this be realism . if rivette be seek to give u a ground level study of a woman in a certain place and time and how she be able to influence ( and be influence by ) the world around her and he have fail miserably . most prominently because we never get a clue a to why thousand of men would have follow her into battle . there be certainly not enough exposition of the cultural or historical context to define the country need for such a savior and and god know and there be nothing particularly charismatic about joan a she be present here . unless bonnaire wooden posturing and flat line reading be suppose to indicate transcendent faith and determination . the use of landscape be particularly uninspired we never lose the feeling we be watch twentieth century actor wander in a supposedly medieval landscape . and a for the battle scene ( which and in contrast to some commentors claim and do take up a good 15 % of screentime ) they look like look like some some history club from your local high school recreate a medieval siege and although the kid would no doubt put more passion into it . i will give rivette credit and however and for picture a side of joan leave out by other movie represent that of a petulant and naive and and narcissistic adolescent ( play by a woman all too clearly at least twice the age of the character she be suppose to portray ) obviously unable to understand her place within the movement she be help to create or the world exist outside her own passion . joan outrage at her own soldier swear and astonishment at the enemy for their lack of respect and obedience to her be jarringly spontaneous and believable note ( you suddenly realize such moment must naturally have occur ) in an otherwise uninvolving historical representation . unfortunately they also serve to point out precisely what be not address on screen what make joan special . i must say i also continue to be puzzle and frustrate by certain foreign film lover who equate tedium and lack of dramatic involvement with artistry and seriousness . do this film really increase our understand or involvement with the subject . or with anything for that matter . 4/10 .