THE AISLE SEAT - "THE MASK OF ZORRO"

by Mike McGranaghan

In a summer movie season filled with killer asteroids, talking animals, and a gigantic lizard, the idea of making a new Zorro picture seems almost quaint. From time to time, Hollywood seems to long for the simpler days of cinematic adventure, producing such retro films as The Rocketeer, The Phantom, and The Shadow (all of which I really enjoyed). Despite its honorable intentions - and the welcome respite it provides from brain-pounding junk like Armageddon - The Mask of Zorro never quite lifts off. I like the idea of this movie more than I like the movie itself.

The Mask of Zorro actually has two Zorros. Anthony Hopkins plays the elder one, Don Diego de la Vega. In a prologue, we see his arch nemesis, Don Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson) kill Don Diego's wife and kidnap his infant daughter Elena. Diego himself is imprisoned for twenty years. Upon his release, he seeks revenge. A chance encounter leads him to Alejandro Murieta (Antonio Banderas) who is also seeking revenge. In Murieta's case, he wants to avenge the murder of his brother, which - coincidentally - was committed by Captain Love, one of Montero's associates.

Don Diego teaches the younger man to be the new Zorro, and together they plot to settle their scores. In doing so, they meet the now-grown Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones). She has no clue who Don Diego is, believing Montero to be her real father. Don Diego doesn't let on. Murieta, however, expresses his romantic interest in the woman immediately.

There are many impressive elements in The Mask of Zorro. The action scenes, set design and especially the performances are all terrific. I'm a big fan of Anthony Hopkins and his performance in this movie is heroic, sad, and brave all at once. As the younger Zorro, Banderas is perfectly cast. He can be a very physical actor, yet he brings a sense of intelligence and concentration to his action roles. Also, his screen presence is magnified by that black mask; the guy epitomizes Zorro cool. Zeta-Jones (who had a small part in The Phantom) makes perhaps the biggest impression of all, holding her own against the two big stars. There is a great seduction scene in which she and Banderas duel playfully. The chemistry is definitely there between them, making this one of the sexiest scenes in recent memory.

Although the movie doesn't rely on elaborate computer effects, it has a lot of really entertaining action. It's refreshing to see a sword fight on screen instead of a gun fight or a laser battle. Scenes in which the dueling, acrobatic Zorro takes on his enemies require choreography and grace - things that most action movies these days have no use for. It's an undeniable thrill watching this kind of thing done with such precision.

The problem with The Mask of Zorro is that the story, unfortunately, is too traditional. I have no qualm with movies trying to capture an old-fashioned feel, but this script is so loaded with cliches that it might as well have been written for a 1940's Zorro adventure. In one scene, Montero's gun-toting troops find Zorro holding a knife to their leader's throat, and the film stoops to having this hackneyed exchange of dialogue:

Zorro: "Put down your weapons!"
Montero: "Do as he says!"

The dialogue often seems lifted out of countless old movies, as do most of the labored plot points. If you're going to tackle a vintage subject like this, why not put some kind of spin on it so that it seems fresh for today's audience?

Originally, The Mask of Zorro was going to be directed by Robert Rodriguez (who worked with Banderas in Desperado). I have no doubt that he would have added some pizzazz to the movie's style. Rodriguez left over budget disputes, and Martin Campbell (Goldeneye) was brought in. Campbell shoots the film in a predictable, uninspired way. Although it looks great, the pacing and energy of the plot fall short of where they should be.

I liked parts of the movie a lot, but ultimately I was let down by it. It's nice to have a summer movie that at least tries to create a sense of old-fashioned fun. But instead of capturing the classic feel of Zorro movies, The Mask of Zorro just feels stale.

( 1/2 out of four)

The Mask of Zorro is rated PG-13 for violence and sexual suggestiveness. The running time is 2 hours and 16 minutes.