Quick Movie Review: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

5/10

This film is a perfect example of why I don't interpret a film's worth in my mind because of its costumes, direction, photography or lighting alone.

It's masterfully shot, beautifully cast with dozens of the most respected actors and looks like a costume designer was given a budget the same size as the Department For Defense (American department, American spelling).

Thing is, despite all that and despite telling one of the most captivating and incredible stories of military daring and absurd luck in British history, it's a little bit rubbish.

I really like the first Elizabeth movie, it struck a fantastic balance between romantic, hollywood necessity and historical overtone. Cate Blanchett is a wonderful bit of casting and she shows real commitment to a tough and unforgiving role.

In fact, all the cast are pretty good, but where The Golden Age falls down is in its storytelling. In the rush to fold several throughlines into one, we have too much Walter Raleigh, no Francis Drake to speak of (Raleigh basically gets his lines) and the whole Bess Throckmorton plot is played like the soap storylines it is reminiscent of.

Even the big speech, given in Viggo as Aragorn style to her trooops is cut to ribbons, and the troop deployment is clearly of about fifty men. The Spaniards are depicted almost as crazed zealots, loony voodoo monsters and psychopaths. Out of all England's enemies, only a captivating Rhys Ifans as the assassin mastermind has much depth.

Add to this some attempted action sequences on the boats which veer perilously close to Pirates Of The Caribbean levels and I had a fairly disappointing and flat experience.

The other problem I had is that the music mix is hackneyed and brutal - smacking every emotional moment into your head with all the subtlety of an episode of Family Guy. This, combined with what now feel like clichéd editing tricks (white outs, focus pulls) means that the whole thing seems cheapened by the post production, which wants to bludgeon "event movie" into your head.

I was very disappointed.

Until Next Time!

A