Le Masque de Zorro

The best thing about this movie is the casting.How ingenius,eh? Antonio Banderas as Zorro,eh?And Stuart Wilson as the central villain.This guy is one of the most unrecognised talents around.As a snidy British baddie,he could easily give your average Dennis Hopper a run for his money.Catherine Zeta Jones is also marvellous as the love interest. The action scenes and stunts are fantastic.Real hollywood at it's best.Martin Campbell keeps an efficent and steady pace to proceedings as director. If there's a problem here,it's that it's probably a tad overlong.But luckily,this unwantern time is'nt filled with unnecessary scenes but scenes as visually exciting as the last. It's also marvellous that it's a PG,because such past fare,like Bad Boys,is loud,action packed,exciting and brilliant,it's also rather flatulent and rude.This is just superb action entertainment which can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) is the original Zorro who battled the tyrannical Spanish rule of Governor Montero. On the verge of liberation, Zorro is imprisoned, his wife killed, and his daughter abducted. Twenty years later, Montero returns to take advantage and Zorro escapes with Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas). Zorro decides to train Alejandro as the new Zorro.

This is a good adventure flick. It has fun sword play especially with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas. They have good chemistry together. And so does Hopkins and Banderas. It keeps the tone light and irreverent. It's an entertaining romp.

THE MASK OF ZORRO ****1/2 Stunning, visually rich, and highly acclaimed motion picture that retells the story of the Masked Swordsman (Anthony Hopkins) serving the people of California by saving them from the devious plans and conspiracies the Spanish empire and trained forces carry out. Hopkins trains a new Zorro (properly portrayed by Antonio Benderas) to take his place and save California from a tasteless fate. What subsequently takes place is nothing short of first-rate entertainment. The film has delightful humour and well choreographed sword-on-sword sequences. The musical score by James Horner provides additional supportive elements to capture all of the film's diverse moments. Excellent direction by Martin Campbell. A must-see.

Antonio Banderas is appropriately magnificent along with gorgeous heroine Catherine Zeta-Jones.This superior Zorro with great swordplay is a lavish swashbuckler starred by Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas as the dashing masked avengers . A young Banderas dons a black outfit and becomes the ideal Zorro riding in the hoofprints continuing in the wake of the old Zorro-Hopkins who passes his mantle of protector of hapless ad unfortunates. This is a zesty recounting of saga of legendary masked rider , though not as distinctive as previous classic entry starred by Tyrone Power. Here Zorro faces danger from governor Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson) as well as corrupt villain captain Harrison (Matt Letscher). And Anthony Hopkins gives slickness and distinction as elegant veteran Zorro. After numerous setbacks the hero and his lovely heroine, a wonderful Catherine Zeta-Jones, help the good people of California thwart the greedy schemes of a meanie who stands in the way of statehood for the territory. The nimble actor Banderas runs and jumps all over the images of this movie, as he deals with the oppressor with a breathtaking finale and wreak havoc included.

In this first Zorro starred by Antonio Banderas took a chance and jumped from comedy-action to costumed comedy-adventures; he steals the show as Murrieta/Zorro relishing his secret identity with cape and sword; executing bounds and leaps, twists and climbs and throughly enjoys himself. A great casting and an unstopped action keep this picture moving at a rapid clip. Banderas made the character of Zorro his own and quickly established himself as a Latin legend. Antonio Banderas is terrific as the Zorro, well accompanied by ideal heroine, a beautiful Zeta-Jones. Nice secondary cast, such as Stuart Wilson, overacting outrageously as the villain, and actors as Tony Amendola and Pedro Armendariz Jr , booth of whom will repeat acting in the following. Furthermore, overwhelming swordplay and horse action and displays too much of everything. Stirring musical score by James Horner and colorful cinematography by Phil Meheux. Other versions about this known character created by Johnston McCulley are the following : The mute classic adaptation ¨Mark of Zorro¨(1920, Fred Niblo, with Douglas Fairbanks), the classic ¨Mark of Zorro¨(1940, Robert Mamoulian with Tyrone Power, Basil Rathbone and Linda Darnell), and followed by ¨The legend of Zorro¨( 2005, Martin Campbell again with Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones, Tony Amendola,Pedro Armendariz and Rufus Sewell) and European version ¨Zorro¨(1975, Duccio Tessari with Alain Delon, Octavia Piccolo and Stanley Baker) . Rating : 7,5, good, better than average. The motion picture will appeal to trio protagonist fans: Banderas, Hopkins and Zeta Jones. Well worth watching.

This movie really is an old fashioned swash-buckler. There is no question that it is corny, cliched or predictable - it is all of these in great measure - but it is also a fun movie and well polished. Anthony Hopkins carries off his role in his characteristically classy fashion, Antonio Banderas is quite capable as Alejandro, but Catherine Zeta Jones (who, annoyingly, is referred to as 'newcomer' in publicity material, in spite of prior film experience) is stunning as Elena [although incredibly easily convinced to turn on the only father she'd known for the 20 years of her life!]. This movie is good - not worth the 7.7 or so it's currently running at but this will come down as the hype does - for a bit of fun and well made, but there is nothing new or surprising here - just old-fashioned story-telling tied to modern movie making. 7/10