--- title: "Elizabeth: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/elizabeth/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/elizabeth" critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Elizabeth (1998): what the critics said Critics' score 80 from 8 reviews: 7 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics welcome Elizabeth as a forceful historical drama that replaces the restraint of conventional costume drama with political intrigue and a modern pace. Praise centres on Cate Blanchett, whose performance makes the young queen’s growing authority convincing without losing sight of her private desires. Shekhar Kapur’s bold direction also wins broad approval: the reviews repeatedly describe a thriller, finding its visual richness and conspiratorial plotting both entertaining and effective at connecting personal change to the exercise of power. The main disagreement concerns what that modern approach costs in historical understanding. The New York Times finds substance in Blanchett’s performance while noting that spectacle and contemporary flourishes take precedence over accuracy; the Los Angeles Times is more troubled, finding those contemporary attitudes distracting. Enthusiasm varies more than approval does, with the reservations concentrated on the treatment of history rather than the central performance. ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 1998. The critic calls Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth the model of a successful historical drama that is imposingly beautiful, persuasively resonant and unfailingly entertaining. Blanchett is singled out for creating a thoroughly convincing depiction of the queen’s journey from carefree girlhood to imperial resolve. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1998/oct/02/film-of-the-week-elizabeth) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 20 November 1998. Ebert praises the film's rich, sensuous texture and Cate Blanchett's commanding performance as Elizabeth, who grows from a naive young woman into a shrewd ruler. He highlights the director's fresh perspective and the way the story blends political intrigue with personal transformation. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/elizabeth) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 4/5. The critic highlights the film's vivid contemporary focus and sumptuous biography style, calling it a thoughtful and dramatic triumph with Blanchett's revelatory performance. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-fqy9m0/elizabeth/) ## Time Out — TCh Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The critic praises the film's departure from staid costume drama into a melodramatic conspiracy thriller with a strong performance by Cate Blanchett and bold direction by Kapur that confuses gender roles and equates sex with death. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/elizabeth) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 1998. Festival review. The review hails the film as superior historical soap opera that avoids costume-drama clichés with bold, modern energy and strong performances, especially Blanchett's. It credits Kapur's muscular direction and the witty script for making the intrigue accessible and entertaining. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/elizabeth-2-1200455269/) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 November 1998. Maslin calls the film a lusty, flamboyant spectacle that prioritizes visual flair and modern flourishes over strict historical accuracy. She singles out Blanchett's spirited performance for bringing substance to the role of a stressed, scheming young queen. [Read the review](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/110698elizabeth-film-review.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Jack Mathews Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 6 November 1998. Mathews finds the film distracting in its modern reflections but notes Blanchett's captivating turn as a strong-willed Elizabeth who sacrifices personal life for duty. He criticizes how the period drama reveals more about contemporary attitudes than historical ones. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-nov-06-ca-39761-story.html) ## Empire — Angie Errigo 1 January 2000. The critic finds it a powerful, arty production that presents Elizabeth's story as a dark historical thriller rather than a typical costume drama. Blanchett's spirited and intelligent performance is singled out for praise amid a strong cast. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/elizabeth-review/) ## Total Film 2 October 1998. The review calls it a refreshing change from the usual frock flick, describing a perceptive study of the conflict between private desires and public duty. Blanchett's remarkable title performance is singled out as powering the film. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/elizabeth-review/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Rating 5/5. 19 January 2001. The critic views the film as a raw political thriller about power and survival rather than a traditional costume drama. Kapur's fresh, rule-breaking direction and Blanchett's layered performance as the evolving queen are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/elizabeth-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/elizabeth.md