Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen and Geoffrey Rush make for a powerful on-screen performance, but their presence in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" is not enough to turn a poorly titled film into much more than a passable historical political drama.
"Golden Age" is a story of love, political intrigue and war, revolving largely around England's struggle for survival in one of the most infamous naval battles in history. Huge segments of the film are dedicated to the Spanish Armada bearing down on England, but in the end, the movie fails to deliver a great depiction of the Armada. What could have been an action-packed climax to captivating political intrigue ends up becoming one of the most overhyped and poorly filmed battle scenes of the year. The action is little more than a couple random blasts of cannon fire serving as the backdrop to a few dashing images of Clive Owen on the deck of his ship, gallantly sailing into a battle that his character, Sir Walter Raleigh, is largely believed to have sat out of.
Reprising her role as the historic monarch from the 1998 film "Elizabeth," Cate Blanchett is an imposing figure. With regal charm to match the outfits and wigs, Blanchett is the centerpiece of the time warp into 1585 that is supplemented and well-realized by period language, setting and dress. Her screen time, when not dominated by political maneuverings and war preparations, is largely devoted to a love triangle with Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Walsingham.
As Raleigh, Owen is the consummate ladies' man of the late 16th century, although his boy-toy charm and heroic tales of adventurous discovery seem more appropriate for a modern political court than for one of more than four centuries ago. While Raleigh has Elizabeth's heart, her spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush) has her ear. In a captivating performance, Rush takes the script to the limit, fully embodying a conflicted family man who remained a master of politics and intrigue.
The film's treatment of historical accuracy is elastic at best. At times, it remains largely true to the time, but at others, director Shekhar Kapur seems to have taken some liberties. Elizabeth's relationship with Raleigh is a vivid courtship and subsequent love triangle, demonstrating teasing, joyous and jealous performances by Blanchett focusing largely on the loneliness of the Virgin Queen. These depictions, while compelling, nevertheless make absolutely no mention whatsoever of the several affairs Elizabeth is largely thought to have had.
The film's imagery and relationships are a constant trade-off between vibrant but opaque religious and sexual overtones. There is no mix, no variation. There are only the two poles that, while dominant, are never explored more than superficially and leave far more questions than answers. To potential Catholic audiences, the film does not overtly blast the papacy, but there are times when the film hints at an insidious and cultish Roman Catholic Church.
"The Golden Age" is indicative of a deficiency in apt titling that Hollywood seems to be experiencing as of late. The film is a story of politics and love, not necessarily of Elizabeth's reign. Aside from a deft politician and powerful queen, little is seen of what, if anything, Elizabeth did that would make her time one of gold as opposed to any other metal. She is certainly on the short list of England's greatest rulers, but a historical fact used as a film's title is rarely sufficient unless it is actually backed up. For political drama mixed in with love and discovery, interspersed with preparation for a cheesy battle scene, check out "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" in theaters nationwide tomorrow.
