The Screen Scribe

Last week I found myself scrolling through the endless river of content on the various streaming services, aimlessly looking for something casual and fun to fire on and lo and behold, an absolute classic hidden in the depths of Amazon Prime. And you don’t even have to pay to rent the damn thing. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones, The Mask of Zorro, is an action / adventure flick in the fashion of classic Western swashbucklers that you very rarely see in modern cinema, mores the pity. Released in 1998, The Mask of Zorro is one of those rare 90s movies that has aged remarkably well, featuring intelligent writing, superb acting, and stunt work and practical effects that rival even today’s standards. It’s a rather nostalgic film for me as we often used to watch it during Christmas or New Years and it’s a cracking adventure film to boot.

Set in 1821, as California transitioned from Spanish to Mexican rule, The Mask of Zorro tells the story of the legendary Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega, who is imprisoned for defending the people of California. Twenty years later Diego escapes prison, seeks to train a new Zorro to take his place and avenge the death of his wife at the hands of his mortal enemy, Don Rafael Montero. He chooses Alejandro Murrieta, a young outlaw, to be his successor, driven by his own need for vengeance against Montero’s right-hand man, Captain Harrison Love, for the murder of his brother. To complicate matters, Diego’s lost daughter, Elena, returns to California and becomes entangled with both men’s quest for vengeance. Together, master and student, they face Montero’s schemes and work to protect the people of California, and rescue Elena from the lies of Montero.

This really is a well put together film, delivering everything an adventure / swashbuckler should, such as the master and mentor relationship, the hero’s journey, the epic training montage showcasing the main character evolving from barely competent to proficient and confident warrior, a budding romance between the hero and the leading lady, and the big action-packed finale that concludes the story in a satisfying, intelligent and cathartic way. It is an incredibly well-crafted film that is fun and entertaining, but never takes itself too seriously, delivering snarky one-liners and subtle winks while also exploring mature themes such as mentorship, revenge, romance, and family that add depth to both the story and the characters that is not often seen in adventure films of this kind. The actors bring wonderful heart to each character, with Hopkins commanding the screen in typical fashion, while the fiery chemistry of Banderas and Zeta Jones catapulted them to stardom as each inhabited their roles with a passion, physicality and dedication rarely seen in modern Hollywood. The villains, Montero and Love, while utterly despicable, provide sympathetic motivations for their actions that elevate them above mere caricutures to become interesting characters in their own right. Scored by James Horner of Braveheart fame, the soundtrack is sweeping, exciting, romantic and epic, adding a level of emotion and poignance to every scene.

Featuring carefully thought-out and interesting characters, an exciting and meaningful story, and charismatic leading actors with wonderful, charming chemistry, The Mask of Zorro is a guaranteed fun watch. As I mentioned earlier, the film has aged well for a 90s film and looks like it could have been filmed recently such is the excellent standard of its production. So, if you’ve either not seen this in a long stretch, or have never seen it before, do yourself a favour and watch The Mask of Zorro.

The Mask of Zorro is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

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