Samantha Morton Movie:

		List Price: $39.98		Label: Universal Studios Salesrank: 5724 Released: February 5, 2008
		Our Price: $11.80
		Used Price: $9.00
		MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Media: HD DVD

Editorial Review:
Academy Award® winners Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush join Academy Award® nominee Clive Owen in a gripping historical thriller full of suspense intrigue and adventure!When Queen Elizabeth's reign is threatened by ruthless familial betrayal and Spain's invading army she and her shrewd advisor must act to safeguard to the lives of her people. But when a dashing seafarer Walter Raleigh captures her heart she is forced to make her most tragic sacrifice for the good of her country.Elizabeth: The Golden Age tells the thrilling tale of one woman's crusade to control her love destroy her enemies and secure her position as a beloved icon of the western world.System Requirements:Running Time: 115 Mins.Format: DVD HD Genre: DRAMA/HISTORICAL EPIC Rating: PG-13 UPC: 025195021296 Manufacturer No: 61102688

Description of Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]:
In 1998's Elizabeth, Shekhar Kapur added a layer of suds to his history lesson; the director follows the same audience-pleasing recipe in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Since the first film, Blanchett scored an Oscar for her note-perfect rendition of Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator, and she plays the preternaturally bemused monarch in a similar fashion. By 1585, Elizabeth I is an experienced ruler about to face two of her biggest challenges: betrayal by her Catholic cousin, Mary Stuart (Control's Samantha Morton), and invasion by the Spanish Armada. It isn't so much that the Protestant Elizabeth wishes to rid England of "papists," but that she wants her country to remain free from foreign domination. Closer to her home, she enjoys a sisterly relationship with lady-in-waiting Bess (rising Aussie star Abbie Cornish). That changes when Sir Walter Raleigh (a dashing Clive Owen) hits the scene. In order to continue exploring the New World, he seeks the queen’s sponsorship. She is charmed, but Raleigh only has eyes for Bess. As in the previous picture, Elizabeth enjoys better luck at affairs of state than affairs of the heart, but the conclusion is more beatific than before (and Kapur intends a third installment if Blanchett is willing). Elizabeth: The Golden Age is a rush of royal intrigue, bloody torture, fantastic headpieces, and irresistibly ripe dialogue, like "I have a hurricane in me that will strip Spain bare if you dare to try me!" To Kapur, victory for the Virgin Queen was a viable alternative to sex. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Beyond Elizabeth – The Golden Age on DVD

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Stills from Elizabeth – The Golden Age (click for larger image)

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD] Reviews:
"She had a bad day, and she turned it around"......
2008-07-04 - I love this movie if not for anything else, the fantastic costumes, cinematogrphy and Cate Blanchett's performance. She looks brilliant as Queen Elizabeth and her acting is incredible. She's the best, along with Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts. This is a film that takes you on a journey like a time machine, and you are met by Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth. She captivates you with all of her flair and queeny nuances. The story is bizarre but then again so were those times of wine and roses, "let them eat cake" so they say. This is a film that showcases the old school diva. Elizabeth was the first diva, she is OG, she is gangsta.

Five Stars
2008-07-04 - Not at all historically accurate but beautiful sets, beautiful clothing and wonderfully talent actors made this movie fun to watch.

If I were to scrape the icing off the cake of Elizabethan England
2008-07-01 - this is the movie I would make.

The story is oddly vacant and not really accurate, but the visuals are stunning, and you can't help but enjoy the purity of Blanchett's performance.

I rather fear that too many people will take this "MTV" account of Elizabeth's life seriously, and that's a shame. It's a bit like reading the Spark Notes to the Golden Age of England, or watching the Mel Gibson version of "Hamlet." It's not BAD, but lord knows it's not accurate or deep. You're there for Mel in tights.

The same applies to Clive Owen. Edgy and divinely roguish in his role as Sir Walter Raleigh, he was certainly an eyeful of man candy. Again, his life was not entirely ACCURATE, but in a production such as this, I suppose that's neither here nor there: we are watching for ENTERTAINMENT.

If I really wanted ACCURACY, I'd watch the History Channel.

The costumes were beautifully done; the landscapes were gorgeous. Again, Blanchett MADE the movie worthy of attention, along with the cinematography and rich colors from artful contrasts and allusions.

I can't stop praising Blanchett's portrayal of Elizabeth. It is rich and complex, highlighting the solitude of a woman in power and trying to maintain her own against a male-dominated society and Houses. A society where her virginity is her biggest gambling chip against other countries. It was simply a brilliant portrayal!

I enjoyed this movie for what it was: "BASED" on the life of Elizabeth I. As we all know, that gives them license to "elaborate." (Although, they just... well... snipped the tip of that time period.)

If you want accuracy, go elsewhere. For a bit of fantasy and simply breathtaking scenes, give this a go.


Elizabeth - The Golden Age
2008-06-30 - What a great movie. Enjoyment to watch. Action packed and great acting. Didn't want it to end.

a cinematic joy to watch
2008-06-30 - I will not give plot details here.........if you enjoyed the first film, this sequel is even better. Excellent. Highly recommended.