(CBS) Director Roland Emmerich gives new meaning to the phrase poetic license in “Anonymous.”

Best known for larger-than-life, apocalyptic-like films that include “2012” and “Independence Day,” Emmerich takes a decided detour here, weaving together an interestingly droll tale of political intrigue in the Elizabethan era.

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The somewhat wacky premise for his film lies in the notion that it was the worldly Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans), and not William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall) who penned those forever immortalized plays and sonnets, including “Romeo & Juliet” and “The Merchant of Venice.”

Emmerich’s perspective doesn’t come entirely out of left field. He subscribes to a theory first documented by British school teacher, J. Thomas Looney, who believed the romanticized bard from Stratford had neither the education, nor the means, nor the stature in society to pen such sophisticated works.

Instead, he proposed it was Oxford who wrote the material millions have come to admire, revealing in his writing his true nature, including his noble origins, admiration for the feudal system and love of Italy (a setting for many of Shakespeare’s plots).

Screenplay writer John Orloff, who is also the film’s executive producer, takes the plot one step further, speculating that the Earl and Queen Elizabeth I (played by both Joely Richardson and Vanessa Redgrave) had a secret love affair (in line with the so-called Prince Tudor theory). And Emmerich’s speculative frolic doesn’t stop there.

Not known for his subtlety, the ambitious director lets loose. Set pieces are elaborate and visually breathtaking with enough sword fights to provide the film with some intense, action-packed moments and elaborate period costumes that add to the film’s sense of surplus and surprising levity.

Clever dialogue and a strong cast bring the characters to life (and then some) and impress upon the audience the tension that existed between art and the politics at the time. Spall’s Shakespeare is a hilarious and the bawdy bard who often emerges as a scene stealer. Rhys Ifans is convincing as the dashing Earl; real-life mother and 오산출장샵 daughter, Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson, excel as the and mature and young Queen Elizabeth respectively.

Above all theatergoers will actually ponder for a moment on whether someone other than Shakespeare could have been responsible for the monumental poems, sonnets and plays. Just for a moment, though. Then, it is back to letting pure visual grandeur and spectacle take over in this tall tale.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual content.Run Time: 130 mins.