Despite his shabby attire and rough-hewn manners, he uses brash confidence to rise in Elizabeth's esteem and becomes her trusted adviser and a mastermind of the British military strategy. Because I love seeing historical eras brought to life in front of me, and I particularly love Elizabeth I. The costumes and settings are nearly overwhelming. This Sir Walter, he is a paragon. With the same cavalier attitude to history as this second film, we could be talking about "Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love.". There are scenes where the elaborate lace on Elizabeth's costume is so detailed and flawless that we don't think about the character, we wonder how long Blanchett must have had to stand there while holding the pose and not ruffling anything. He swings from ropes, brandishes his sword, saves himself by plunging into the sea, and in general proves himself a master swashbuckler, especially since history teaches us that the real Raleigh was ashore the whole time and played no role in the battles. Elizabeth: The Golden Age review. There’s no way Blanchett’s sharp-as-a-razor Elizabeth would have made him the golden boy of her golden age, I’m afraid. de Shekhar Kapur. His weakness is his tendency to fall back on silly, melodramatic contrivance better suited to popcorn fare than to a believable meditation on Elizabethan England. Unlike "Elizabeth" (1998) by the same director, Shekhar Kapur, this film rides low in the water, its cargo of opulence too much to carry. That Blanchett could appear in the same Toronto Film Festival playing Elizabeth and Bob Dylan, both splendidly, is a wonder of acting. odaje sve nedostatke i ograni%u010Denja olovnih vremena u kojima je nastao. A mature Queen Elizabeth endures multiple crises late in her reign including court intrigues, an assassination plot, the Spanish Armada, and romantic disappointments. Review: Elizabeth: The Golden Age The way Elizabeth: The Golden Age tells it, the Spanish Armada’s defeat by the British Empire was the orgasm The Virgin Queen never had. Blanchett and the film powerfully embody the range of Elizabeth's mind and the force of her intellect, along with the necessary balance between moral scruple and realpolitik. She lived until 1603, and some of her greatest glories were ahead of her. Every shot, every costume is decadent with color, and every single twitch of Blanchett's face is imbued with meaning as she negotiates her way through her warring roles of being a woman and being a queen. Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer. The texture of the film is enough to recommend it, even apart from the story. Shakespeare was active in London from the 1580s, although it was with Elizabeth's successor, James I, that his company enjoyed its great royal favor. The elaborate costumes and set decoration provide the only interest. To handle the scoring, Kapur turned to two composers, Craig Armstrong and A.R. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. With a talented director, an amazing lead performance, and one of the most compelling chapters in history, "Golden Age" should have been something special. I think it undervalues the ability of audiences to get involved in true historical drama, instead of recycled action cliches. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Sign up here. "Elizabeth, the Golden Age" is weighed down by its splendor. All rights reserved. While the performances keep the film afloat, Kapur's over indulgent direction and his inadequate interpretation of history comes dangerously close to running it aground. Unlike "Elizabeth" (1998) by the same director, Shekhar Kapur, this film rides low in the water, its cargo of opulence too much to carry. But saddled with this dopey script, [Blanchett] is stuck pulling a series of poses and wearing one ornate gown after another. She returns for ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE which picks up a few years later as England stands on the brink of war with Spain. This is an epic, to be sure, but it is also a melodrama, a soap opera of titanic scale and bluster. September 7, 2007 by EmanuelLevy Overbaked and shallow, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” is a disappointing sequel of Elizabeth, the 1998 Oscar-nominated film, which was not great either. With Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush, Jordi Mollà. She desired Raleigh for herself, of course, although there is no evidence that, in life, she had such feelings for him. Elizabeth: The Golden Age is also directed by Shekhar Kapur, and Blanchett returns as the Virgin Queen. The film deals with the famous 1588 defeat of the Armada with Raleigh at its center, commanding ships to be set afire and aimed to ram the Spanish vessels. Oct 12, 2007. You can quibble with me, … and the Terms and Policies, a muddle that subsumes [its] premise in a mighty attempt to be several things all at once, with an uneven delivery. It's close to a perfect moment in ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE, for it shows concisely the Virgin Queen's authority and loneliness, her genius and rage. Elizabeth: The Golden Age Review. