DVD review: Elizabeth – The Golden Age
From Friday’s The Oklahoman:
Cate Blanchett reprises her role from 1998’s “Elizabeth” in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” Shekhar Kapur’s rollicking version of the defeat of the Spanish Armada in the 1580s. Geoffrey Rush also returns, as Elizabeth’s adviser Sir Francis Walsingham.
Joining the cast is Clive Owen, as explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. Decried as a pirate by the Spanish, Raleigh wants to claim the New World for England.
Elizabeth is beset by claimants to the throne and a changing political and religious landscape. The Spanish King Philip II (Jordi Molla) is a devout Catholic who wants to find a way to unseat the Protestant Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, is the Catholics’ choice to take over the throne, if Elizabeth can be removed.
Elizabeth must deal with assassination plots and invasion plans while attempting to hold her country together despite religious differences.
“The Golden Age” plays much more as an action movie than “Elizabeth,” and that’s bound to unsettle some. Though it shares the same cast and director, it seems to exist in a different universe from the original film, mixing history, legend and some outright fiction.
Nonetheless, the film is worth watching for Blanchett’s performance as Elizabeth. Owen is ruggedly charming as Sir Walter Raleigh, the seafarer who finds favor with the Queen but falls for her young maid of honor, Elizabeth “Bess” Throgmorton. The love triangle is historically specious, and the weakest part of “The Golden Age,” which despite entertaining moments has a reach that exceeds its grasp.
— Matthew Price
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment