The Mask Of Zorro Review

When, in 1919, Johnston McCulley wrote the story ' The Curse of Capistrano ' for the second issue of ' All-Story Weekly ' magazine, most likely, he was not capable of imagining that Zorro , the protagonist of said story, would reach a transcendence so great that, to this day, it is still as valid as it was ninety-eight years ago, thanks to various media such as the aforementioned literature, theater, comics, television and cinema.

And precisely the seventh art is what we will focus on in this article, since, in the following lines, you will be able to read a detailed analysis of one of the most famous films about the masked outlaw played by the noble Don Diego de la Vega . It is true that the character had his film debut in ' The Mark of Zorro ' (1920). However, on this occasion, we will focus on a film dated at the end of the last decade of the 20th century, under the title of ' The Mask of Zorro ' (1998).

The film, which lasts more than two and a quarter hours, is directed by Martin Campbell and includes in its cast Antonio Banderas (as Alejando Murrieta ), Anthony Hopkins (in the role of Don Diego de la Vega ), Catherine Zeta-Jones ( who plays Elena Montero ), Stuart Wilson (who plays Don Rafael Montero ) and Matt Lestcher (who plays Captain Love).

In 1891, the Spanish occupation of Mexico was coming to an end. A popular rebellion, led by Captain Santa Ana , reached from the arid mountains of the south to the fertile northern province of California. The peasants asked for the head of the governor: Don Rafael Montero. Although he had orders to return to Spain, Montero refused to relinquish power without a final vengeance.

Twenty years after Don Rafael Montero managed to capture Zorro and destroy his entire world, after having killed his wife Esperanza , kidnapped his daughter Elena and stolen his horse Tornado , Don Diego de la Vega manages to escape from prison. Alejandro Murrieta crosses his path , a former criminal who intends to settle the pending accounts with Captain Love , lieutenant of Don Rafael Montero and murderer of his brother. Of the alliance that was finally forged between Don Diego de la Vega and Alejando Murrieta must resurface the legendary and iconic outlaw known as Zorro .

Although the absence of some classic character, such as Lolita Pulido, is noticeable, we do find other regular secondary characters in the adventures of Zorro . In addition to the aforementioned Don Rafael Montero (one of his best-known enemies), we have the presence of Fray Felipe (played by William Márquez ). There is also some reference to the servant Bernardo , although in a somewhat different way to what we are used to.

The film begins and ends with a famous image of Zorro using the sword to mark his famous initial on fire, as shown by the film poster at the head of this article.

The success of the film (whose shooting was filmed between Mexico, Orlando and Florida) was so outstanding, both critically and financially, that it led to the shooting of a sequel in which, in addition to Martin Campbell returning to sit in the chair from the director, Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones reprized their roles as Alejandro and Elena . Its title was: ' The Legend of Zorro ' (2005).

If there is one conclusion that we can draw from this film, it is that we live in a society in which the importance of symbols is fundamental. Actually, it is not the most important thing who is under the mask of Zorro , masterfully handling the sword and the whip. The really crucial thing is that he is able to keep alive the legend created by the original vigilante. As an anecdote, it is worth noting the fact that, in the movie ' The New Adventures of Zorro ' (1975), the fact that Don Diego de la Vega had a substitute under his mask was already discussed , although in a much more humorous tone. than that of the film analyzed in this article.

Another curious fact to keep in mind is that, two years after the theatrical release of this project, a Mexican shoot with the same title was carried out, starring Bruno Bichir and Mario Colli , which has not managed to achieve the same degree of success. since, when people name ' The Mask of Zorro ', the film starring Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins comes to mind .

In short, it is an interesting feature film that gives a new twist to the iconic character of Zorro , which will not leave any unconditional fan of the masked vigilante unhappy.

To finish, it only remains to point out that, if you are reading this article, it is most likely that you are a fan of Zorro , so you should be in luck because, as we already mentioned at the time , Jonás Cuarón plans to release a new movie in the near future . version of the character, in what would be considered a post-apocalyptic reboot, under the title of ' Zorro reborn ', whose promotional image you can see below these lines.