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" is a worthy sequel to "Elizabeth". Loosely based on historical occurences, "Elizabeth - The Golden Age" is nonetheless a feast for the eyes. Excellent cinematography and photography are just icing on a cake of superb acting. He has just returned from the New Land with two gifts: the territory of Virginia, which he has named after her in honor of her virginity, and tobacco, which she smokes with great delight. Cate Blanchet, Clive Owen and Geoffrey Rush are as excellent as ever in this continuation of Kapur's version of the story of Elizabeth I of England. It's as if the director has a checklist of the characteristics he wishes her to display and she should just get on with it. But the film's screenplay, by Michael Hirst and William Nicholson, places her in the center of history that is baldly simplified, shamelessly altered, and pumped up with romance and action. A sequel, a costume fantasy, a romantic melodrama, a CGI war spectacular, a puzzling celebration of beauty over substance. Queen Elizabeth is fighting off dual plots for her overthrow from KIng Philip of Spain and Mary Queen of Scots. And times when the struggle between the Protestant English (the good guys) and the Spanish Catholics (the bad … We see her kingdom threatened by two Catholics, Mary, Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton) who stood next in line to the throne, and Philip II of Spain (Jordi Molla), who was building a great armada to invade England. That's despite the return of the remarkable Cate Blanchett in the title role. Cate Blanchett gave a daring performance in a masterful study of raw power. There are scenes where the costumes are so sumptuous, the sets so vast, the music so insistent, that we lose sight of the humans behind the dazzle of the production. Empty This review was written for the festival screening of "Elizabeth: The Golden Age." Forgot your password? Cate Blanchett stars as Elizabeth I, who in 1558, at the age of 25, took the throne of a Catholic country, declared it Protestant, fought off assassination by the French, the Spanish, her rivals and the pope, and ruled for 45 years. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Elizabeth: The Golden Age lacks the intricate plotting that characterized its predecessor. Rated PG-13 "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" is a worthy sequel to "Elizabeth". A pedigreed romance, an excuse for Blanchett to bind herself in satin and channel Kate Hepburn. There are moments when the enormous list of characters can seem hard to keep up with. He would have been 32 in 1585. There are scenes where the costumes are so sumptuous, the sets so vast, the music so insistent, that we lose sight of the humans behind the dazzle of the production. Here he seems carried away by them. Some of the film's best scenes involve Mary, played by Samantha Morton as a heroic and devout woman who goes to the executioner's ax with dismay but royal composure. Peter Bradshaw @PeterBradshaw1. No matter. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Blanchett is again director Shekhar Kapur's greatest asset. Fri 2 Nov 2007 19.46 EDT. "The Golden Age" might have been called "Elizabeth II" had that title not already been taken.It's a sequel with Cate Blanchett reprising the royal role that won her instant stardom and an … Elizabeth: the Golden Age (2007) review. Cate Blanchett won best actress for her performance in Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Elizabeth's own crisis of conscience over Mary's death is also well played, but the film is far more interested in romantic intrigue and sea battles. Figurinos, direção de arte e fotografia são exuberantes, mas fica até difícil apreciar a performance de Cate Blanchett em meio a um roteiro tão estúpido e à direção "olhem-pra-mim-sou-Cecil-B.-DeMille!" Cate Blanchett delivers the same performance that earned her so much praise the first time around. Menos interesante y más rutinaria que la primera Elizabeth (de 1998), esta segunda parte vale la pena más que nada por otra brillante composición de Cate Blanchett. We learn a great many things in the opening minutes of Elizabeth: The Golden Age, the sequel to 1998's Elizabeth.The year is 1585. As an historical reenactment it suffers from a great deal of simplification in order to make complex events quickly and easily understandable, and as a drama it suffers from a great deal of build that never really pays on it's promise. Teen Volunteer Review: Elizabeth, the Golden Age. On the one hand, I completely enjoyed it. The film sidesteps the age