The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

A pretty decent adaptation of Jeanne d'Arc's story. I'm not sure if this version is the most true-to-life one, the reason why I liked it so much is that Besson made it a bit "extra". Then again, this isn't a history lesson, it's cinema, so it's hardly a sin to take the cinematic route, even when historic characters are involved.

Jeanne d'Arc is a simple peasant girl until she discovers God speaks to her directly. She is adamant about spreading God's message and doesn't mind acting as his vessel, so much in fact that the King of France shows interest in the girl's story. He uses her in his quest to drive out the Brits.

I'm not a big fan of historic films, but Besson's extravert style of direction makes it bearable. The performances are decent, the cinematography is pretty nice and the battles are actually engaging. The film's a bit long, especially for people already familiar with the story, but this was better than I expected.