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I wanted to but couldn't!

Admirable film.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

OK I admit the 20%/80% is a rough estimate....but wow, this film really, really plays fast and loose with the facts. I mean, really. I enjoyed the first film ("Elizabeth" (1998), for which I gave 8/10), and that one also took liberties with the truth...but this one goes a little too far in my opinion.I will focus on the numerous inaccuracies presented for just one character, Walter Raleigh, to illustrate the point. He is shown describing sea voyages to the new world to an enraptured Elizabeth (wrong - he never went to North America at all and only sailed to South America 10 years after the events in the film). He is shown having a potential romantic relationship with Elizabeth (there is no evidence for this). He is shown taking part in the battle against the Spanish Armada, igniting a 'fire ship,' when in fact he was on land at this time and played no active role in the fight. He is shown being named Captain of the Royal Guard prior to that battle when in fact that did not happen until four years later. And while it is true he impregnated one of the ladies of the court, and was imprisoned by Elizabeth for it, again these events happened several later than when they are presented in the film. This matters because it affects the 'why' - in the film, Raleigh is released from prison so that he can help defend England against the Spanish Armada - but of course in reality, that battle had happened years before, and when it did happen, he wasn't in it.And sadly, it doesn't end there. The craziness with this tortured history ranges from extremely minor points like portraying Elizabeth speaking German (she didn't) or Isabella of Spain as a child when in fact she was 19-22 years old for the periods shown in the film (why she is shown as a child I have no idea, it did not seem to contain any relevance whatsoever) to serious fabrications or omissions, such as showing King Phillip of Spain wanting to invade England solely or mainly because it was Protestant. Yes some mention is made of English piracy on the open seas, but the crucifix-clutching Phillip is clearly shown to be desirous of deposing Elizabeth for her 'heretic' leanings and nothing more. The fact that the historical Elizabeth in 1585 sent English troops to the Netherlands in an effort to frustrate Spanish plans of domination there is never mentioned, and of course English actions such as these contributed greatly to Spain's eventual decision to send the Armada. But to watch this film, we are led to believe that Elizabeth is happily hanging out in England, minding her own business, when the big bad wolf (i.e., Spain) decides it wants to be a bully and punish England for embracing Protestantism. Yeah, it's not that simple ~ Even more laughable in this film was Elizabeth's reasoning for why England could not fall to Spain. What was it? She refers to the Spanish Inquisition! She states that she cannot allow Spain to take over and impose the Inquisition on her people, that they have the right to follow their own consciences, etc. As if that is the FIRST thing you care about. Not that your country would be invaded, or that you'd lose the war, or that England itself would be wiped off that map - no. Your concern is not any of that, your concern is a fear of the Spanish Inquisition? Is this a joke? "I don't care about my country (or my kingdom), it's that freedom of conscience thing that really gets me..." This is revisionist at its worst.The film itself looks beautiful. The sets, costumes, locations are top-notch. That part of the film gets a 10. The music is mostly OK, although sometimes ramps up in needless intensity which could be annoying. But the truth...oh, the truth. Or lack of same. So so so far removed from reality it's egregious. And if you want to say it's fictional, fine. But then don't put this forward as history, giving textual preambles and postscripts about Elizabeth, because that suggests that what we are about to see, and then saw, was part of history...and of course it's not. Better to say this was Queen Elizabeth of fictional Freedonia (sorry, Groucho) and you're much better off. 6/10

This movie is the sequel to "Elizabeth - The Virgin Queen" (1998) and, like all sequels, suffers from an inferiority complex towards the original film. It is a regular historical film, which depicts a key moment of Elizabeth I's reign of England: the Invincible Armada and the English resistance to Spanish ambitions. And Cate Blanchett (who continues to give life to the English queen) is still brilliant in her role, almost being able to become the queen that herself. Unfortunately, as in the first film, this effort follows without the merit and appreciation of the critics and the Hollywood Academy (the Oscar nomination for Best Actress that year did not pass that same). Geoffrey Rush continues to give body to Sir Francis Walsingham and do it with great talent and ability, even though his character has not here the strength it had previously. Clive Owen is perfect in the role of Sir Walter Raleigh and reaches, with this film, one of the most interesting works of his career so far.Historically, unlike the previous film, it didn't seem very able to be faithful to the truth. The script is too imaginative and too much focused on an unlikely and theatrical affair between the Queen and Walter Raleigh. The Spanish Armada is barely portrayed and the struggle between English and Spanish, the natural film climax, ends up being completely emptied of relevance, which makes no sense and puts in question the film edition, and the quality of the script. In fact, there was no ability to foresee the importance of this point for the film's outcome. If the director (Shekhar Kapur) and writers (William Nicholson and Michael Hirst) thought that Blanchett's great interpretation, a very good cast, scenery, clothes and some romantic suggestions would be enough to save the film, they're wrong. Do not make omelets without eggs, says the people, rightly so. This film had everything to be better, to match its predecessor, but a bad script and editing laid everything to lose.Despite its a very still and boring movie (sometimes seems that people have forgotten that they're almost to be invaded), this film is quite reasonable and worth seeing, especially for the excellent work of the actors.

This movie has pretty much the same Controlling Idea as the previous Elizabeth movie: that devotion and inner strength is required to protect one's country. But this movie does a way better job of proving the idea. Even though as queen, Elizabeth is far removed from the physical battle and spy vs spy action, her actions (and inactions) drive every turning point forward. When she wavers, England suffers, when she is strong, England triumphs. This makes for a very satisfying ending where she rallies her troops to defeat the Spanish armada in one of England's greatest naval victories in history. Great movie.My Story Chart of the movie is at storycharts.ca

Elizabeth: The Golden Age – TRASH IT (C-) After watching Elizabeth it was hard to believe that the same director can make such shallow, tedious Elizabeth movie. Everything we fall in love with Elizabeth was gone in this movie. Nonetheless Cate Blanchett was superb and astonishing as she was in Elizabeth but it's the mediocre script which wastes so much time on mockery and love story between the pirate, the Queen and her Lady. Abbie Cornish is overrated, she is boring and even as Queen's lady she doesn't have the elegance. She is sure pretty but not elegant. Clive Owen is misfit and I actually don't really like him. I don't think he ever gave a Hit movie. And this man has worked with Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Keira Knightely, Nicole Kidman and here with Cate Blanchett. I mean he has worked with all big directors and actress but never sure shot hit in years. Overall, don't waste your time on this disappointing venture. The only thing good is Cate Blanchett and the costumes.