Tagline: It’s like Batman!
Curiosity: I bought this movie specifically because my girlfriend Michelle said Zorro sucks. Boy did I show her!
Plot: In the 19th century, Zorro (Anthony Hopkins, because why not?) kicks the dickens out of the Spaniards on behalf of Californians everywhere and then hurries home to his family. It’s totally awesome and hi-larious until the Spaniards, led by Don Rafael (Stuart Wilson), show up, murderize Zorro’s wife, steal his daughter, and burn his house down. Zorro celebrates by rotting in prison for 20 years.
Then Antonio Banderas shows up, Zorro gets his shit together, and they kick butt again!
Thoughts: I’m going to make the following concessions about Zorro, in fairness to my girlfriend. It’s silly that none of the leads are Hispanic (Well, besides Matt Lescher as the psycho-crazy Harrison Love, but he’s supposed to be white). Banderas is the first Spanish actor to play Zorro, who’s supposed to be a Spaniard… except he’s technically playing Zorro II, who’s supposed to be Californian. Catherine Zeta-Jones does a good job with the accent as Zorro’s daughter, but Hopkins is clearly playing himself with a tan. The plot gets a little nonsensical at times, and the running time is a bit bloated.
But this is an action/comedy with explosions and swords and Antonio Banderas! Dude gets along with everybody. His scenes with Hopkins are funny; his work with Zeta-Jones smolders. Smolders! What’s great about Zorro is that he’s exactly like Batman (OK, Bob Kane probably ripped off Zorro…), only fun. And not campy fun either. The character plays with his foes, making fools out of them. Accordingly, this movie delivers plenty of physical comedy courtesy of Banderas. My only regret is that Robert Rodriguez, who was slated to direct, dropped out over budgetary issues, only to have his successor, Martin Campbell (Goldeneye, Edge of Darkness) get like twice the money Rodriguez originally asked for.
Reflection: This movie made like $250 million. Take that, Michelle!
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