The Mask of Zorro

Name: The Mask of Zorro
Genre: Action, Adventure, Romance, Western
Released: July 17, 1998
Duration: 136 min
Rating: 62
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta Jones

1998

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 263 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 263 Ratings

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The Mask Of Zorro

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Movie Details & Credits

TriStar Pictures | Release Date: July 17, 1998 | PG-13

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta Jones

Summary: A sweeping romantic adventure of love and honor, of tragedy and triumph set against Mexico's fight for independence from the iron fist of Spain. (Sony)

Director: Martin Campbell

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Romance, Western

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 136 min

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Critic Reviews

Janet Maslin

This is hot-weather escapism so earnestly retrograde that it seems new. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

A lively, old-fashioned adventure yarn with just a twist of modern attitude, it's the kind of pleasant entertainment that allows the paying customers to have as much fun as the people on screen. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The film is a display of traditional movie craftsmanship, especially at the level of the screenplay, which respects the characters and story and doesn't simply use them for dialogue breaks between action sequences. Read full review

Scott Tobias

The Mask Of Zorro is disarming for the same reasons, coasting on the charisma of its stars and a few exciting action setpieces. Read full review

Bruce Diones

Director Martin Campbell's lumpy direction doesn't coalesce into anything much beyond a pleasant assembly of set pieces. Read full review

Lisa Alspector

Antonio Banderas signs up for charisma lessons from Anthony Hopkins -- but they just don't take. Read full review

Dallas Observer Peter Rainer

A romantic adventure-movie slapstick that's too screwy for the action crowd and too old-fashioned for the Home Alone contingent. Read full review

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User Reviews

GoldenEye16

Aug 11, 2010

This movie is phenomenal and definitely one of the most underrated movies of all-time. The plot is great, everything flows wonderfully from scene to scene and it gives you that feel of a real authentic movie. The action is fantastic as well, I mean who doesn't love sword-fightingThis movie is phenomenal and definitely one of the most underrated movies of all-time. The plot is great, everything flows wonderfully from scene to scene and it gives you that feel of a real authentic movie. The action is fantastic as well, I mean who doesn't love sword-fighting especially when its done this good. I thought characters were also well mapped out and you really do care what happens to them.… Expand

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

JoséA.

Dec 11, 2005

This a very very cool movie is great.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Benign

Sep 11, 2021

*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:
☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆°•☆

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SuperheroMovies

Sep 6, 2013

Fueled with slick dialogue and a script that benefits greatly from the charismatic leads of Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins, The Mask of Zorro is a spectacular swashbuckling tale with an endless knack to entertain.

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

Compi24

Jun 18, 2020

Martin Campbell was on another planet when it came to directing 90's action movies. When talking about the best ones of the era, I'm honestly stunned this one isn't mentioned more often than it is. "The Mask Of Zorro" is satisfying, effortless fun, filled with stunning, brilliantly realizedMartin Campbell was on another planet when it came to directing 90's action movies. When talking about the best ones of the era, I'm honestly stunned this one isn't mentioned more often than it is. "The Mask Of Zorro" is satisfying, effortless fun, filled with stunning, brilliantly realized set pieces, charismatic performances from Hopkins and Banderas and a terrific score from James Horner. This is your textbook example of a movie taking a formula, applying it and adding just as many flourishes as it needs to in order to fool the audience. An aging adventurer looking to usher a young pupil into assuming his mantle of heroism is no new thing. Secondary elements like the villain's evil scheme, the choreography or the set and costume design allow enough room for the filmmaker to leave his unique stamp on a kind of story. With "The Mask Of Zorro," not only does Campbell deliver an indelible spin on the "passing of the torch" narrative, but a sub-genre I never thought I'd ever say we could use more of — swashbucklers.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

MovieGeeks

Apr 1, 2016

''The Mask of Zorro'' extends a tempting invitation: travel back to the days when swashbuckling was serious business, when boyish adventure films still had their innocence, when the bravado of thrilling stunt work was all a movie needed in the way of special effects. With a wealth of''The Mask of Zorro'' extends a tempting invitation: travel back to the days when swashbuckling was serious business, when boyish adventure films still had their innocence, when the bravado of thrilling stunt work was all a movie needed in the way of special effects. With a wealth of charismatic Zorros (two), a smashing heroine and a dauntless love of adventure, this is hot-weather escapism so earnestly retrograde that it seems new.

