slash-slash-SLASH!
My mom use to plop me in front of the television when I was younger (because that’s what good 80s parents did — DON’T JUDGE) and force me to watch hours and hours of Disney Channel content. One show in particular that I found fascinating as a five-year old was Zorro. I didn’t understand at the time that the show had a very serious plot. I never understood that one evil ruler was oppressing his people. I just saw a man in a mask that looked like a superhero, taking out a lot of dumb soldiers. That part was cool and that was enough for me.
Fast-forward fifteen years (or so) and Sony Pictures releases a very anticipated film starring the red-hot Antonio Banderas and the equally popular Anthony Hopkins. The film followed the same type of story and took from the Disney show quite well. This time around, though, we see that the original Zorro pass on his talents into a rough upstart named Alejandro Murrieta (Banderas). Going with the classic 80s motif of tearing something down and rebuilding it into something new, the movie pits Alejandro’s newly found life against a ruthless tyrant named Don Rafael Montero, who plans to rule his people with an iron fist. Demanding labor, slave labor, and an endless amount of gold. Montero scorns his people and land without hesitation or cost of life. Zorro, now Alejandro, must find a way to stop Montero before it’s too late.
I know this movie didn’t get the greatest of reviews, but if you go into it knowing that you’re getting an action film, and nothing more, then you’ll be happy. The impressive part about this film is that it realizes what it is and doesn’t try to be anything else. It doesn’t want to be something deeper than what Disney already proposed in the original series. Although it wanted to be far more than Zorro, The Gay Blade. So, what you’ll find in The Mask of Zorro is a fun film that has plenty of satisfying action. It presents an easy formula of good versus evil and it comes out with a predictable conclusion. Does that make it bad? For movie snobs, yes. For folks like me that enjoy some good action in an ‘action’ film, no.
To enhance the experience of this ‘action’ film, Sony has brought it out on blu-ray. Typically for re-releases, such as this, studios don’t put a lot of time or effort into converting really sharp looking HD; thankfully, this isn’t the case for Zorro. Thanks to an already colorful pallet of settings, costumes and lighting, The Mask of Zorro benefits from the HD upgrade greatly. You’ll see it a lot during the fight scenes, especially the final one, where dust and grit kick up amongst shiny swords and beautiful outfits. Is it wrong to say that Catherine Zeta Jones looks even hotter in HD? Well, she does and she is. On top of the visual beauty of this blu-ray, you also get an upgraded soundtrack that brings some fantastic audible ear music. The beautiful orchestrated track from James Horner mixed with the sound effects of the punching, kicking, swordplay and what not makes it all worth while on blu-ray.
As for features, it’s actually quite loaded. Here’s what you’re looking at:
– Director’s Commentary
– Unmasking Zorro documentary
– Deleted Scenes
– The Legend of Zorro Behind the Scenes
– Music Video
– The Legend of Zorro exclusive scene
Good features, but obviously rehashed as The Legend of Zorro arrived in 2005. A tiny bit late for a sneak peek or behind the scenes. Still, very solid material here.