I don't remember enjoying any of Eric Bana's performances until now; two of American's great sweethearts are here (the ridiculously desirable Scarlett Johanssen and the sophisticated and disturbing Natalie Portman). The are other good performances, and none is better than that of Anne Torrent who plays the queen's first wife.
The movie starts off as yet-another English period drama (though I liked the detailed look at the lives of the rich and pwoerful at the time), but the intensity of the events at the end almost led me to call it overall excellent.