Today’s post begins with a fractal called A Regal Image. It is particularly apropos because I will be reviewing Elizabeth: the Golden Age.
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Elizabeth: the Golden Age continues the saga begun in the 1998 movie Elizabeth. The director and many of the stars are back continuing the stories of Queen Elizabeth 1st's middle years. It is an epic, sprawling mess--gorgeous to look at and filled with sound and furry that jerks along telling the story of Elizabeth and England’s battle with Spain which ended in the defeat of the Spanish Armada The story is told in snippets that give us glimpses of the Queen, the plot to murder her, King Philip of Spain and his righteous wrath and the exploits (romantic and otherwise) of Sir Walter Raleigh.
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Queen Elizabeth is ably played by Cate Blanchett (continuing the part she played in the first movie) looks amazing but she is hampered by a script that makes her look manic-depressive. Geoffrey Rush reprises his role as spy master Sir Francis Walsingham. Clive Owen is suitably roguish and broodingly romantic as Walter Raleigh. Abbie Corniesh looks beautiful as Lady in Waiting Elizabeth “Bess” Throckmorton--a favorite of the Queen’s who falls for Raleigh’s charms. Samantha Morton plays doomed Mary Queen of Scots.
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The sets and costumes are beautiful beyond compare and the soundtrack is suitably epic (although none too medieval). I loved the battle sequences but the movie jumped so quickly from place to place that I found I often had trouble telling the players without a score card. The movie tries to cover too much ground so oftentimes Elizabeth’s motivations and actions leave you going “say what?” Still, this is a “must see” for fans of historical epics and bio-pics.
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FINAL GRADE: B-
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Elizabeth: the Golden Age continues the saga begun in the 1998 movie Elizabeth. The director and many of the stars are back continuing the stories of Queen Elizabeth 1st's middle years. It is an epic, sprawling mess--gorgeous to look at and filled with sound and furry that jerks along telling the story of Elizabeth and England’s battle with Spain which ended in the defeat of the Spanish Armada The story is told in snippets that give us glimpses of the Queen, the plot to murder her, King Philip of Spain and his righteous wrath and the exploits (romantic and otherwise) of Sir Walter Raleigh.
-
Queen Elizabeth is ably played by Cate Blanchett (continuing the part she played in the first movie) looks amazing but she is hampered by a script that makes her look manic-depressive. Geoffrey Rush reprises his role as spy master Sir Francis Walsingham. Clive Owen is suitably roguish and broodingly romantic as Walter Raleigh. Abbie Corniesh looks beautiful as Lady in Waiting Elizabeth “Bess” Throckmorton--a favorite of the Queen’s who falls for Raleigh’s charms. Samantha Morton plays doomed Mary Queen of Scots.
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The sets and costumes are beautiful beyond compare and the soundtrack is suitably epic (although none too medieval). I loved the battle sequences but the movie jumped so quickly from place to place that I found I often had trouble telling the players without a score card. The movie tries to cover too much ground so oftentimes Elizabeth’s motivations and actions leave you going “say what?” Still, this is a “must see” for fans of historical epics and bio-pics.
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FINAL GRADE: B-
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