The Mask of Zorro Review
by Bob Bloom (cbloom AT iquest DOT net)February 7th, 1999
The Mask of Zorro (1998) 3 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The Mask of Zorro is everything you'd want a swashbuckler to be.
A tale filled with romance, daring deeds, spectacular stunts, stunning swordplay, dashing heroes, dastardly villains, all done on a larger-than-life tableaux with a sly bit of tongue-in-cheek.
This rousing adventure spans 20 years and tells of the aged Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins), the original Zorro, who after languishing in prison for 20 years escapes and finds an apt pupil, Alejandro Murieta (Antonio Banderas), to train and take his place. Think of it as a 19th-century "Rapier Kid."
Don Diego seeks revenge against Don Raphael Montero (Stuart Wilson) who, as the despised governor of California 20 years earlier, was responsible for the death of Don Diego's wife, killed in the struggle to capture Zorro.
Montero, who fled to Spain with Elena, Diego's baby daughter, has returned to California with the now-grown girl who believes the villain is her father. Montero's scheme is to buy California from Mexico and establish an independent nation with himself as leader.
Thwarting him at every turn is the new, young Zorro, Alejandro, trained by Diego to be a "servant of the people," to protect them and right wrongs.
Under the able direction of Martin Campbell (Goldeneye), The Mask of Zorro is a sweeping adventure with an old-fashioned sensibility, recalling the days when Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks (Sr. and Jr.) picked up a sword to defend the helpless, protect the crown and defeat all blackguards.
However, the movie does offer a nod to the '90s. Elena (the stunning Catherine Zeta-Jones) is a spunky lass who speaks her mind and can handle a sword as well as any man.
Hopkins is wise, patient and determined as the aged Diego, passing on not only his knowledge of how to handle a sword and whip, but how to outfox the opposition to his hot-headed student.
Banderas is charming, a bit self-depreciating and charismatic as the new man in black. He handles a sword with skill, dances well and woos Elena with panache and wit.
Wilson is a fine, brains heavy who leaves much of the dirty work to his murderous aide, Capt. Love (the handsome and chilling Matt Letscher).
The duels are exciting and flashy, enhanced by a wonderfully full score by Academy Award-winner James Horner.
The Mask of Zorro is a grand time, filled with colorful characters and grand landscapes. It recalls a time when movies were magical.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. You can e-mail him at [email protected] or at [email protected]
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