Stunning historical drama

Rating: 8/10 (19 March 2010)

Some movies will be remembered for their legacies. "Elizabeth" is such a film; it brought one of the finest modern day actresses to the world's attention. Inexplicably she didn't win an Oscar for her electrifying performance here, and time has shown that mistake to be one of the biggest blunders in the history of the Oscars (once again calling into question the dubious publicity campaigns of Harvey Weinstein...). Nevertheless, while the film is good enough in its own right, the lasting legacy of this film is the debut performance of Cate Blanchett.
England, mid-1500s. Henry VIII is dead, his daughter Mary has no heir, and Protestants are being burned at the stake by the Catholics. However, the power of the Catholics comes to an end, however, with the crowning of Mary's Protestant half-sister, Elizabeth. Just because she is queen doesn't guarantee her safety, however.
The film is a showcase of stellar acting and spectacular visuals. We are literally transported back to regal Europe and the journey is arresting. It wouldn't be possible without some stellar performances.
Cate Blanchett is dynamite as the eponymous character. She is so good that even 12 years later, it is unthinkable that she lost the Oscar for her performance (to "Shakespeare in Love?" PLEASE!). She's a lightning rod, and sets herself up as a talent to match Meryl Streep, a challenge which she has continuously met again and again. It may have been her breakout performance, but she is so comfortable on the center stage that you'd never in a million years believe that it was her first shot at the big time.
Blanchett is helped by a number of other stellar performances. Geoffrey Rush is delicious as the shadowy Walsingham. He's like a spider, spinning his web from the dark corners of the room, pulling his strings so that events are silently manipulated under his control. Christopher Eccelston is excellent as the unspeakably evil Duke of Norfolk. Cinema hasn't seen a villain this vicious in a long while. Joseph Fiennes surprised everyone into thinking he could act as Robert Dudley, Elizabeth's lover (history has proved this to be a fluke, rather than the rule). Richard Attenborough is solid as Elizabeth's desperate adviser, Sir William Cecil. Terence Rigby is frightening as Bishop Gardiner, the Catholic bishop who is calling for Elizabeth's assassination. Brief appearances by Fanny Ardant, Vincent Cassel (in an purposefully over-the-top performance), John Gielgud, Emily Mortimer, an unrecognizable James Frain, and Daniel Craig (who has one of the most frightening scenes in the history of film) are all solid.
Director Shekhar Kapur has an eye for period detail and directing actors. His storytelling abilities, however, leave something to be desired. The machinations of the twisty plot can be confusing, although the film is never boring, and it always retains a generous level of coherence.
Be warned about venturing into this movie, however. This is a very violent film, and the way it is made makes the bloodshed (of which there is plenty) shocking, brutal, and highly disturbing. I have never seen violence in a film that is more unsettling than in "Elizabeth."
"Elizabeth" is a good film, but it will always be remembered for introducing audiences to one of cinema's brightest stars.
My Rating: Rated R for Strong, Explicit Graphic Violence, Disturbing Images, and Some Brief Sexuality.