Directed by Martin Campbell, who gives it the same gaudy Bondian brio he brought to ''Goldeneye,'' this Zorro features heroic derring-do from three men. First and most distinguished is Don Diego de la Vega, a k a Zorro Senior, played by a marvelously game Anthony Hopkins with unexpectedly elegant panache. Then there is his jokey, hot-blooded protege, the role that Antonio Banderas was obviously born to play.

And behind the scenes there's Robert Anderson, sword master to the stars for 45 years (he worked with Errol Flynn), who has choreographed the film's many sword fights with spectacular flamboyance. If Mr. Anderson's style looks familiar, that may be because it was he who matched light-sabers with Luke Skywalker while dressed in a Darth Vader suit.

There are ''Star Wars'' overtones to the story here, too, since ''The Mask of Zorro'' draws on the relationship between mentor and hero-in-training with the same debt to Joseph Campbell's mythic motifs. None too seriously, you understand -- just well enough to keep the film's castanets clicking. This format requires an early tragedy, and that happens when Zorro Senior loses his raven-haired wife and baby daughter to the evil Don Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson), an early-19th-century Spanish governor of Alta California. There's something irresistibly quaint about the moment when Zorro and his wife, while sharing a tender moment at home, suddenly find themselves surrounded by a dozen sword-clanking soldiers who somehow crept noiselessly into the house.

Though the dashing Don Diego has donned the Zorro mask to fight Spanish oppression (see assorted Zorro reruns on the late show for further details), circumstances now demand that he vanish for 20 years. He turns up again in the midst of a scraggly, unwashed crowd who can be described only as wretches in this context. Meanwhile, no less scraggly is a hapless thief named Alejandro Murrieta (Mr. Banderas) who has his own reasons for hating Don Rafael.

It also happens that when Alejandro was a young boy, in the film's first big swashbuckling scene, he helped to save Don Diego's life. Later, when they meet as adults and Don Diego does him a good turn, Alejandro asks, ''Why are you so eager to help me?'' Don Diego replies, ''Because, long ago, you did the same for me.'' (The dialogue all sounds like that.) From here, it's not long before these two begin their Zorro lessons. Clowning merrily without jeopardizing his smolder quotient, Mr. Banderas is shaped most endearingly into a protege worthy of mask, steed, mission and the works.

Gracing ''The Mask of Zorro'' with a beauty inevitably described as ''beyond compare'' is the stunning Catherine Zeta-Jones. She plays Elena, Don Diego's long-lost and predictably raven-haired daughter, and she does it so showstoppingly that the film's appeal extends well beyond boyish action-adventure.

Enchantingly paired with Mr. Banderas for a scorching tango, a hearty duel, a scene in a confessional that has him impersonating a priest and other such vintage-style encounters, Ms. Zeta-Jones makes her first major film role one to remember. It's worth noting that her bold, alluring Elena is one of numerous strong movie heroines (Jennifer Lopez in ''Out of Sight,'' Cameron Diaz in ''There's Something About Mary,'' Rene Russo in ''Lethal Weapon 4,'' the animated Mulan) on screen this summer.

Though its major sets and vistas have their blatant artificiality, there's nothing phony about the vigorous, sometimes jokey physical exertions on which ''The Mask of Zorro'' thrives. The wild bravado on horseback is on a par with dueling scenes. And as for the double who jumps spread-legged onto his saddle from a substantial height, well, he's a hero, too.

The costume designer Graciela Mazon, who had been warming up Mr. Banderas for Zorro duty in ''From Dusk Till Dawn'' and ''Desperado,'' lives up to the occasion with all the boots and corsets and flamenco chic that the material warrants. James Horner's atmospheric score frequently summons the memory of ''Malaguena,'' giving the film all the beguiling hokum it needs.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

ComandanteCobra

May 18, 2022

It didn't aged well.
It is one of those movie that facilitate sleep.
Edulcorated action movies.... watered down combat, comic book-like dialogues, slow, predictable and long.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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80	#80 Best Movie of 1998
36	#36 Most Discussed Movie of 1998
43	#43 Most Shared Movie of 1998