The big mystery is why this film was nominated for Best Picture. Sure it looks great, but it moves at a sluggish and tedious pace.

Cate Blanchett gives a powerful performance as Queen Elizabeth--a young woman who inherits the throne and must struggle to hang onto the crown amid tumultuous times.

The art direction in the film is breathtaking, as are the costumes. But, I found it difficult getting into the material--even though the film was full of strong performances from Geoffrey Rush (Shine), Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare In Love), Sir Richard Attenborough (Jurassic Park), and Kathy Burke (Nil By Mouth). Director Shekar Kapur (Bandit Queen) has a great visual eye, but moves the story along too slowly.

The best part of Elizabeth is learning the identity of her true friends. That is the one unexpected delight of this film.