Sex, murder, intrigue, and Christopher Ecclestone's bottom: Elizabeth has it all, and yet despite such potentially flammable subject matter, Shekhar Kapur's historical drama never threatens to catch fire. Which is a great pity because the costumes and art direction are the epitome of sumptuous and Cate Blanchett gives a terrific central performance as the young queen who inherits a country silently at war with itself and ready to explode. Geoffrey Rush, who snagged an Oscar for Shine, is equally good as her assassin confidant Walsingham who lets no one stand in the way of progress (his own as well as Elizabeth's). The greatest failing is the screenplay which never really gets under the characters' skins or builds on the obvious onscreen tensions. It merely trots from one plot point to the next, laughing in the face of historical accuracy as it goes. Deeply disappointing.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","fnc":"googleTrackerHelper.doTrackPage( '\/'Elizabeth-film_options~11355'\/Reviews\/ViewAll\/1' );"}