Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Cate Blanchett is the film’s biggest asset, picking up where she left off in the 1998 version of “Elizabeth.” Her Elizabeth is bold, wily, and confident, but she is also growing weary of the ongoing court intrigues that threaten to end her reign as queen. Her biggest challenger is her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who conspires with Phillip, the king of Spain, to put a Catholic ruler on the English throne. Phillip has a three-pronged attack: Mary and assassins who are already in England, and his vast Armada that will attack England from the sea. Also in this soap opera of a story we have adventurer Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), who catches both Elizabeth’s attention and that of her handmaiden Bess (Abbie Cornish). The first two-thirds of the film is interesting with its intrigues, betrayals and character interactions. The last third of the film condenses the sea battle and the defeat of the Armada into so little time that it denigrates that whole effort. The sets and costumes are quite spectacular as you might expect from a historical drama; however, the story, while engaging, isn’t that memorable once you leave the theater. (10/13/07)