovovich has one thing in common with her Blue Lagoon predecessor Brooke Shields - they are stunning, but can't act. Please don't even get me going on her "singing" - that flat, whispery voice makes the Cowboy Junkies seem like Courtney Love. This post about The Messenger sounds like it was written by a studio D boy. Harry, I'm disappointed that you fell for it. And my final thought: if it's a gorgeous model-actress-popstar you're looking for, just think Jennifer Lopez. Nuff said. Excelsior.
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And Braveheart (William Wallace), was a brutal murderer. Revolutions are bloody, and movies rarely give a balanced view... instead they give a heroic outlook, on events that were complicated and if viewed objectively, were disgusting and WRONG (on ALL sides). War is NEVER pretty, and there are NEVER "bad guy's" and "good guy's". Being an Atheist myself, I have no problem with a "religeous zealot" being portrayed as a hero. I know enough to disregard any attempt of film to recreate history. The Messenger will be a fantasy, like titanic, like braveheart, like any other. The only question is will it be a gritty and complex story (a la Braveheart) or a modern feel good adaptation (like Titanic). I can't wait to see for myself.
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Before everybody jumps on me, one caveat to the above post. Yes, Besson directed La Femme Nikita and yes, it was brilliant. He does get points for introducing me to Anne Parillaud and Tcheky Karyo (neither of whom have done as great work since). But that was his first movie and I think he shot his wad on that one because he has been coasting ever since - coasting downwards.
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Aug 21, 1999 12:51:40 PM CDT
I'm sure that Miramax manipulated Entertainment Weekly somehow c
by paragonian
This movie sounds mass good. Now I can add another to my long list.
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They are really going to regret this stupid, stupid title change. The Messenger???!!!! Give me a break. Joan of Arc was fine, simple, straightforward. She's an icon. Hey, I'm there opening weekend with bells on either way. Also, John Malkovich sucked in Three Musketeers...actually he's sucked ina bunch of stuff. he overacts, hams it up way too much. I love Milla, though - very underrated indeed. I wonder if this is an oscar-type performance or more of an action hero gig?
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She's not an actress/singer/model. She's a pretty young woman whose image surpasses her actual ability or charisma. Joan of Arc is supposed to be a revered military leader and a messenger from God. Being a hottie in hair color commercials is not really what I'd consider key for playing such a figure. I'll relent and go to a matinee because I like Besson's films and because I am interested in this retelling of the mythology of La Pucelle, but it's most definitely not in the hopes that Milla will suddenly be divinely inspired to act...
And as much as studio people would like to think otherwise, buzz is not successfully generated by artifice. People are either seized with a concept or they are not. No amount of photo op and alleged raving fan correspondence is gonna make me attend a movie I'm not otherwise interested in. -
You were right Harry, when I read what Beeson said it did send a chill down my spine. This should be a great movie. I'm glad it's coming out this year. Just wait until next year when Jesus comes down and beats us all up.
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If you READ the beginning of the ENTERTAINMENT weekly article, you'll notice the "buzz-meter" rates how much people are talking about the movie, not how good it is. Of course Entertainment Tonight, and E! are going to fall all over themselves to cover SCREAM 3. The important thing is that YOU know about this movie. Go see it and create "buzz" for it yourself. If it tanks, so what? There are greater injustices out there. -
What I don't understand is how the lot of you can get so caught up in arguing the two films (S3 and The Messenger) when they shouldn't even be compared with each other in the first place - They are in two completely different genre's to one-another: S3 is a teen-horror flick, and The Messenger is a classic, historical epic. How can one get so passionate about arguing the acting talent of Milla or the story lines of Scream when in their own right the movies should both stand alone?
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I have always loved strong female characters in both fiction (Wonder Woman; Xena) and real life; St. Joan has long been a favorite. I've been waiting for a good big-budget treatment of her life story for some time now; back in the day I was hoping that Farizula Balk would do it, but Milla-chan looks to be a definite winner here. She was manifique in "The Fifth Element," overall one of my fave science-fiction films. Changing the name to "The Messenger" was wrong, though; they should have just left it as it was and if any vegetables in the audience couldn't figure it out, tough. And as for "Scream 3" getting more "buzz," woop-tee-doo. "Buzz" means zippo to me; all I care about is weather the flick is good or not. Also-I am very glad to see that it is being done realistically and not sugar-coated or prettified. St. Joan was a warrior with all that that implies; anybody walking in to the Cineplex to see this and expecting to get "a story about a nice, sweet little girl" deserves the coronary they're likely to have when limbs start a-flyin'!
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wow. I cant remember disagreeing with so much that was said in the talkback to one article. So here's my two cents. Milla is a mediocre actress (so far..) and a damn fine musician. John Malkovich is GOD. He rocked in The Man In the Iron Mask and in Rounders (both European roles.. well maybe not..) The Scream movies suck hard. NOT FUNNY. NOT SCARY. NOT REMOTELY INTERESTING. Just a bunch of teenaged fluff. And the Professional and 5Th element rocked. Thank you.
(oh yeah, EWS sucked too.) -
Yup,Scream movies really sucked.They were over-hyped and every teenage kid liked them(As always EXCEPT me) so it became somekind of teenage trend-icon and thats why i hate it,bad actors,bad plot the humor sucks and no suspense.
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