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Critic Reviews
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The lavishly beguiling historical drama is pumped up on passion, wit and the majestic fire of Helen Mirren's thrilling performance as one of history's most intriguing rulers.
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"Elizabeth I" soars on every level from the writing, to the directing to the acting.
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Mirren is TV-biography magic.
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An explosion of fireworks. [1 May 2006, p.39]
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Mirren's Elzabeth is emotional... But with that comes soemthing as rare on TV as it is rewarding--a love affair involving people over the age of 50. [21 Apr 2006, p.67]
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Elizabeth I features two of the finest actors [Mirren and Irons] in film and television inspiring each other to some of the most spectacular work they have ever done.
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Elizabeth is mercurial, powerful, unpredictable - qualities made real, and a bit frightening, because of the intensity with which Mirren commits to the role.
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As Elizabeth movies go, this version has neither the sweep of Glenda Jackson's Elizabeth R nor the easily digested entertainment value of Bette Davis' Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. But it has Mirren, and that's reason enough to make it and watch it.
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Mirren... hits a dazzling career high.
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Somewhat plodding through its opening hour, "Elizabeth I" gains steam and then soars through its concluding installment.
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An engrossing, humanizing portrait of the British monarch.
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Elizabeth [is] portrayed by Mirren in as brilliant a performance as you're likely to see.
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Mirren, a true virtuoso at the height of her powers, is what makes this excellent two-part film worth watching, but there are many other pluses as well.
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Impressive... Ms. Mirren leaves her authoritative stamp on the role of Elizabeth.
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No matter how opulent this production, Mirren is never upstaged, and she is the best reason to keep watching.
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[Mirren] delivers big-time... Congratulations should also go to Nigel Williams, whose screenplay for Elizabeth I is as sassy as Tom Stoppard’s was for Shakespeare in Love.
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It is a great performance [by Mirren], strong enough that it overcomes the flaws of "Elizabeth I."
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"Elizabeth I" was made for television and is not a lavish, big-budget production. Visually, it is no match for the 1998 movie. But what "Elizabeth I" does offer is not insignificant: a richly drawn portrait of a powerful woman who is both ruthless and sentimental, formidable and mercurial, vain and likable.
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Irons and the rest of the cast are spot-on. The writing and directing are fairly crisp. Perhaps, though, tracing Elizabeth's life for 20-plus years subtracted from my becoming intently involved in each period of this biopic.
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[It] would be an above-average Masterpiece [Theatre] installment.
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The film as a whole is a strange case of mostly excellent parts that make an overlong and tedious whole.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 14 out of 17
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Mixed: 0 out of 17
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Negative: 3 out of 17
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kelseywApr 1, 2007
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RandyMSep 30, 2006
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K8rpot8rFaithJul 23, 2006