Rating: 
Summary: Pointy end goes into the bad guy
Review: The Mask of Zorro is a great movie! It has Antonio Banderas, Caterine Zeta Jones and Athony Hopkins! Zorro (Hopkins) is an aging freedom fighter in Mexico. He is captured by his arch enemy, and has his daughter stolen from him (boo!)
Years later, Zorro escapes from the prision and seeks revenge. He meets up with a common thief (Banderas)and teaches him to be the new Zorro! (This might take some time)
Rating:
Summary: Action packed for all boys
Review: My son got this movie a few years ago. He is now turning 7 and it is still his favorite movie! It doesn't have graphic violence but it does have all the physical action that litte boys love. I can't tell you how many times I have heard "I'd like to give you the honor of being my horse" from my son and his Dad. However, he maybe a little too prepared for teenager-hood as he has practiced "the Zorro kiss" many times over! We even had to buy the CD so he could have the music. Absolutely a must have for video collections.
Rating:
Summary: ...They make the sign of the Z...
Review: This film is the most recent Zorro film. It stars the young Hispanic Antonio Banderas and the intelligent actor Anthony Hopkins. THis may be the first time that a true Hispanic has played Zorro in an American film.
In 1820, Spain has lost California to Mexico. But Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson) the Spanish govenor, is determined to kill his nemisis Zorro. The fox again foils Montero's plans with the help of two young orphans, one of whom he gives a medallion. Somehow, Montero learns that Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) is Zorro. Diego's wife is murdered by Montero's men, his hacienda burned, Montero robs him of his child, and Diego is sent to prison. Defeated but determined never to surrender, the enraged fox promises the govenor that he will never be rid of him.
Twenty years later, Santa Anna has become worse than Montero, and people vanish without a trace. The orphan who helped Zorro, Alejandro Mureita (Banderas) and his brother are caught by Montero's man Capitan Love (Matthew Letcher) who beheads Alejandro's brother. Meanwhile, Deigo escapes and sees that Montero has raised his stolen child Elena (Catherine Zeta Jones). Diego sees Alejandro. The two men form an alliance. Diego trains Alejandro in the art of the sword, the whip, riding a horse, and athletic ability. Alejandro tries an exlpoit as Zorro but is rejected by Diego. In the end, however, the new fox earns his mask. Diego now seeks revenge on his nemisis, Montero, while the new Zorro tries to free the people.
This film extends Zorro's legacy. However, in the future I am sure we will see more films with Zorro being Diego. One line with this film seems to hold more emotion than the rest.
DIEGO: "Rafael! You'll never be rid of me! Never!"
Rating:
Summary: One of the best of it's type from hollywood in years
Review: This was a wonderful movie of its type, a nice lighthearted adventure. Not surprisingly, the best acted sceans are those that center around Mr. Hopkins. While it is an axiom that hollywood places looks above talent, the leads also turned in solid permormances. If I were to have any question on the casting it would be in regards to Ms Zeta-Jones who, while as stunning a woman as has ever graced the earth, is clearly of english lineage. Ever heard of Salma Hayec guys? I belive Ms Zeta-Jones does an excellent job, I just think it would have been better to have used someone of roughly similar talents, equal in beauty, who actually was latin. (With respect to Ms Zeta-Jones, Hopkins talent makes any concern as to his lineage moot.)
The character deveolpment is well done. The bitter Diego, who want Alejandro to put his job over revenge but does not to so himself, alejandro who lusts for revenge but learns to take his time to acheive it as part of what is right, even Rafeal's desire/love for Diego's wife seems to be true as opposed to the brute lust that it could have been protrayed as.
Like all movies of its type it does fall prey to the silly idea of one person holding off a dozen hiw sword agaianst thieir swords and guns but at least the sword play is well done with the combatents attempting to stike each other as oppose to hitting their swords together ( especially since these are weapons that employ primarily the point rather than the edge so hacking and blacking Conan style would not be realistic.)
The interplay between the vaious actors is very good and the emotions are well portrayed, the sorrow or the brother, the wistfullness for the wife, etc. The best such part is probably the chat between Diego and Elena in the stable. The film does do a nice job at displaying chaacter depth through their breif dialogs about their lives(Elena riding across the plains of Andelusia, etc) and one can connect with the emotions they feel. The only weakness in this regard is near the end with a Eleana being unconflicted about the eventual fate of her foster father.
The only other real issue that come to mind is that of the grand ethical theme. There is never any indication as to why it would be worse for the average peasant to be ruled by the Dons in the independent republic of california as opposed to being ruled by Santa Anna. The evil we are shown is an evil of means rather than an evil of ends. I do not know enough about the hisory of that region to comment on this, but it really didn't get my heart going in terms of being a good vs evil issue. Perhaps it would have simply been better to have a despot busy on the fron with a war than haning local despots hanging over one's head.
