adonis98-743-186503
Diana the 'People's Princess' has died in a car accident in Paris. The Queen and her family decide that for the best, they should remain hidden behind the closed doors of Balmoral Castle. The heartbroken public do not understand and request that the Queen comforts her people. This also puts pressure on newly elected Tony Blair, who constantly tries to convince the monarchy to address the public. The Queen boasts a terrific cast but that ain't enough when the movie is broken and just painfully silly and really really boring to so many different places. (0/10)
Mike_Devine
When thinking about which actress is tailor-made to play Great Britain's reigning head of state - Queen Elizabeth II - there is a very short list of names that one can put together. Chief among them is Helen Mirren, and the legendary actress got her chance to portray what is perhaps the role of a lifetime in 2006's 'The Queen.'The film looks behind the curtains of Buckingham and Balmoral to show the royal family's thought process and sparring with newly-elected Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) in the hours and days following the tragic death of Princess Diana - "the People's Princess." This glimpse into a circle of people that is rarely possible is what many found to be the main draw in the best picture-nominated film, and while there is an all-star cast here (James Cromwell as Prince Philip, Sylvia Syms as the Queen Mother and Alex Jennings as Prince Charles), Mirren's first-rate delivery of Elizabeth II's calculating, cold demeanor during this period in her life is really what everyone is here for - and the Academy agreed, handing Mirren a gold statue for best performance by an actress in a leading role.While it's true that Mirren steals every scene she's in, Sheen's portrayal of Blair is also to be respected. The rivalry that forms between the two, including the divergence in the public's perception of them, is clearly evident, but as only the Brits can do, they disagree with class. Another element that makes 'The Queen' a powerful film is its soundtrack. Alexandre Desplat proves once again why he is a go-to for soundtracks of serious dramas.'The Queen' is another reminder that audiences are fascinated with royalty, and how a great film can be created by focusing on angle and side of a well-known event that few were aware of.
Kingslaay
The Queen made a promising start but as time went on and each event or milestone was portrayed it lost its film appeal. It felt more like a BBC documentary special rather than a feature film. Ironically the use of archive footage from the news stations acted to affirm that idea. As tension mounts later in the film over the Crown's inaction the second half seems more like a chore than a film to enjoy. The beauty that lies in historical films is how the film delivers the finish or result even though you already knew the outcome.The acting was first class and probably the strongest aspect of the film. Helen Mirren was very worthy of her best actress win as one never doubts that she is the queen and Michael Sheen did an excellent job as Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Queen is worth a watch but one shouldn't have high expectations. 7/10
nzpedals
The casting stands out first, just about every character is so like the real person it is like watching a documentary. and what they say is believable too. The queen of course, and the Duke, and Charles, and Blair the new prime minister and his wife. All great.The sad events of the era, the death in very suspicious circumstances of Diana, and then the problems of how the royals react is all here.A thought does occur to me, afterwards, that Blair's ambition to change and improve Great Britain seems to have been lost in the subsequent years. My guess is that Blair will now be regarded as just another...whatever, and who-cares. So much was promised?
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