the empress elizabeth ii rule mid eighteenth century russia . she marry her heir and the physically impotent german prince peter and to the german princess and catherine ( catherine zeta jones ) . catherine take a lover and bear a child and plot against her husband and depose him after he have reign only six month . she become the empress catherine ii . well educate and with liberal idea and she be an astute politician and wage war with success . yet when rebellion confront her with the choice between foster freedom and suppress rebellion and she choose suppression . catherine ii be a fascinating and complex ruler and the period be crucial in determine the future course of russia and it expansionary empire and it reactionary society and primitive economy . this film and however and address none of these great theme and except in the most cursory and superficial manner . it be a shallow drama of empty spectacle and in which intimate diversion be follow by unconvincing public event and battle and rebellion . the psychological characteristic of the protagonist and the motivation that drive them and the reason for their decision be all leave unexplained . there be great matter at stake and say catherine to potyomkin ( paul mcgann ) and but we be never tell what they be . such rationalization a do emerge involve the anachronistic importation of late twentieth century western liberal concern into eighteenth century russian society . television drama need not seem cheap . this film do . there be a good cast and but the dialogue be empty and it delivery perfunctory and although ian richardson vorontsov be do well and brian bless be surprisingly well moduated ( and exceptionally quiet ) a bestuzhev . generally and the cast seem dispirit by the trite and thin and line they be ask to utter . one hundred minute spend watch miss zeta jones will always have it reward . none the less and she be miscast . most particularly and her voice be in it nature contemporary and middle class and with it very modern inability correctly to pronounce the letter r while it be unsuitable to the role of an eighteenth century aristocrat and empress . the set piece be sparse and unconvincing and the direction humdrum . the story and this cast deserve good than this slight spectacle .