ELIZABETH – THE GOLDEN AGE
GOLDEN AGED
By Vishal Verma

Rating:

What is it?
Shekhar Kapur’s journey between the Elizabeth’s fails to fulfill the previous promise. The sequel may get nomination’s for best costume designing for Alexandra Byrne and best actress for Cate Blanchett (excellent once again).

Elizabeth is pretty much like a wax model at Tussads’s, very attractive to look at but lacks life and soul. Talented Shekhar Kapur, when in bollywood always kept a balance between brilliance and mediocrity. His brilliant films were always followed by a mediocre.

Massom, Mr.India were followed by Joshilaay, which was then followed by Bandit Queen which gave him international recognition and he shifted his base from Bollywood to Hollywood but not before giving a turkey called ‘Dushmani: A Violent Love Story’.

Elizabeth pulled him to the gates of Oscars but alas, he followed the same trend and gave another turkey soon thereafter called ‘The Four Feathers’ and now he returns back to the Queen but unfortunately here the virgin Queen is in her own dilemma, Queen is up to her ruffled collars in romantic and political intrigues, mostly revolving around the dashing Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen) and her cousin Mary Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton).

And what we get is a visually striking yet emotionally static play which fails to move you, unless you're into Dior hats and lush costuming.

What is it all about?
The story moves further, probably in set in 1585 and, presumably, a few years following, though the passage of time is never clear. Elizabeth (Cate- excellent) must subdue both the armada and her passion for Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), who enrages her by bedding and wedding one of her handmaids (Abbie Cornish). Meanwhile, Scottish Queen Mary (Samantha Morton) plots to have the Protestant Elizabeth killed and take her place on the throne, turning England into a Catholic country.

What to look out for?
Cate Blanchett – the Australian actress deleivers yet another excellent performance of the ageing British Queen with finesse.

Coustumes by Alexandra Byrne

What not?
Shekhar Kapur fails in connecting the viewers with Elizabeth the woman with this movie. He tries hard to do everything: portray Elizabeth the monarch, the politician, the jilted lover and the warrior, while also dabbling in some incredibly arty and beautiful scene-setting.

Those of us who looked forward to this second installment of a planned trilogy may now feel less excited for the third.

Conclusion: "Well, it certainly looks great! But ……..