The Young Victoria continues the trend of successful royalty based period films that feel fresh and cotemporary and historically intact all the same and it is all grounded by a great turn by Emily Blunt as the title character.
The film opens as a political battle of posturing and manipulation surrounds the British thrown as the only heir is in fact and heiress and not of age. Victoria’s mother is being controlled by Sir John who hopes to be the puppet master to Victoria’s crown if and when King William passes on. Victoria though is resilient and will not relinquish her rights as Queen to a Regent (Sir John) and the deadline to her eighteenth birthday becomes on the minds of everyone that hopes to avoid John’s play including Lord Melbourne who lends his aid to the future and her policy making and maybe hopes to be a possible suitor. In league with Sir John is King Leopold of Belgium who hopes to gain influence and alliance with Britain and he sends his sons, and Victoria’s maternal cousins, to swoon her into possibly becoming a suitor for her. Albert and Victoria begin to form a fruitful friendship and political tensions reach a fever pitch as William grows weak and Victoria has yet to become of age. [Read more...]