The muddled monarchy

Rating: 6/10 (13 August 2009)

There's a lot going on in this movie. Perhaps there's a bit too much going on. There's so much plotting and scheming that it's hard to keep track of who exactly is plotting with whom. The gist of it is that the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth finds her hold on the throne, and indeed her life, in rather constant danger. Who can she trust? Who is really on her side? Of all the men who vie for her affections is there one who actually loves her? Or is love out of the question, her potential marriage destined to be just part of the political game? A lot of questions and not all of them will be answered in satisfying fashion. The plot of this film is rather untidy and it never seems to quite tie itself together.
As a 16th-century English drama this is a film which is obviously going to have a very specific look to it. And the filmmakers capture the period beautifully, the film really does look fantastic. Fabulous sets and costumes bring the period alive. Elizabeth's coronation stands out as one scene which looks particularly magnificent. Cate Blanchett's portrayal of Elizabeth is terrific but not everything which surrounds her works. There are some other excellent performances, most notably from Geoffrey Rush as a man who clearly is on Elizabeth's side and Christopher Eccleston as a man who clearly is not. While those important roles are performed well Joseph Fiennes never entirely convinces in playing Robert Dudley, the one man Elizabeth seems to truly love. And while many more characters, and potential conspirators, wander through the movie few make much of a positive impression and a couple of characters really don't work at all.
The movie plays fast and loose with historical facts in an attempt to ratchet up the drama. But the story as presented has much of the drama drained from it by the end. Things get rather muddled and at times hard to follow. By the time the director tries to tidy things up with a Godfather homage (or Godfather ripoff if you're inclined to be less charitable) the film seems to have gotten away from him a bit. Elizabeth has so many potential enemies it's hard to keep track. As the film nears its end the key questions are who is ultimately conspiring with whom and why? As you watch the film you may have a hard time figuring those answers out. The film starts with great promise but as it moves towards its finale rather than building momentum the story seems to fizzle out. At its heart the movie has a wonderful, captivating performance from Blanchett. And the look of the film is wonderful. But there are problems with the story. While certainly intriguing the plot in the end becomes a little too involved for its own good. All in all it's a movie which definitely has some things going for it but which ultimately falls just a touch short of being completely satisfying.