Great British history reduced for American viewers

Rating: 7/10 (16 December 2007)

I was deeply disappointed. While stirring in places, and unabashedly patriotic (finally- a film that is allowed English patriotism!) it misused the rich history for something muddled and ultimately void. The plot veers all over, with little organisation or synthesis. Characters come and go with little concern for story exposition or viewer comprehension. This Raleigh is certainly not the man I think of, and if the movie will show scant regard for true history (Mary Queen of Scots would have spoken with a French accent), then why would they not give Elizabeth the rousing words later writers gave her about having the body of a weak woman but the heart of a king - "and a King of England"? Many of the scenes are completely over the top (especially during the turning point of the Armada battle with Philip reduced to obvious symbolism and Elizabeth standing around alone doing nothing but having the wind in the castle blow her clothes majestically)which are ultimately empty and do little to compensate for the emptiness throughout. www.lairdkeir.spaces.live.com