Cast: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson

Director: Martin Campbell (Goldeneye)

Previews Shown: The Negotiator, Ever After, Saving Private Ryan

Recently, over on the Official Star Wars website, a teaser poster was shown, spoofing the makers of Godzilla, saying "Plot Does Matter"  This statement has seemingly been ignored for the most part, by summer movie makers.  To me, this means that you have a sensible, cohesive plot, it doesn't have to be the focus of the movie (i.e. in action movies, something to hold the  scenes together whether they be action( Lethal Weapon 4) or comedy (There's Something About Mary), or even, heaven forbid, the main focus of the movie (Truman Show, X-Files).  Plots this summer have been as absent as Steven Seagal at the Oscar podium, so I have to admire and applaud a movie, that teases action, and delivers, surprisingly, more plot than expected.

The previews for Mask of Zorro, led me to believe that this would be an action-packed, excitement extravangaza, with the pairing of Banderas, and Hopkins, showing promise.  What was delivered, was a bit different.  Yes, the action scenes are there, and they work magnificently, the sword fighting is well choregraphed, Banderas shows a true talent combination of agility, comedy, and emotion, while his chemistry with Sir Hopkins, worked quite well.  You believed that they were teacher/mentor, with each respecting, yet needing the other.  The chemistry between Banderas, and Jones works as well, staging the most sensual swordfighting scene that I've ever witnessed, (not that I've seen many, but this one was quite intense), and most of all, everyone here, seemed to be having fun.  Sometimes you can tell, if actors are enjoying what they're doing, or just sleepwalking through to get a paycheck, the good guys, with their agendas, the bad guys, as the foils (you can almost see Stuart Wilson twisting his moustache in a Snidely Whiplash manner)

My misgivings about this movie, regard the apparent identity crisis existing.  The story of Zorro is fairly well known, and here, we are given an interesting twist regarding them.  But we are then deluged with plot.   The makers of this movie, in my opinion, tried to cram too much plot in here.   The focus of Zorro is to fight for the people who cannot for themselves, and the movie establishes that.  But then it becomes a bit convoluted in creating reasons for each character to fight on. 

I believe that the opportunity to make an fun, swashbuckling, action movie, existed here, and, when they focus on that fact, it's exactly what this movie is, it is fun, I do recommend it, I just think they could've either decided to focus solely on the plot, developing, etc, or use a lighter plot, to hold and transition the action scenes.  I applaud the effort of the plot, showing that someone in Hollywood still cares, but I just feel it could've been a little more effectively executed.  Take this one in at a matinee

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