Fridae

Grand, rousing and magnificent, Elizabeth: The Golden Age stars the beautiful Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth I who ruled England in the 16th century. Playing the 52-year-old Virgin Queen, Cate portrays a woman who feels her regal duty is at odds with her basic human needs. On the one hand, she has to be the figurehead of her great country. On the other, she longs for romantic companionship.

At first, the film naughtily suggests a Sapphic attraction between her and her favourite lady-in-waiting (the lovely Abbie Cornish) as they lovingly play with each other's hair. But with the arrival of the handsome nobleman Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), the Queen's attentions quickly turn to him.

Unfortunately, King Philip II (Jordi Molla) of Spain has vowed to see her downfall, sending his massive Spanish Armada to invade England. Elizabeth must put aside her romantic tribulations and defend her country against the invaders. As the Queen appears fully-armoured before her troops, Cate Blanchett evokes the electrifying aura of an indomitable woman.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age is a sequel to the first film Elizabeth (1998) which had catapulted Cate to stratospheres of fame. Both films were directed by Shekhar Kapur, who seems to have little problem handling the grandiose and bombastic elements of the production. Structurally, however, the film suffers from an unwieldy imbalance between the political and the personal.

Cate � being the extraordinary actress that she is � manages to ride this unpredictable beast, but only just. Fans of historical epics, however, should be very impressed.