Abbie Cornish, Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen

Reprising the roles they originated in seven-time Academy Award®-nominated Elizabeth, Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush return for a gripping historical thriller laced with treachery and romance—Elizab...( read more  read more... )eth: The Golden Age. Joining them in the epic is Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh, a dashing seafarer and newfound temptation for Elizabeth. Elizabeth: The Golden Age finds Queen Elizabeth I (Oscar®-winner Cate Blanchett) facing bloodlust for her throne and familial betrayal. Growing keenly aware of the changing religious and political tides of late 16th century Europe, Elizabeth finds her rule openly challenged by the Spanish King Philip II (Jordi Molla)—with his powerful army and sea-dominating armada—determined to restore England to Catholicism. Preparing to go to war to defend her empire, Elizabeth struggles to balance ancient royal duties with an unexpected vulnerability in her love for Raleigh. But he remains forbidden for a queen who has sworn body and soul to her country. Unable and unwilling to pursue her love, Elizabeth encourages her favorite lady-in-waiting, Bess (Abbie Cornish), to befriend Raleigh to keep him near. But this strategy forces Elizabeth to observe their growing intimacy. As she charts her course abroad, her trusted advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham (Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Rush), continues his masterful puppetry of Elizabeth’s court at home—and her campaign to solidify absolute power. Through an intricate spy network, Walsingham uncovers an assassination plot that could topple the throne. But as he unmasks traitors that may include Elizabeth’s own cousin Mary Stuart (Samantha Morton), he unknowingly sets England up for destruction. The Elizabeth: The Golden Age trailer tells the thrilling tale of an era…the story of one woman’s crusade to control love, crush enemies and secure her position as a beloved icon of the western world.

Flixster Users

62% liked it

350,772 ratings

Critics

34% liked it

162 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Shekhar Kapur

Release Date: October 12, 2007

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DVD Release Date: February 5, 2008

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Stats: 17,033 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (17,033)


  • July 24, 2009
    I found this one to be rather slow and plodding, and some of the swash-buckling a bit giggle-inducing. And really the title should be "Elizabeth: mental breakdown on the perilous path to the golden age."
  • July 4, 2009
    I never saw the first one But I certainly want to now. Great Cast, Visually stunning and very entertaining. Cate Blanchett is The SHIT!!!!
  • May 24, 2009
    Very well done story on her life, beautiful dresses and clothing.
  • April 2, 2009
    Not bad. For a couple of years now I've been thinking (thanks to bitchy critics) that the movie was boring, dull, over-the-top and Blanchett's performance lame and screamy.

    Well, it may not be an epic masterpiece (it feels too big sometimes) but Blanchett's performance is extrao...( read more)rdinary (mostly when she's silent and scared in the privacy of her bedroom) and her character feels more developed that any other queen, king or prince in an epic movie before. This Elizabeth is a woman with fears and the need to be loved more than a flawless, beautiful queen.

    I completely agree with those claiming the supporting cast is just a decorative element for Blanchett's performance, as Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush and Samantha Morton feel like bad cameos. They give amazing performances for badly written characters. And no matter what Abbie Cornish does for her role, you simply don't give a rat's ass for her in the whole movie. She may be just a cardboard cutout and it would be the same. That's something I really hated.

    But, damn! The costume design is not as cliché as so many other period costumes. It mixes a contemporary vision of glamour and edginess with classic dresses and traditional British gowns, creating an eye-candy that shouldn't be missed.

    The cinematography for the quiet, indoors scenes is marvelous.

    A good sequel.
    Not perfect, but far from lame.
  • January 5, 2009
    Very good movie! The cinematography was awesome. Cate Blanchett was awesome as usual.
  • November 16, 2009
    Perfect story.

    What a queen should be a king.
  • November 15, 2009
    Another good performance by Cate Blanchett. Great movie, cinematography, score and costume design.
  • November 4, 2009
    You know, I expected to understand this one a little better than I did the first, but I was still lost. I think if your basic knowledge of European history is not up to par, you will find yourself lost in a sea of difficult plotlines. One day I will rewatch both this film and its...( read more) predecessor and hopefully I will understand them a little better after having studied up on the times. Ultimately, the value of both this film and the first installment lies largely in the costuming and Cate Blanchett's superb acting. I believe her as Queen Elizabeth I, and her emotions come across despite her often porcelain-stony face. Other than that, I spent most of the time trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
  • November 1, 2009
    If you are into Royal family movies this is the one for you Elizabeth the golden age was Fantastic.
  • October 30, 2009
    A lot weaker than the first one, but still very enjoyable and dramatic. Not too sure why they waited near on a decade to make this sequel after the first. Blanchett was ok, not nearly as good as the first, but she came off weak due to the role of Elizabeth at this time, the same ...( read more)goes for Rush's character. The addition of Clive Owen was what it needed and he performed very well, but their just seemed confusing aspects that didn't link up like the first one.

Critic Reviews


October 12, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

It will most likely be admired by those who actually already reached their OWN 'golden age'. full review

October 12, 2007
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Bogus history can make a crackling good adventure yarn, and Kapur piles on the treachery and romance. full review

October 12, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

The movie looks beautiful, enhanced by intriguing camerawork and sumptuous production design. But the music is overbearing, perhaps to compensate for the pedestrian script and dull history lesson. full review

October 12, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

There are scenes where the costumes are so sumptuous, the sets so vast, the music so insistent, that we lose sight of the humans behind the dazzle of the production. full review

October 12, 2007
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Through the miracle of modern technology, the film achieves alchemy in reverse, turning historical gold into contemporary lead. full review

October 11, 2007
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

The Golden Age is frustrating because Kapur does seem to have a taste for nutball pageantry -- he just won't let himself go all the way with it. full review

October 10, 2007
Armond White, The New York Press

A completely useless, over-enunciated film -- an instant antique. full review

October 9, 2007
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Cate Blanchett can do anything, even play Bob Dylan, but she can't save this creaky sequel to her star-making 1998 biopic of Elizabeth I. full review

October 8, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

Elizabeth: The Golden Age is an unholy mixture of the banal and the bombastic. full review

View more Elizabeth: The Golden Age reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • gemxlilchrisloverx
    March 14, 2008
    i cant even discribe how amazing this film is it is so powerfull and it just makes you realize how hard it must have been to be queen at that time and all the emocions and complicatons that elizibeth went throgh when she aws on the throne of england n eny of thos that are intrested in this kind of thing i recomend you wach it...england rocks lol all that was really cheesy oh well lol
  • xkaytethefairy
    October 31, 2007
    i never knew lily allen was a lady-in-waiting in the original "elizabeth"

    :) learn something new every day, eh?
    xo
  • shygirl62
    October 24, 2007
    unreal story and movie, excellent actors, i would see it again, a movie must,
  • lollypopper34
    October 16, 2007
    VERY GREAT VID.
  • lian4212
    October 9, 2007
    i know i will love it. This is good!
  • loosercruiser135
    October 6, 2007
    omg this looks SOOO good!!!!!!i cant wait for it!!!!!!when does it come out??!!!!!
  • mscrwth
    August 9, 2007
    This looks so good, Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen together on screen, should create sparks.
  • Bugidifino
    July 8, 2007
    Can't wait
  • kerpow3
    June 29, 2007
    This will be good, but has the potential for greatness.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Elizabeth: The Golden Age Trivia


  • In the movie, Elizabeth, The Golden Age, which country does England go to war with?  Answer »
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