Antonio Banderas in THE LEGEND OF ZORRO (2005).
© Columbia Pictures

Mania Grade: B
Reviewed Format: Theatrical Release
Rated: PG
Stars: Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rufus Sewell, Nick Chinlund, Adrian Alonso
Writers: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, story by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
Director: Martin Campbell
Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Related Links

0

THE LEGEND OF ZORRO

On screen, it's been 10 years since Alejandro (Banderas) went from being a low-level criminal to the dashing, civic-minded Zorro and won the hand of the lovely Elena (Zeta-Jones), who is pretty good with a sword herself. Though nobody in the new movie mentions it, Alejandro has dropped his original surname (Murrieta) and taken up that of his wife and his late father-in-law (Anthony Hopkins in the first film, who does not appear here), de la Vega. Alejandro and Elena clearly still love one another, but she is annoyed that he is spends more time saving California as Zorro than he does at home as father to their young son Joaquin (Adrian Alonso), who worships Zorro without realizing the object of his reverence is, er, close to home. Bewilderingly to Alejandro, but not the audience, as we know she's being coerced Elena sues for divorce, leaving Alejandro in a state of drunken despair. California has the opportunity to become the 31st of the United States, but there is a nefarious plot against unification. However, can Zorro rise to the occasion? What is Elena doing hanging out with the new smooth French aristocrat (Rufus Sewell) on his vineyard? And will little Joaquin ever learn the big secret and respect his father?

The swordfights are swell and Banderas and Zeta-Jones individually appear to be having a terrific time they both do the sword-wielding, elbow-smashing, nose-kicking hero business as though born to it. Together, they generate so much sexual chemistry that they're enough to restore your faith in the power of the big screen kiss as a true movie moment.

So what's missing? The screenplay by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, working from their story with original MASK OF ZORRO writing partners Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, is very good at weaving a variety of plot threads together and coming up with ways of integrating little Joaquin into the story, and young Alonso is fine in the role, but we're nevertheless conscious of the wheels turning and time being taken to integrate a focal point for the under-12 set. Also, perhaps due to the drive to get a PG rather than PG-13 rating, the villains are less distinctively villainous this time around there's nothing here like those scenes with the psychotic Captain Love from the first film. Sewell conveys highborn insouciance (though his French accent is a bit uncertain), but we never hate him as much as we should for us to long for his comeuppance. On the other hand, Nick Chinlund as a racist thug who's the chief fixer for the baddies is menacing and suitably hissable.

THE LEGEND OF ZORRO is reasonably good fun it just has moments where we have the feeling that it could have been more.