The Empress Season 2 Review: Visually Sumptuous and Narratively Engaging Product!
The Empress Season 2 Review: Visually Sumptuous and Narratively Engaging Product! - Filmyhype
Director: Katharina Eyssen
Date Created: 2024-11-22 19:29
3.5
The Empress Season 2 Review: The Empress Season 2, is the second season of the Netflix series dedicated to the life of Elisabeth of Austria. It is certainly not historical accuracy that viewers should look for in the Netflix series The Empress, but then again none of the film and television adaptations of the life of Elisabeth of Austria (known to most as Princess Sisi) have been historically accurate. The original story is much less fairytale-like than we could ever imagine, and it is easy to understand why, for a certain type of entertainment product, it is preferable to leave out certain elements (eating disorders, depression, the fact that she was never interested in raising her children…) for others that are perhaps less realistic but made famous by the famous trilogy with Romy Schneider (first and foremost the passionate love story between Franz and Elisabeth).
That said, if it’s not historical accuracy you’re looking for, The Empress Season 2 is an ambitious and well-developed series, majestic in terms of its sets and costumes (even in this case, historical realism is decidedly put in the background) and with an engaging plot. Lovers of period series will find plenty to enjoy and will be transported into the glittering, yet icy world of the Austrian imperial court. We can now definitively forget Romy Schneider and leave the 50s trilogy for the Christmas holiday rewatches. Instead, let’s all tune into Netflix for the new episodes of The Empress, the series that tries to tell the life of Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sissi, with greater historical truthfulness. If the inaugural cycle was particularly revisionist and with many psychedelic visual choices, in the second one they try to be a little more classic, and perhaps for this reason more incisive.
The Empress Season 2 Review: The Story Plot
If the first season of The Empress focused on Elisabeth’s (Devrim Lingnau) early years at court, on the blossoming of her love for Franz Joseph (Philip Froissant), and on her clashes with Archduchess Sophie (Melika Foroutan), this second season starts a few years after the previous one ended. Elisabeth is a mother expecting another child, who everyone hopes will finally be the male heir the empire needs. The situation in the various regions under Austrian rule is not the best: both in Lombardy-Venetia and Hungary, contempt for the Habsburgs is stronger than ever. The new young empress, with her innate sweetness and openness to different cultures, could be the key to bringing peace to the empire. For this reason, Franz Joseph and Elisabeth will set off together on numerous diplomatic trips, trips that are not without dangers and that could put their union at risk. Meanwhile, Sophie does not want to lose the power she has worked so hard to earn over the years and is not willing to delegate her responsibilities to the court. Maximilian (Johannes Nussbaum), on the other hand, lives in Trieste after being sent away for his acts of insubordination towards his brother, but he would like to regain the trust of his family.
The Empress Season 2 Review and Analysis
As we were saying, The Empress takes the real events of the life of Elisabeth of Austria and, by smoothing and cutting here and there, transforms them into a very captivating entertainment product. From a plot point of view, the story is interesting and well-developed, enriched by intrigues and twists designed to involve the viewer. Under the surface, however, we find a rather realistic narration of what life was like for a noblewoman in a court of the time, between restrictions and rigid rules, whose only value often depended on her ability to have (male) children. The plot of this second season is full of difficult moments: the royal couple will have to face many obstacles, from complications during Elizabeth’s birth to rebellions in Lombardy-Veneto, concrete problems that put the well-being of the protagonists at risk.
The fairy-tale dimension of the story becomes less and less evident, making the narration darker and full of tragedy. Those who know the true story of the empress know that she has not had an easy life, and this second season shows, even more than the previous one, the weight of power and responsibilities at court that will slowly affect the happiness of the protagonist. The young Devrim Lingnau, who plays Elisabetta, is very good at conveying the different souls that coexist in her character: the free spirit who would like to be able to decide how to live her life, who would like to influence her husband in his choices and personally educate her daughters and the woman who must submit to the rigid dictates of the behavior of the time. The portrait that Lingnau gives us is multifaceted and multifaceted, giving life to an undoubtedly fascinating character.
The other female characters also stand out: Sophie played by Melika Foroutan, whose childhood and difficult past we begin to discover in more detail, and Leontine Von Apafi, played by Almila Bagriacik, whose secrets are inevitably coming to light. One of the strengths of The Empress is undoubtedly the excellent work on settings and costumes, taken care of down to the smallest details. The costumes, in particular, show a fascinating balance between historical reconstruction and a touch of modernity: period lines enriched by cuts, lace, and transparencies that add a contemporary charm, difficult to imagine in the rigid Viennese court. Beyond historical accuracy, The Empress is a true visual spectacle. In addition to the costumes, the sumptuous locations demonstrate the impressive production effort of the series, capable of creating a rich, grandiose, and enveloping universe, that transports the viewer to a distant time with extraordinary evocative power.
Motherhood is therefore the central theme of The Empress Season 2, which sees on the one hand Elizabeth not wanting to lose contact with her children, but at the same time wanting to actively participate in important decisions and not be a mere “offspring churn”. It is noticeable how Devrim Lingnau has embraced the role better, thanks to the maturity of the character compared to the inaugural cycle, which was all focused on the arrival at court, in a new world with different rules and customs. On the other hand, the Archduchess Mother – a wicked Melika Foroutan, so if we want more in line with the illustrious previous films that have built a shared collective imagination on Sissi, Franz, and Maman – does not fail to want to keep her say in the matter.
Speaking of succession to the throne, the evolution of the bond between the two brothers is fundamental. Philip Froissant is once again Franz Joseph, open yet inevitably tied to tradition, sweet yet resolute, sensitive but also firm and decisive. Johannes Nussbaum is Archduke Maximilian, sent into exile in Trieste after he betrays the Empire and his brother. The two try to mend their relationship and Maximilian finds himself working as a diplomat – he who has always represented excess and rebellion – on behalf of Austria-Hungary at none other than Napoleon’s Court. One of the new scenarios explored, like that of another Princess on whom the womanizer sets his sights. A Court that has its own rules and for which it is discussed whether an emperor is born as such (by the will of God) or dares to proclaim himself as such. A dilemma that in some way also speaks of today, between the right of birth and the election of who governs the people.
The German period drama by Netflix finds a better balance than the first season. If there was more daring in terms of direction and editing, with choices that we could define as psychedelic, in this new chapter they opt for something more classic, which however gives cohesion and coherence to the story. A less dreamlike and more down-to-earth product, without forgetting the “visions” of the titular character and her innate sensitivity towards the people and towards those who desperately ask her for help. Even from beyond the grave. A mystical element that marries well with the strong religious belief of the time within the Court, from which not even the empress can remain immune.
The Empress Season 2 Review: The Last Words
The Empress Season 2 proves to be a more balanced and coherent season than the inaugural cycle for the Netflix series. The interpreters become more aware of their characters, better dressing their uncomfortable clothes, and the staging chooses a more classic but also more solid style. However, there is no lack of dream sequences that involve the protagonist and her willing spirit toward her people, while in the background a general crisis lurks. Sissi must also face a complicated and delicate pregnancy to put an heir on the Throne of Austria. Despite its lack of historical accuracy, The Empress Season 2 is a visually sumptuous and narratively engaging product, suitable for fans of costume stories. The second season delves into the weight of power and the difficulties of life at court, with a darker and more tragic representation than the previous one.
Cast: Devrim Lingnau, Philip Froissant, Melika Foroutan, Johannes Nussbaum, Almila Bagriacik
Created By: Katharina Eyssen
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars)
