The Legend of Zorro (2005)

Director:

Martin Campbell

Writers (WGA):

Roberto Orci (screenplay) &
Alex Kurtzman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

28 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

This Fall, adventure begins with a Z.

Plot:

Despite trying to keep his swashbuckling to a minimum, a threat to California's pending statehood causes the adventure-loving Alejandro de la Vega (Banderas) -- and his wife, Elena (Zeta-Jones) -- to take action.

Plot Keywords:

Zorro | California | Mask | Explosion | Pigeon

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Alberto Reyes	...	Brother Ignacio
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Frey Felipe
Gustavo Sanchez-Parra	...	Guillermo Cortez (as Gustavo Sánchez Parra)
Adrian Alonso	...	Joaquin de la Vega
Nick Chinlund	...	Jacob McGivens
Giovanna Zacarías	...	Blanca Cortez (as Giovanna Zacarias)
Carlos Cobos	...	Tabulador
Antonio Banderas	...	Don Alejandro de la Vega / Zorro
Michael Emerson	...	Harrigan
Shuler Hensley	...	Pike
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Governor Riley (as Pedro Armendariz)
Mary Crosby	...	Governor's Wife
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Elena de la Vega
Mauricio Bonet	...	Don Verdugo
Fernando Becerril	...	Don Diaz

Also Known As:

Zorro Unmasked (USA) (working title) (USA) (working title)
The Mask of Zorro 2 (USA) (working title)
The Return of Zorro (USA) (working title)
Z (USA) (poster title)
Zorro 2 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sequences of violence/peril and action, language and a couple of suggestive moments.

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Germany:12 | Netherlands:MG6 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Philippines:G | Norway:15 | Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:M | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-11 (re-rating) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Brazil:12 | Mexico:B | Taiwan:PG-12 | Sweden:11 | Peru:PT | Czech Republic:U | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:U | USA:PG (certificate #40756) | Portugal:M/6 | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

When Zorro discovers the hidden map in Armand's study, it shows Armand's home on the map as "Hacienda of the Comte De La Fere". This is a reference to The Three Musketeers, where Athos's real identity is as the Comte De La Fere.

Goofs:

Factual errors: On the train engine, as Zorro and Armand are fighting, Elena is holding on to the boiler with her bare hands. Her hands would have been burnt to a crisp!

Quotes:

Zorro: [to Joachin] But I don't want to see you breaking anyone else out of jail, alright? Without having permission from me, of course.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Crap Shoot: The Documentary (2007)

Soundtrack:

Waltz & Quadrille

Not great, but enjoyable sequel

Just saw this at an Advanced Screening the other day and must admit i was not particularly looking forward to it. Mainly due to the fact that i loved the original. I loved its tongue in cheek campness, its fun and exciting action scenes, and Anthony Hopkins.

Thankfully LOZ has 2 out of the 3 (no Anthony Hopkins for obvious reasons) and while the film has clearly been dumbed down and made more "family friendly" as with all mainstream Hollywood sequels, it still has Banderas and Zeta Jones clearly having fun with it.

True, some of the CGI looks a bit naff, and there is a terribly unnecessary scene with a horse which made me laugh just because i would have cried because of the terrible effect, but the action scenes are action packed and use a fairly minimal amount of it.

As for the story there isn't really much to say of it, which is probably why it doesn't live up to its predecessors standards. But it trys well enough.

At the end of the day fans of the original Zorro film will probably enjoy this, as long as they don't expect it to be anything other than a fun popcorn sequel.