It’s taken seven years to come up with a decent script for Zorro’s return and we’re happy to report that, despite the rumours, Anthony Hopkins doesn’t make an Obi-Wan Kenobi style comeback to save the day.
Instead Banderas teams up with… his horse, to protect the people of California against stereotypically sinister French megalomaniac Armand (Rufus Sewell).
Zeta Jones - presumably after checking old man Douglas into a nursing home - also lends a hand as Mrs Zorro, although the best supporting actor award goes to her brassiere which gives a spectacularly uplifting all round performance.
They say:
Total Film: "A few reasonable action sequences, but mostly it’s boring, shoddy and try-too-hard unfunny. There’ll be Zzzzzs coming from the audience."
Guardian: "It's all a lot of fun, if at times a trifle haphazard. Zeta-Jones is a lively heroine and Banderas a likable hero, though he's at his most impressive and dignified when wearing a mask."
Empire: "The fizz has gone and Banderas’ smoulder has, if not burned out, at least turned down the heat a few degrees too many."
We say:
Director Martin Campbell is clearly distracted by his next job in charge of the latest James Bond adventure Casino Royale. Evil scientists in underground lairs, last minute reprieves from certain death, and a ridiculous plot to take over the world with explosive soap are all straight out of the 007 textbook.
Fortunately though, the action sequences are far better than anything we’ve seen from Bond in years and we’ll never tire of comedy segments that involve horses smoking pipes and downing bottles of wine.
This is fun matinee fodder for all the family but for a film full of swordplay it would have been appropriate to chop at least half an hour off the running time.
CAST
Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta Jones
Rufus Sewell, Adrian Alonso
DIRECTOR
Martin Campbell
TIME
129 mins
POSTED...
Wed 8 Mar 2006 at 11:22am
