Mask of Zorro, The (1998)

reviewed by
Craig Roush


THE MASK OF ZORRO

Release Date: July 17, 1998 Starring: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones, Stuart Wilson, Matthew Letscher Directed by: Martin Campbell Distributed by: Sony Pictures Entertainment / TriStar Pictures MPAA Rating: PG-13 (intense action and violence) URL: http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio/reviews/1998/mask.htm

For the first time in a long time, both the experienced cinema-goer and the novice movie-watcher get to experience top-notch derring-do and flamboyance without having to travel to an obscure film festival. With a zest normally reserved for independent or little-known features, THE MASK OF ZORRO combines excellent acting and theatrics with guns-blazing action with sensual romanticism with an interesting story for a smorgasboard of demographic targets. Everything about ZORRO is handled thoughtfully, carefully, and intelligently for a motion picture that definitely comes in at above par.

Directed by Martin Campbell, whose last feature saw the return of James Bond in GOLDENEYE, the movie is set in early 19th century Mexico tells the story of the legendary folk hero, Zorro. The masked man is to Mexicans then what Batman is to prepubescent comic readers today - a man who works against crime and injustice anonymously. Similar to Batman, Zorro's true identity is that of an aristocrat, Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins). And so it begins, as Zorro strides onto the screen a la James Bond, etches his Z into space, and the audience is ready. The story, then: Diego wearies of his extensive tenure as Zorro and, after losing his wife and daughter to a cruel tyrant (Stuart Wilson), he retires into hiding. Many years later, he comes across a young man named Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas) who is seeking to avenge his brother's death.

The opening scenes, which develop the characters and motives of Don Diego and Alejandro, are well done in every respect. The audiences grow to know and like the characters. Both are well-cast, Banderas for his sex appeal and Hopkins for his wizened countenance; these appointments continue to show their worth as Banderas and Hopkins play off of each other for the movie's comic relief. As the story continues, it turns out that the man who murdered Alejandro's brother, Captain Harrison Love (Matthew Letscher) now works for Don Diego's villain, Don Rafael Montero. Don Diego takes Alejandro under his wing and trains him to be his successor as the masked hero of Mexico. Unfortunately for both men, the wrench in their plans is the reappearance of Don Diego's daughter, Elena (Catherine Zeta Jones) who had been raised as Montero's own during the intervening years.

Jones plays Elena with noticeable strength and energy, and the result of this is a romance that sizzles veritably between Elena and Alejandro. Although the relationship between Elena and her mostly-unknown father Don Diego is not hit upon until late in the movie, it nevertheless provides a believable motive for Diego's character to take the actions that he does. The only plot hole that the John Eskow, Ted Elliot, and Terry Rossio script encounters, in fact, is the post-Cold War-esque invention of a motive for Don Rafael. Although the Zorro's primary goal was to defend the wronged in the Mexican Revolution, the lack of such an event means that the same villain must inspire a new revolution, this time with the succession of California from the United States. But for all of the fun and games that follows, it's definitely worth looking past; it's also worth paying full price to see the pic.

FINAL AWARD FOR "THE MASK OF ZORRO": 3.5 stars - a great movie.

-- 
Craig Roush
kinnopio@execpc.com
--
Kinnopio's Movie Reviews
http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio

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