While there are differences in period & technology, I can't help but noticing certain similiarities between The Messenger by Luc Besson and Evangelion, both in psychological themes and the audience reactions to it.
Joan of Arc, portrayed by Milla Jovovich (rrrrr), seems to mirror Shinji Ikari a few 100 years later; that both of them are confused, angst ridden teens with the burden of saving either a nation (France) or the world and are used by higher (human) echelons of political power (not God) for their own agendas. The periods they live thru have been quite apocalyptic: The people in the Dark Ages in The Messenger live in a terror of an upcoming Armageddon, even if it's only a billion years later, while the societies of 2015 in EVA live under a threat of a REAL Armageddon, that is, well, Angels attacking the Earth.
More similiar are the reactions towards both stories; most people that watched it will like say 'How the hell do they screw that up?' Both EVA and The Messenger are considerably a 'love it or loathe it' stories. Both of the have ambigous elements such as whether the heroes are doing the right thing or and the "blasphemous" use of Christian symbolisms. Only thing is, Messenger doesn't have Rei Ayanami getting medieval on the English and EVA doesn't have Dustin Hoffman screwing around with Shinji ikari's mind (and ours)
Although I have yet to watch Eva and only watched last half of The Messenger, I can't help but seeing some similiar themes between the two.
Shall we discuss this?
Luc Besson's Messenger & Gainax Evangelion: Almost the s
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Madzack
- Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 2:25 pm