issue by making her look young, sensuous and fragrant, and yearning for a man such as Raleigh. The screenplay is more action-oriented but not as smart, and some of the dialogue is downright cheesy. There are scenes where the costumes are so sumptuous, the sets so vast, the music so insistent, that we lose sight of the humans behind the dazzle of the production. "ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE" (2007) Review Nine years after the release of 1998's "ELIZABETH", director Shekhar Kapur returned to direct a sequel called, "ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE".Like the 1998 movie, it stars Cate Blanchett as England's "Virgin Queen" and Geoffrey Rush as the sovereign's most trusted spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. ELIZABETH (1998) was one of those small films that turned out to be one of the highlights of the season and brought Cate Blanchett into the public eye in a standout performance. 1 / Video . We believe she is a queen. Elizabeth's treasury is depleted, her resources strained, her attention diverted by the arrival in her court of the dashing Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen). Movies; Review; Share. Why? Elizabeth: The Golden Age moved on to the familiar events of the 1580s, well into Elizabeth's long reign, including the execution of Mary Queen of Scots and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Who else would be so tall, regal, assured and convincing that these surroundings would not diminish her? I … If I have to be honest, I loved "Elizabeth, the Golden Age." Image . "Elizabeth: the Golden Age" should have been a great follow-up to a great film. Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Elizabeth: The Golden Age Elizabeth I's life during the latter part of her British rule as she comes face to face with the Spanish Armada and conspirators who want her assassinated. Elizabeth I's rule is threatened by war as King Philip of … In the court, he is also a swordsman, seducing and impregnating Elizabeth's favorite lady-in-waiting, Elizabeth Throckmorton (Abbie Cornish). By Kendra on March 19, 2007 in Sixteenth Century. Elizabeth was indeed by all accounts a virgin, but in 1585, when the story is set, she would have been over 50 and her virginity more or less settled. 5/10 Unlike ", The TV Homages of WandaVision are an Amusing, Unfulfilling Distraction, On the Disempowerment of Promising Young Woman, Entertaining 30 Coins Examines Depths of Evil with Style. 1 / Audio . It also articulates the general aesthetic in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Shekhar Kapur's unawaited sequel to his fierce first go at her, 1998's Elizabeth. Copyright © Fandango. Rahman , who are co-credited on all the compositions. Can there be a third Elizabeth film? "Elizabeth, the Golden Age" is weighed down by its splendor. Both of the films feature Cate Blanchett in the role of Elizabeth I, Queen of England. Whereas Elizabeth covered the early years of the queen’s reign and her rise to power, Golden Age covers her middle years and the limitations of her position. Summary: Elizabeth: The Golden Age finds Queen Elizabeth facing bloodlust for her throne and familial betrayal. However, if you’re looking for a historically accurate, straight-to-the-point movie about Queen Elizabeth I’s life, this isn’t that. When Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett) offers this bit of advice to a nervous royal suitor, he smiles obligingly but admits he just can't manage the pretense, not being as strong, independent-minded, or self-absorbed as she is. The epic feel harkens back to Hollywood's Golden Age. for violence, some sexuality and nudity, "Elizabeth, the Golden Age" is weighed down by its splendor. Unfortunately, it is nothing more than a big, shiny, leaden disappointment. Elizabeth – The Golden Age – Review The movie “Elizabeth – The Golden Age” (2007) is a remake, or better said, a sequel to the movie “Elizabeth” (1998). 5. Elizabeth: The Golden Age fails at nearly every level, with an overly melodramatic tale, campy acting that… Review by Daniel Cruse Cate Blanchett’s performance is just as good, if not stronger than the first film but everything else is pretty much the same but slightly less interesting until the third act. Tweet. Of course there can. We simply cannot care enough about this queen. Elizabeth (1998) charted the troubling circumstances surrounding the ascent to the throne of this English monarch in 1558. But instead Elizabeth: The Golden Age is a colourful romp that’s not too concerned with historical accuracy. Written by William Nicholson and Michael Hirst, “The Golden Age” has sweep and momentum and almost as many mood shifts and genre notes as the queen has dresses. Tweet. That’s not to say that Elizabeth: The Golden Age is a perfect film. 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