This is an attractive portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I’s beginnings as ruler, featuring Cate Blanchett who earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance. At first, she contends to remain safe while Mary, her half-sister who held strong Catholic beliefs—played exceptionally well by Kathy Burke—was in power, with assistance from Robert Dudley, a friend from her youth, portrayed by Joseph Fiennes. The danger doesn't lessen when she becomes queen and encounters schemes and plots coming from every direction. While the film takes liberties with historical details, Richard Attenborough, Geoffrey Rush, and Christopher Eccleston as the Duke of Norfolk—a character who is shown to be scheming and without morals—all contribute to keeping the story’s sense of deception, disloyalty, and ambition engaging. Michael Hirst seems to have a particular interest in writing stories about the Tudor period, and Shekhar Kapur's direction really brings the clothing and settings to life with some imaginative choices.

Source on TMDB