The Queen: Special Edition

Review by Clint Morris

That’s a pretty heavy crown Stephen Frears is wearing for his first royal appointment in film, but never the less he wears it with pride, stateliness and fine balancing skills – with its rudiments sparkling more so than bottled bubbly caught in a sunray.

This Queen Elizabeth II ‘week-in-the-life-of’ effort is bound to make as much headlines as the woman herself did when she was blamed for not reacting to the death of [known adversary] Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. Though the film doesn’t paint anyone as a true villain or hero – though Prince Phillip doesn’t come out too good; quite the bastard it seems – it’s as warts and all as a Salem witch. Frears hasn’t shied away from telling it like it is; and the film is all the more better for it.

The year is 1997, and Great Britain has a newly elected prime minister, the youthful, buoyant Tony Blair (Michael Sheen). The Queen (Helen Mirren) isn’t fazed by his arrival, but when her former daughter-in-law Princess Diana is killed in a car accident, her authority is tested as never before. Blair believes the Royal family should react to the situation – raise the flag to half-mast, have a public funeral; and so on – but as Diana was no longer royalty, Elizabeth is determined to keep it a private matter. At least, until the people turn on her.

Helen Mirren is a revelation as Elizabeth. Commanding, Powerful and likeable (even when it’s hard for her to come across as such), it’s the performance of the actresses long career. It’s not often that you get an actor that looks as good as she plays a real-life person, and Mirren’s pulled it off with shining Union Jack colours.

In addition, Michael Sheen is brilliant as Prime Minister, Tony Blair. He has it all down pat – the mannerisms, the voice, and the behaviour. This is a career-making role; and is destined to put Sheen on the fast track to fame.

Mirren and Sheen are backed up by an apt support cast including James Cromwell as the stern Prince Phillip, Alex Jennings as the torn Prince Charles, and a redoubtable Sylvia Syms as the Queen Mother.

An engrossing film that’ll be quite eye opening for many, The Queen deserved every inch of the red-carpet treatment it got.

EXTRAS

Extras on the DVD include a 'making of' and two commentary tracks . The cast, director and screenwriter provide good insight into the movie, over the tracks, but none of them can really hold your attention. Flick the commentary track off, and go back to the audio on the film itself - it's appreciably more gripping.

Conclusion: Movie 80% Extras: 60%