Elizabeth: The Golden Age seriously lacking in shine

Rating: 3/10 (15 October 2007)

I was highly disappointed in the sequel to the first Elizabeth. The title of this movie is "Golden Age", but we've been given nothing in the plot that describes to the viewer what Elizabeth did to make it the the Golden Age in England. Queen Elizabeth 1 was one of the greatest monarchs England ever had, and this film does little to show that. True, the film making is beautiful, the costumes are breathtaking, but beyond that the movie is a filled with pompous fluff. More attention should've been given to a better filming of the battle sequence, historical accuracy, development of historical details and dialog. The dialog is more concerned with being quotable and poignant without actually feeling like a real conversation amongst the characters. While trying to be regal it comes off as pompous and full of hot air. I'vie done a great deal of historical reading not only on Elizabeth, but on the Tudor family in general; and while this movie had the potential of being a great historical epic, it simply becomes a silly, expensive soap opera and a waste of the talented actors who star in it.