MOVIE: Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

WHO'S IN IT: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Clive Owen.

RUNNING TIME: 1 hour 54 minutes

RATING: Four stars

BONUS FEATURES: Feature commentary with director Shekhar Kapur, Deleted Scenes, The Reign Continues - Making 'Elizabeth the Golden Age', Inside Elizabeth's World, Commanding the Winds.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: The film-makers continue the riveting story of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I. Elizabeth the Golden Age carries on where Elizabeth I ended with Elizabeth as the now established yet still controversial Queen of England. Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett returns as Queen Elizabeth with another brilliant performance. The year is 1585 and Elizabeth is threatened both by Spain's invading army and the plot by Elizabeth father's cousin, Mary Stuart, to take over the throne.

Thrown into the mix is the notorious sailor Sir Walter Raleigh, played by the charming Clive Owen, who becomes a companion to the Queen as she finds herself infatuated by the straight-talking pirate. Raleigh can have all the adventures and freedom the Queen desires, yet she cannot allow herself to fall in love with the pirate. While the Queen is occupied with state matters she is betrayed by her closest lady-in-waiting, Elizabeth Throckmorton, who has an affair with Raleigh and eventually becomes his wife and mother of his child. The movie explores the woman and warrior behind the Queen as she fights for her throne and the burden of her responsibility as the monarch and an individual woman.

LONG STORY SHORT: It's a touching insight into the woman behind the name Elizabeth I. Whereas most would see being the Queen of England as the greatest privilege in the world, the film-makers gives the audience a look at the drawbacks of being Queen and the personal and moral sacrifices that Elizabeth had to make to ensure the prosperity of her nation. The film ends on that note, with Elizabeth holding the baby of her good friend as she says that she will never have a child of her own but she will always be a mother to England. For those who have no prior knowledge of European history it is recommended that you brush up on your historical data to better understand the film.

THE REEL LOW-DOWN: If you liked The Tudors on Showtime or the first Elizabeth you'll like this.