Elizabeth (1998)Movie Reviews

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Avg. Critic Score: 75 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
16 OK for kids 16+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 90
    Washington Post | Michael O'Sullivan

    Where Elizabeth really triumphs over its dusty source material is in transforming all this boring history into a real, rip-roaring adventure tale. Read full review

  • 90
    Washington Post | Stephen Hunter

    The fabulous Elizabeth reinvents English Tudor history as gangster movie. Read full review

  • 90
    Variety |

    Superior historical soap opera that shrewdly sidesteps all the cliches of British costume drama with its bold, often modern approach. Read full review

  • 88
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    The texture of the film is enough to recommend it, even apart from the story. Read full review

  • 83
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    This is a sensual, psychologically modern costume drama influenced by both "The Godfather" and gals' guides to empowerment. Read full review

  • 80
    Los Angeles Times |

    Period movies inevitably reflect more about the period in which they're made than the period of their subject, and rarely has that been more evident -- or more distracting -- than it is with Elizabeth. Read full review

  • 80
    The New York Times | Elvis Mitchell

    This Elizabeth is presented as a glamorously stressed-out modern woman who must cope with a super-intense case of having it all. Read full review

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    Elizabeth works in a number of ways. It's a feminist film. It's also a kind of spy thriller and a superior historical drama. Read full review

  • 70
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    The film belongs to Blanchett -- this hellcat Virgin Queen is something to see. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Mike Clark

    A notably undynamic treatment of Protestant Elizabeth I's ascension to the British throne. Read full review

View more reviews for Elizabeth (1998) on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 16+ Mature, visceral depiction of a turbulent reign.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this film has extremely gruesome scenes, and parts may be difficult to watch even for adults. Extremely graphic depictions of people being burned alive, being stabbed, beheaded, heads on sticks, and gruesome post-war images of people with missing limbs, bloody, and dying are featured in the film. The film also includes several scenes featuring nudity and sexual interludes.
  • Families can talk about the concept of an enlightened ruler and what methods are acceptably employed to remain in control of a nation for the good of the people. How did Elizabeth's actions "for the good of the people" affect ordinary citizens? What do you think constitutes a good reason to go to war? The biographical nature of the film may also spark conversations about this historically significant period, as Elizabeth was the last of the Tudor line monarchy. Families may want to discuss the capable nature of women in power as evidenced by Elizabeth's reign, which was considered the Golden Age in England. Finally, families could talk about the power that religion has had over people and nations occasionally even driving them to war.
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: This is a complex story about actual historical figures. Everyone is portrayed with realistic and complex personalities including flaws such as duplicity, a desire for vengeance, and even murderous tendencies. There is no clear hero or heroine.
What to watch for
  • violence false5 Violence: Graphic depictions of violent acts and imagery.
  • sex false5 Sex: Several scenes of nudity and sexual interludes.
  • language false0 Language: Not an issue
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Alcoholic consumption occurs in historical context.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

Elizabeth (1998) Movie Ratings + Reviews

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