While realizing a film review, a person has certain criterions, like the plot and the entertainment it provides. However, this historical film, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, reveals its excellence not because of the story but because of the presentation.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age is certainly one of the most interest historical reenactment movies. The image and the soundtrack give to the stance of each character a large realism, enabling the viewer to recognize each one personality, as it may be observed with Sir Walter Raleigh, a man who deals with the co-existence of his characteristics of being philanderer and noble.
 |
Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh
|
Behind a plot of personal intrigues and declared war between the two great empires of Great Britain and Spain, it cannot be forgotten that this film takes place in a period of technological, social and cultural novelty, in the ends of the Renaissance. Thus, the technological and cultural innovations have a large influence in the society of that time. As it may be observed, the introduction of tobacco and the potato in Great Britain brought consequent social changes in the posture and knowledge of people. Another point important to refer related to these advances is the distinction between the people inserted in the closed old world and the people who gain knowledge while visiting the New World. This distinction is observed in the relation between Queen Elizabeth and Walter Raleigh: while the Virgin Queen leads with the love feelings of the irresistible aristocrat, while the experienced and travelled explorer uses that to get the confidence of the Queen.
Above all, Elizabeth: The Golden Age is a film whose purpose is mainly impress the viewers by the image and reenactment of historical facts, and not the plot of inter-relational jobbery and exacerbated emotionalism.
December 17, 2012 at 2:32 PM
You have analysed the film in an accurate critical perspective. In fact, the reenactment of historical events concerning the reign of Elisabeth I is the key element of the film complemented with excellent performances, soundtrack among other technical elements of cinematography.