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The Mask of Zorro

Rating

Director

Martin Campbell

Screenplay

Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Randall Jahnson, John Eskow

Length

2h 16m

Starring

Antonio Banderas, Jose Maria de Tavira, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson, Matt Lescher, Tony Amendola, Pedro Armendariz Jr.

MPAA Rating

PG-13

Basic Plot

A young man wants revenge, but must train to take it.

Review

From out of the dark rides a mysterious stranger in a black mask. His task is to help the oppressed and take revenge for the murder of his brother.

To begin the tale of the masked man, we must see the original. Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) comes in masked to rescue three men from a firing squad. Only his identity is not completely unknown.

After he returns how to be with his wife and tell stories to his baby girl, Don Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson), walks in to confront Zorro. They engage in a brief sword fight, after which Rafael attempts to take Diego’s wife, only to have her killed by an over-zealous guard.

Rafael locks Diego up for his crimes and then takes his daughter, Elena, to raise as his own.

Several years later, two brothers, Alejandro (Antonio Banderas) and Joaquin Murietta (Victor Rivers), along with their partner in crime Three-Fingered Jack (L.Q. Jones) rob a small outpost, but don’t get too far away when they are stopped by Captain Harrison Love (Matthew Letscher). Jack is captured and taken to a prison camp, Alejandro gets away, but Joaquin fails and is beheaded for his troubles.

This puts the seed of revenge into Alejandro who nearly trades a medallion for alcohol. An aged Don Diego, who offers to train him in order to defeat his archenemy, Captain Love, stops him.

In its transition to the 1990s, Zorro has survived. He has found an attractive body and a brilliant premise.

Banderas is great as Zorro and carries the costume well. As does his mentor, Hopkins, who has no problem playing the teacher. Catherine Zeta-Jones, even with her thick accent, is a surprise. Her performance is on the mark.

“The Mask of Zorro” is easily the best action adventure film of the summer. It has everything you could desire, great acting, great romance and an exciting plot. There are occasional clichéd sayings, but they are few in numbers.

Awards Prospects

If competition doesn’t increase, Banderas and Hopkins could get acting nominations, but I highly doubt it. It has shots in Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound, Dramatic Score and Cinematography.

Review Written

August 6, 1998