"Elizabeth: The Golden Age" Review

British monarchs have found a recent niche in American movies. Queen Elizabeth I alone has been featured in two movies in the same year, and an Emmy winning H2O series. Our current Queen Elizabeth, fa.k.a Helen Mirren, took home the Oscar last year. Even Henry V has his own Showtime series, and he gets to sleep with Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson in an upcoming movie. Not to be outdone, Elizabeth I returned last year, along with one of her most famous portrayers, Cate Blanchett. However, although this is about "The Golden Age" this sequel may have come a bit too late.

At this time, Queen Elizabeth is an established ruler, despite her Protestant beliefs making her the target of many a Catholic, and of the Spanish empire. King Philip I is preparing a massive army to sail to English, and to overthrow Elizabeth in favor of exiled Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots. But who has time for war when a dashing pirate comes sailing along? In this case, Elizabeth is taken by sailor Walter Raleigh, who's tales of exploring the New World and life of freedom enthrall the Queen. But of course, Elizabeth promised herself to England and her duty in the last movie, so its no surprise that an attempt at a love life doesn't work too well yet again. So she has to settle for destroying the Spanish Armada and saving England instead.

Director Shekhar Kapur broke out with his first Elizabeth film in 1998, and Blanchett became a star in the making as a result. But while Blanchett has gone on to Oscars and playing other historical figures, Kapur's career had stalled. So reuniting to explore Elizabeth's ordeals in the middle of her reign should have been guaranteed success for both of them. Blanchett became a double Oscar nominee this year with a surprise Oscar nomination for "The Golden Age." But Blanchett's success was surprising because this movie tanked, and for somewhat good reason.