THE MASK OF ZORRO
Adele Tan
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Produced by: TriStar Pictures [us] / Zorro Productions / Amblin Entertainment
Written by: Ted Elliott (story) & Terry Rossio (story) and Randall Jahnson (story)
Starring : Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anthony Hopkins.
Official Website: http://www.sony.com/zorro
This Review Filed: 26 August, 1998.
Rating :This review might contain spoilers. Read on at your own risk!*** out of ***** for high predictability and occasional corniness **** out of ***** for seductive passion and swashbuckling fun
Perhaps this is a world in need of saving. Coming in hot on the trails of pre/post millennium heroics in DEEP IMPACT and ARMAGEDDON, we now go back to the old-world charms of fairytale saviours. In THE MASK OF ZORRO we are reminded yet again that the worl d is a degenerate place and humans need to be saved from wretched tragedy. The actions of the hero (in this case, Zorro) once more affirm our faith that good will triumph over evil in the enduring battle between the two cardinal opposites.
This is a remake of the 1919 version starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. as a masked, rapier-wielding crusader who is born into the Spanish upper classes but becomes an advocate of the poor's rights, sort of a Californian version of Robin Hood. The plot is qu ite simple. Zorro is Don Diego de la Vega, (Anthony Hopkins) who is now past his prime but still meting out justice where it must be served. His mortal enemy and rival in love is Don Montero (Stuart Wilson) who is the cruel and despotic Don of a Mexican/C alifornian town.
In a twist of fate and fortunes, Montero discovers de la Vega's identity and imprisons him whilst at the same time taking away his baby daughter Elena, bringing her up as his own in Spain. Twenty years later, de la Vega escapes from prison and meets Aleja ndro (Antonio Banderas), a rough-mannered horse thief who is out to avenge his brother's death at the hands of a high-handed Calvary officer (Mathew Letscher). It so happens that Alejandro was a previous acquaintance who had helped Zorro twenty years earl ier and now the tired and ailing Zorro picks and trains him as his successor.
In pursuit of their own vengeance, they uncover a devious plot by Montero to silence thousands of Mestizo gold-miners after embezzling the gold bars for himself and the Spanish crown at the expense of the ruling Mexican Santa Ana government. In the final showdown at the secret quarry, the new and old Zorros get their deeds and justice done and de la Vega finally convinces Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) that he is her father and to help him against Montero. To tie up the loose ends, de la Vega dies to make w ay for the new Zorro and entrusts Elena's hand to him. The overall plot is pretty trite and standard variations on love, courage, chivalry, fair play, and retribution and played out once more with a simplified moral core.
But other things more than make up for this. There are lots of great stunt sequences and you'll find out that the art of swordplay is not only privy to Chinese drama serials. There is a great thrill every time Zorro makes an escape or when he crosses his foils with someone else. This film is so packed with adventure that it is the action that creates the momentary suspense and twists. Well-executed cinematography, stunt direction, earthy terracotta hues and beautiful Andalusians steeds give this film gre at visual appeal.
Although good and evil are hardly to be mistaken for each other, ZORRO's writers have decided to make their heroes more credible, complete with flaws and foibles. Zorro is an almost nineties man, filled with debonair charm and sensibilities without OD-ing on the machismo. Anthony Hopkins plays de la Vega as an elegant gentleman who is worldly-wise, a man with strong moral convictions who reins in his emotions with his rationality. Yet, he also injects elder Zorro with enough irascibility and jaded sentime nts. Still he never quite manages to throw off his crisp British accent when delivering some of the dry wit and humour. In contrast, Banderas is the rash and bumbling incumbent who never fails to disrupt his suave and polished made-over demeanour with a f ew faux pas. (This film does best when it dares to laugh at itself). Maybe Banderas is showing some talent for comedy. At the same time his brashness is refreshing and more endearing. However, that does not preclude him from steaming up the screen with h is smouldering looks and cutting a pretty handsome figure.
Even the female protagonist is being revised and her role enlarged to beyond the hapless love interest. Here, Elena is feisty, strong-willed and spirited gal with a penchant for masculine pursuits like fencing and politics. She even takes on the task of t he rescuer/heroine at the end as she helps to free the Mexican slaves, brandishing pistols and braving explosives. Although the revisionism might seem a little too pat and easy, even reductive, Elena nevertheless has a better deal than being typecast as t he demure damsel in distress.
Zeta-Jones is breathtakingly stunning but what really captures is her screen presence and dramatic ability. Perhaps the highlight of the show is the sparks and heat generated by Banderas and Zeta-Jones. Their repartee is charged with sexual overtones and especially when doing the flamenco. With their amazing chemistry, the plethora of sexual teasing comes effortlessly. One scene to note is when the two are locked in a sword-fight (the rapier is after all a phallic symbol) and a battle of witticisms, when Banderas playfully slices off her slip leaving her stark naked. Undoubtedly, the pair burns hotter and brighter than Zorro's flaming "Z".
The film is of brave, fiery hearts with a sense of generosity and a symbolic hope for the future, which Zorro will be for the people. Yet, it is also ostensibly about how male egos are settled by the sword and by brute force. It is a very masculine film d espite what has been said before. It is also about how the colonized and the victimized will look to a white, European male to free them from abject existence. The oppressed need an external redeemer. But there is no need to dwell on these conceptual comp lexities when it purports itself to be only a highly entertaining piece of action adventure. There is plenty to see and shout about so you won't feel like you've missed anything. Plus, you'll feel that the world is a much better off place.
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