Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageThe Mask of Zorro (1998)
Director: Martin Campbell
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Los Angeles, the 1840s. Two decades after Spanish governor Montero (Wilson) threw him in jail, killing his wife and abducting his infant daughter, Zorro (Hopkins), the Mexican outlaw/freedom fighter, escapes. Meanwhile, bandit Alejandro (Banderas) wants revenge for the death of his own brother at the hands of Montero's aide Captain Love, a proto-Nazi. Zorro and Alejandro team to save Hispanic America from exploitative Europeans. The film is flawed by Hopkins' Connery-like eschewal of an appropriate accent, action movie bombast, a storyline short on logic and long on clichés, and that tiresome modern habit of proclaiming a character's heroism while undermining it with knowing winks and 'ironic' comedy. That said, it's also fun (if over-extended): the duels are colourful, the music and 'Scope camerawork touch in moments of romanticism, and Banderas and Zeta Jones (Zorro's daughter) cut a dash.Author: GA
Cast & crew
Director: Martin Campbell
Producer: Doug Claybourne, David Foster
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones, Stuart Wilson, Matt Letscher, Maury Chaykin, Tony Almendola full cast
Genre(s): Period/Swashbucklers
Duration: 138 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now