Review: Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Grade: A)

Rarely do I see a film that stuns me as much as this one did. My thoughts were racing all over the place as I left the theater. Amazing, gorgeous, extraordinary, breathtaking. This is a landmark achievement of cinema, I thought.

'Elizabeth: The Golden Age' starring Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen and Geoffrey Rush is a film of stunning greatness. But I haven't been hearing great things. The film has been called "campy" and "melodramatic" among other cynical remarks. But I don't care, I really like this two hour epic and continuing saga of the original Queen Elizabeth.

Cate Blanchett reprises her role nearly ten years after her star making turn in 'Elizabeth'. In that film she plays the young girl who becomes one of the greatest Queens of all time while remaining a virgin. Here years later, she tries to protect her Christian country against the rampaging Spanish Armada and it's Catholic King Philip, played wonderfully and with charisma by, Jordi Molla. Still a virgin, old Queenie starts courting various European royalty at the behest of her advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham played terrifically understated (and underused) by Geoffrey Rush when Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen) catches her eye. But alas, it wasn't meant to be as the roguish Raleigh woos the Queens maidservant. All this is going on while the tides of war are about to strike. Good thing she was a virgin, she can't be thinking of love when she's got to go to war!

Blanchett owns this role. She was so superb that an Oscar nom is most definitely in the bag. She is the centerpiece and she doesn't disappoint. Director Shekhar Kapur full realizes this as the camera lingers on Cate's beautifully flawless translucent skin and her mesmerizing and expressive eyes. Good thinking Shekhar. Not only does Cate look amazing but she infuses the Queen with real human frailties. It's great to see that the Queen is human after all. Clive Owen doesn't do much besides stand around looking doe-eyed for all the ladies of the court but no matter as when it's time for war he puts on his serious Clive face and kicks some Spanish ass. Samantha Morton plays the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots and even though her on-screen time is brief she delivers a memorable and powerful performance. Doesn't she always?

Now the other eye candy. The sets and costumes were down right phenomenal as every detail was perfect. Candy is the operative word here as I felt it was a feast for my eyes. Everything from the smooth and lengthy shots, to the editing was flawless. This is a film that PROVES that you don't have to have a quick cut every two seconds or have shaky camera moves in order to tell a story. Leave that to Michael Bay. Even the climatic battle against the Spanish Armada was flawlessly done (albeit short.) The CGI in the battle sequence was so real that I felt cold when the wind blew. It was done in a very balletic and non-intrusive way as to make you feel as if were actually there. Very impressive. My Oscar predictions are noms for Cate, cinematography, art direction, costumes, and possibly best picture.

Simply put, this film was amazing. Sure the story might not have been as strong as the first one and the music could have been softer at times but what makes this film rise above the rest of the dreck playing at a theater near you is that filmmaking is an art form and this film IS art.

Throw out your misconceptions about "period" films as this one has humor, action, drama and love all intertwined in a harmonious way. So sit back and watch this film with it's sheer power and magnitude and I promise you will feel uplifted when it's over. Is it campy and melodramatic? Maybe. Or maybe peoples cynicism don't allow them to enjoy a well made piece of cinema anymore. Maybe I just enjoy the art of great filmmaking. You decide and let me know what you think.

Musings Grade: A

-- Janaki Cedanna