The last point is, however, irrelevant. This is not a movie for analysis, it is to sit and enjoy. In that regard is scores very well indeed.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Entertaining
Review: I don't know, but maybe some viewers were watching this movie upside down or maybe the "Gayblade". But this movie was a real piece of work and the parts were set up just right. With some movies you can't expect action from the start. This was set up very well and antonio Banderas turned in a splendid performance as the new Zorro and it ended well with the classic style of the good guys winning and getting the girl. Except the movie for what it is, Entertaining. GET THIS ONE.
Rating:
Summary: One of my Top Ten of 1998
Review: "The Mask of Zorro" turned out to be the best surprises of 1998. It is much better than I expected it to be and vastly superior to the year's only other mega-budget movie worth mentioning, the happily psychotic "Armageddon". The only fault worth mentioning is that it takes awhile to get into gear. This may be due to the tendency of today's features to run longer. Once it's up and running, it never slows down. Anthony Hopkins play Diego, who is secretly Zorro. Now with a young wife and a child, he is ready to throw in the mask. Due to a cruel twist of fate, his retirement does not occur the way he planned. Twenty years later, young Alejandro [Anthony Banderas], assisted by Diego, becomes a new Zorro. The place is California as was in the early 1800s, when it went from Spanish to Mexican rule. The villains, superbly played by Stuart Wilson and Matthew Letscher, are Don Rafael and his henchman Captain Harrison. These two are beyond bad to the bone. You will love hating them. They have come to California to stir up some terrible trouble. They are accompanied by Rafael's beautiful daughter Elena [Catherine Zeta-Jones]. This is all I will tell you about the story, other than that its got an excellent plot. "The Mark of Zorro" is in a class with the great swashbuckling epics of the past, yet it is also fresh. One can imagine Errol Flynn playing the young Zorro, but the tone is closer to the standards set by the "Star Wars" trilogy. It harkens back to older action-adventure classics for several reasons. The plot and the dialog do not require us to think, while assuming we are reasonably intelligent. The attention to set design and to costumes is impeccable. Many of the scenes are filled with people rather than special effects. There appears to be more reliance on trick photography than on computer generated images. Best of all, the interaction between the actors is electric. Sparks fly between Hopkins and Banderas, Hopkins and Wilson and Banderas and Letscher. This palls besides the white heat generated in the scenes involving Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. She is one of the most beautiful women to grace the screen in ages. She also possesses great talent. Banderas has recovered from the slump he fell into because of several poor films. Their dance together and their sword fight are two of the most passionate scenes ever recorded on film. Like much of the film, a comic tone underscores these scenes. This was a device often successfully used by Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s. The movie's climax has so much going on that it might wear some viewers out. The plot's three main elements come together in a big bang. I thought it was brilliant. The photography is first rate throughout. The music is by James Horner. It is rousing but unoriginal. In fact, one major theme was first used by him in 1983s "Brainstorm". "The Mask of Zorro" was his 105th film score. I suppose anyone would run out of ideas at that point. I highly recommend this movie. It takes us to a magical place we seem to have fond memories of. I call that place The Land of Never Was. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: dissapointed
Review: When I heard about this movie I was excited because I loved Zorro. But when I saw this I thought what the hell were they thinking. Zorro needs a smile of that of a fox. very misleading. The basis of the movie wasn't even good. You need something where you can really think is he really zorro or does he have a twin. I didn't get that from this. I never thought I would not like a zorro movie but when I saw this I hated it right from the start. The only other movie I hated of a zorro type was the gay blade I mean that was the stupidest movie..So my final word on this movie is that I hated it and I don't reccomend it!
Rating:
Summary: I love Zorro's DVD!!
Review: The Mask of Zorro is one of my all time favorites movies! I really enjoy the DVD, It was the first DVD I bought after my parents bought a DVD player.
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Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT!!!
Review: This film is a must-see for anyone who can possibly look at a screen!! The casting is excellent - Elena couldn't be played by anyone sexier than Catherine Zeta Jones, Diego de la Vega couldn't be played by anyone with half as much attitude as Anthony Hopkins, and Alejandro/Zorro couldn't be played by anyone without Antonio Banderas' great Spanish accent and moves. Some of the excellent scenes were the dancing scene (boy, can Zeta Jones and Banderas dance!) at the party, the mysterious confession scene, the sword fight between Elena and Zorro, and the scene where Diego de la Vega speaks with Elena in the stable. MUST-SEE FILM!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Mask of Zorro -- 9 stars!
Review: One of the best movies around. The best! Banderas, Zeta-Jones, and Hopkins work wonderfully together. In the watching of this film, it is easy to see why these actors were chosen for their roles. In this version of "Zorro" you get a bit more of the back-story, in to what makes Zorro who he is today. Scenery and costumes for the film are awe inspiring. Good representation of a story that is always retold. "The Mask of Zorro," reminds me a lot of another film with its romance, action, and drama. That movie is "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves."
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