I have another urge to try to catch up with my reviews. Lets see how long it lasts. :)
I'm a fan of 1998's Elizabeth, which was one of the first movies that turned me on to Cate Blanchett. So I've been excited about a sequel ever since I heard they were making one.
First, a warning for the History Nazis in the crowd. This movie plays very fast and loose with Tudor history. It is not a documentary. It is a drama. They picked and chose which bits they wanted, altered others, and dressed it all up in costumes that should win an Oscar. If you cannot deal, please go watch the History Channel.
That being said ...
Blanchett is amazing as Elizabeth, and this is one of the roles that will define her career. She exudes power, strength and a delicate vulnerability, and commands your attention every time she's on screen. Her Elizabeth is radiant and triumphant, even when she's beaten. She's marvelous.
The film's pacing is deliberately as slow as a royal procession, and I think it adds weight at points where the director veers a bit too far into "oh, I'm a middle aged woman without a man" territory. The pace also suits Elizabeth's focused, rigid persona.
The film itself is beautiful. The camera may do one too many swoopy motions, but overall, the effect is very impressive. The Spanish Armada sequences, in particular, were wonderful -- not the ships, the ones with Elizabeth and her advisers.
And hey -- nice to see you, John Dee!
But there was a bit too much style for the substance. Exactly how many times do we need to see Elizabeth as an angel?
And while Clive Owen made for a scruffy, sexy Sir Walter Raleigh, the plot with him and the lady-in-waiting was a tired rehash from the first film. Seriously, you think that anyone wanting the favor of the queen would learn to keep his hands off the maidservants.
Go for Elizabeth. Enjoy the pagentry. Ignore the rest if you must.
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