The movie is playing in the background like a commercial as I write this...

Rating: 1/10 (19 March 2012)

Was anyone else wigged out by Cate/Elizabeth wearing armor? One word sums up this flick: boring. I LOVE the first installment and will often watch it whenever it's on ("I am no man's Elizabeth!"), but the same is not true with this film.
There's too much going on and there wasn't a clear focus. The objective of Elizabeth (film) was to depict her ascension whereas this one left me confused. Was it the Spanish Armada? Was it her finding a suitor? Was it the betrayal of Bess and Walter? Was it her feud with Mary, Queen of Scots?
There were so many people involved I devoted more time to researching the cast of characters in Wikipedia. The bottom line is this: if you want to watch Cate Blanchett wear some wicked cool costumes then this movie is for you. If that doesn't interest you, skip this and either watch Elizabeth (film) or some other showcase of the British monarchy like The Young Victoria or Elizabeth I.