Elizabeth: The Golden Age

WORTH-IT: A satisfactory serving of exquisite costume, rich scenery and generous acting, Elizabeth's second installment proves well worth seeking. The phenomenal Cate Blanchett plays a tremendous queen, with raw emotion and true humility. She captures the inert battle of pride and brokenness within the Virgin Queen, making the end result onscreen a blessing of entertainment. Clive Owen and Geoffrey Rush costar, but fail to shine as Blanchett powers on. This same effect ripples throughout the cast, leaving minimal amounts of characters you actually feel connected with. Luckily, the story is so fascinating, and the encircling elements of great historical cinema downplay this effect, making them simply decorations on the tree of life, which is Elizabeth's story. This film will appeal to a wide range of audiences, from commercial Hollywood to IF buffs. Its fickle and honest visage holds attention, fulfills the need for entertainment and tickles your pupils. Enjoy this film for the historical merit, whether or not you find fault in its account. Enjoy it also for Blanchett, who deserves growing acclaim for her continuous success. Here, she proves her power as an actress, as a star, and clearly, as the Queen.