The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

From my favorite movies..

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Released in 1998, "The Mask of Zorro" stars Anthony Hopkins as an aging Zorro and Antonio Banderas as an orphaned delinquent with the potential to take over as the hero in early 1840s California. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the babe while Stuart Wilson and Matt Letscher play the villains.As my title blurb suggests, this movie is like Batman and Indiana Jones in the Wild West; there's even a "Bat Cave" (although, I should point out, the character of Zorro pre-dates Batman by 20 years, first appearing in 1919). Like the Indiana Jones movies, this is a fun adventure with thrilling, but eye-rolling scenes. It's nowhere near as good as 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark," but it's as good or better than the sequels.While some people praise the opening sequence as one of the best in history, I found it to be the weakest part of the movie. The action and tone are just so unrealistic and cartoony it seriously tempted me to tune out. Thankfully, I kept watching because the story later pulls you in as the wannabe hero tries to prove himself a worthy replacement of the original Zorro. The confessional scene is particularly well done and hooks the viewer. Speaking of which, Zeta-Jones' beauty is just unreal.The film runs 136 minutes and was shot entirely in Mexico.GRADE: B- (6.5/10 Stars)

Many a movie has been made about Zorro, but nowadays this is probably, if not the most well-known, then at least very close. And for a good reason. It's a great movie that introduces the legendary character to new audiences while also pleasing those that are already familiar with him. It's entertaining, full of great action scenes as well as great characters, has a plot that's just perfect for a summer blockbuster and has a good cast of actors to pull it all off.And while I do think that the plot is just simple enough for a blockbuster adventure swashbuckler film such as this one, I do enjoy its subtle touches. Like the fact that our Zorro this time around is the fictional brother of a real-life Mexican outlaw Joaquín Murrieta or that he is opposed by Harrison Love, who's based on a real-life army man named Harry Love. And the very real conflict between Mexico, California and United States works as the background of it all.The film is also very good at building mythos. The very fact that the original Zorro has grown old and is forced to train a replacement for himself is a great plot hook that allows the film to distance itself from the original stories and build a storyline of its own, while still also giving as all the traditional Zorro moments that we love. Anthony Hopkins plays Diego de la Vega, and while it is a bit distracting whenever he's forced to play the younger Zorro in flashbacks, he is very good as an aged nobleman turned outlaw.Likewise, Antonia Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones shine as the protagonist and his love interest. Both are capable of filling their roles with both the charisma and the humour that these kinds of movies require, and they have good screen chemistry together.The Mask of Zorro is one of my favourite swashbuckling films. It keeps you entertained from start to finish and is filled with enough content to allow you to see it over and over again. Definitely worth a watch for all fans of adventure and fun.

Based on one of the grandaddies of modern superheroes, this 90s take on the crime fighting swashbuckler starts during Don Diego De La Vega's final days as Zorro, when his world is turned upside down, his wife killed, daughter stolen and he himself locked away by the corrupt governor of California. A few decades later, Diego escapes and eventually enlists vengeful bandit Alejandro to take up the mantle of Zorro and bring down the governor once and for all before he can carry out a murderous land scheme.Surprisingly well thought out, this Spielberg-produced 'Zorro' is a a fun ride that also discusses the inspirational power of symbols, masks to be precise, and their transcendent powers. The compelling father-son relationship between Diego and Alejandro is the heart of the film, as each man learns something from the other and lives up to the heroic mantle of Zorro in their own way. One learns to be better than vengeance, the other to be a hero for the people, an icon of good. Despite these hefty themes, the film still regularly has a sense of humour to prevent excess dourness, mainly in seeing the boorish Alejandro become a cultured gentleman, as well as his stubborn horse Tornado.The cast embrace the old fashioned nature of the material. Antonio Banderas knocks it out as a thief-turned-smiling charmer, while Anthony Hopkins & Catherine Zeta Jones wonderfully run with their respective roles of wise mentor and spunky lover, as does Stuart Wilson and Matt Letscher as the governor and sadistic captain. Naturally, also having some great set pieces, like the mine duels, and a passionate, Hispanic-infused score by James Horner, help out further.In terms of criticisms, Campbell's Mexican adventure fills out any adventure lover's bill nicely, and so complaints about the lack of anything drastic, original or confrontational would be to miss the point of the material. The only major complaint is perhaps Letscher is a one note, boo-hiss sadist lackey compared to his more layered, even slightly sympathetic superior, but again, that's just part of this sort of material. Honestly, it's the best kind of film that 'does what it says on the tin'.

Greetings from Lithuania."The Mask of Zorro" (1998) is a superb entertainment, a real crowd pleaser. Made with energy, with and superb performances all over around it's a great flick from start till finish. Like many great revenge stories, this one has everything - a progressing hero, a wonderful central character and so on.Overall, a very solid 8/10 for "The Mask of Zorro" - it's a real entertainment, and you don't have to be a Zorro specialist to truly appreciate this picture, the story is quite simple, but very engaging, acting is the best that could be in this material. Definitely check this flick if you didn't upon it's release.