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rogerebert.suntimes.com - : Luc Besson's ''The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc'' labors under the misapprehension that Joan's life is a war story and takes place largely on battlefields. In fact, it takes place almost entirely within the consciences of everyone involved. The movie does at least concede that a good part of Joan's legend involves her trial for heresy and her burning at the stake, and these scenes may prove educational for the test audience members who wrote on their sneak preview cards, ''Why does she have to die at the end?'' Two of the best films more...
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www.salon.com - : Nov. 12, 1999 | As a movie hero, Joan of Arc has it all over Jesus. Where Christ always seems to invite wan piety, Joan provokes unashamed, enthusiastic love, and it's not hard to see why. Christ's passive acceptance of suffering is a lot less appealing (and a lot less dramatic) than Joan's courage and rebelliousness. You don't have to believe she was a divine messenger to be amazed by her victories, but if you don't accept Christ as the son of God, what you're left with is pretty masochistic. more...
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movie-reviews.colossus.net - : Not since the 1920s (in the years following her canonization) has there been this much interest in Joan of Arc. In 1999, not one, but two, major entertainment events have been built around this icon. The first, a made-for-TV miniseries starring Leelee Sobieski, garnered impressive ratings during the May sweeps. The second, Luc Besson's epic motion picture, has been released into theaters during the heart of the Oscar season. However, in the midst of such a crowded and impressive field of major films, The Messenger is unlikely to find much favor with Academy members, nor is its box-office take expected to astound the officials at Columbia Pictures. more...
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