QE1 meets MTV

Rating: 7/10 (12 November 2007)

Historical drama meets rock video in a glorious but over-the top sequel to the sublime original. Blanchet is again superb. She looks, and most definitely acts the part with all guns blazing. Wonderful. Rush likewise provides the voice of reason and calm with is portrayal of wise old Walsingham and the relationship between the two is a constantly fascinating golden thread running through this sometimes patchwork production. The screenplay is a curate's egg of high passion and gory drama mixed with occasionally stilted and cliché-laden dialogue. The cinematography is curiously over exposed for much of the time and lacks enough of the colour and richness that a Tudor court would have possessed to near-excess . Maybe some artistic meaning is intended by this curious seoia tinged effect . If so then It's lost on me and much of the film simply looks like a badly faded print. I'd be disappointed if my photos came back from Boots looking like this. The supporting cast is headed up by an unconvincing 007-style Clive Owen as Raleigh. Whats up with Owen? His acting verged on drama-school at times, his timing and inflection weren't great and his West Country accent barely perceptible. He looked right. The roguish smile and the cocky stance were Flynn-esquire but when he opened his mouth... And the fire-ships scene where he swings from the rigging. Oh dear - pure silent-movie hokum. I was expecting Douglas Fairbanks to join in at any second. It no doubt seemed like a good, robust, macho scene on the story board but really it didn't work at all and for a few moments turned a largely well made and serious drama into a pantomime. Thankfully there are enough positive moments to overcame such flaws. The striking image of Mary Queen Of Scots in brilliant red gown looking up from the block prior to execution is exceptionally vivid and lingering scenes of Elizabeth bathed in light, more deity than monarch, also catch the eye. But when she stands on the cliff top, night dress billowing in the sea breeze, watching the Spanish Armada consumed by flames on the horizon I was expecting her to break into song. Pure MTV. But hey! It was enjoyable and griping in so many ways that the fluff and the silliness can be mostly forgiven. It's a movie after all, not an Open University documentary.