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Elizabeth review
:. Director: Shekhar Kapur
:. Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush
:. Running Time: 2:04
:. Year: 1998
:. Country: USA
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Recounting the mechanisms of an apprenticeship of power, Elizabeth is a cold and colorful historical drama driven by a strong cast.
Even if the plot (involving the usual schemes and poisons between Christians and Protestants) is nothing new, the French film Queen Margot being a terrific exemple, it is also true that any movie related to that period cannot avoid these stygmatised clichés.
While the story of this Queen might be fascinating, the real interest of this movie is its sumptuous directing and casting.
The film succesfully shows the splendour and the cold Machiavellianism through the use of artisitic shots laden with symbolism.
But most appealing is definitely the acting of Cate Blanchett, who is known for the soporific Oscar & Lucinda and who was lucky enough to exchange Fiennes brothers (Ralph has since been sent to the stake as punishment for the shameful Avengers) Here we witness her mutation from the fragility of innocence to the cold blood required by her duty.
Elizabeth also features some funny scenes, either intentional (with Vincent Cassel used by Brits to make fun of Frenchies) or unintentional (Cantonna, ex soccer player turned actor, whose stilted acting and accent are a perfect anachronism).
Finally, even if this film lacks originality, one cannot be indifferent to its richness.
Fred Thom
 Movie Reviews: from 1998 to 2011
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