The Mask of Zorro

I seem to find myself writing an awful lot of reviews lately for films that I saw in my childhood and absolutely loved. In keeping with this trend I recently watched The Mask of Zorro, the 1998 adventure film starring Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones. When I first saw this film I really, really enjoyed it and when it came up at a party recently I discovered that I wasn’t the only one.

It tells about a man who fights for the people of California under the name ‘Zorro’. However, the governor of California is hunting for Zorro. His soldiers kill Diego De La Vega’s wife and Rafael Monteiro takes his daughter for his own. The film then skips forward twenty years and follows De La Vega’s attempts to get his revenge, with the assistance of Alejandro Murrieta who is trying to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of Captain Love. In reality it is a typical adventure movie, but with swordfighting and a good old fashioned revenge plot the child in my absolutely loved it when I first saw it.

The acting isn’t particularly impressive, but it is very engaging. As a child I found the passion with which Antonio Banderas conveys in this role very entertaining and definitely helped me engage with his character much more. Considering Zorro is a Spanish ‘character’, Banderas is perfectly cast in this role. His dedication to this film is such that he performed all his own stunts except one. Presumably he was equally dedicated with his swordsmanship and this is to his great credit. His desire for authenticity shines through in this film and makes many of the action scenes more impressive because one feels that it is Banderas on the screen – mainly because it is.

Anthony Hopkins has been in some absolutely stunning roles, and while Zorro is an enjoyable film, in terms of the acting, Hopkins is decidedly neutral. When you compare this film to some of his other roles, he pales in comparison. However, it is quite enjoyable to watch him on his quest for revenge, and in the majority of the film, Hopkins helps you to feel genuinely sorry for his character. Obviously in most films with an obvious hero you want him to prevail, but Anthony Hopkins makes Zorro much more connected to the people he fought for, but also shows how utterly devoted he was/is to his wife and daughter. When Elena asks him to do something for her, he immediately does, and Hopkins way of conveying this produces a connection with the audience.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is also very enjoyable to watch. Her character, Elena, the daughter of Diego De La Vega, is passionate, strong-willed and fiercely loyal to the man she believes to be her father. Catherine Zeta-Jones doesn’t light up the screen, but she provides a very engaging and entertaining character who is perfectly suited to Alejandro in terms of passion. The scene where he and she are fighting in the stable is a particular highlight for many different reasons. She doesn’t put a foot wrong in this role, but isn’t stunning either. Ultimately, she provides a good performance for the heroine of this movie.

Neither of the two villains particularly excel, but there is something about Matt Letscher as Captain Love that is very sinister. He is a constant threat throughout the film, and is the perfect opponent for the younger Zorro. I remember as a kid being quite scared of Captain Love, and so Letscher does very well to convey this.

Finally, I think that the whole film is enjoyable just because it is atypical action adventure revenge film. There are two different revenge plots going on at once and this keeps you entertained. Also, there is a sub-plot which Zorro has to try and stop. With some moments of comedy and an incredibly likable ‘hero’ in Zorro (no matter who is behind the mask), this film is very entertaining. It might be the case though that if you haven’t watched it as a child you may not like it as much as I do, so beware of that before you watch it. I recommend that you do though.