Great biopic

Rating: 8/10 (15 August 2009)

Recap: The history both in front of and behind the scenes of Elizabeth, the English Queen of the 16th century. Also known as the Virgin Queen for her lack of husband she lives in a peaceful time and the English people prospers. But she is a protestant, and the Catholic countries around the Mediterranean, led by Philip of Spain, plot against her. The center of this plot is the imprisoned Queen Mary of Scots. She is a catholic, and the focus of a rebellious group that wish to put her on the throne. This group try to assassinate Elizabeth, leading to Mary's, as the apparent head of the conspiracy, execution. And that is all Philip needs to declare war.
But also, there is the personal story of Elizabeth. Despite being at the center of attention all the time she is lonely. She longs for love and true honest friendship, which is desperately hard to find when you are in power. But then a Sir Walter Raleigh appear at court, and emotions stir.
Comments: I liked this much better than I thought I would. Knowing little of her time on the throne I knew there were some dramatic events that surely would do for good parts of the movie. But I feared that long stretches in between would be slow, dull and only about showing the costumes. My fear was fortunately unfounded.
Sure, it is a lot about the costumes, and the settings. And they are fantastic (I recommend to check the bonus feature about this). The director, production designer and art and costume department has truly done a masterful work. Because the movie is stunningly beautiful. Costumes, architecture, light and perspectives are woven together to a truly magnificent ground work for the movie. Fortunately, and to the directors credit, it is meant just to be the ground work, the foundation. It is never supposed to take over the story, be the main attraction or take over the story (i.e. just prancing about in long pointless dances dressed up in the beautiful dresses). Instead it supports the story well, gives it credibility.
The main story is divided in two with Elizabeth and Raleigh at the center of both. These two story lines supporting each other do so that are very few slow or dull moments in the movie. Perhaps not full of traditional action all the time, but there are always something happening, something brewing. It might be the complex relationship between Elizabeth and Raleigh, with the air full of attraction but a relationship that can't be. Or it might be the political plotting that leads up to the war, and one of the legendary naval battles in history. Either way, something is always happening. There are few, if any, dull moments.
A key part to this is the complexity of the main characters, especially Elizabeth, well played by Cate Blanchett. Clive Owen is good too as the roguish, independent and proud Raleigh, but it is Blanchett's portrayal of Elizabeth that stays in my mind. Deeply determined and strong, at least outward, she is also fragile and lonely, seeking attention and affirmation. It's her complexity that really breathes life in the movie.
8/10