Hopkins, Banderas, and Zeta-Jones are all just perfect in this film. From the action-packed opening scene to the rip-roaring climax near the end, this is a movie to just sit back and enjoy. It avoids taking itself too seriously, with more comedy than pathos. There is action, love, heartbreak, deception, redemption, and back to love. In several different ways. Sword fights, gun fights, dancing, horse chases, explosions. This movie has it all. I saw it on DVD and it comes across beautifully.
SPOILERS. I own the DVD, and seem to re-watch it about every two years. Each time it holds my interest as well as it did the first. As the movie starts Zorro's (Hopkins) wife is killed by the local Spanish don, who also steals his young daughter, while discarding Zorro into prison. Twenty years pass and his daughter (Zeta-Jones) comes to Mexico with her "dad" as Zorro makes a prison break. Being old he finds a new man (Banderas) to train as the new Zorro. Together they eventually foil an attempt at stealing gold and killing all the peasant workers. As Zorro dies, in the arms of his grown daughter, she and the new Zorro make a life together.
SPOILERS. I own the DVD, and seem to re-watch it about every two years. Each time it holds my interest as well as it did the first. As the movie starts Zorro's (Hopkins) wife is killed by the local Spanish don, who also steals his young daughter, while discarding Zorro into prison. Twenty years pass and his daughter (Zeta-Jones) comes to Mexico with her "dad" as Zorro makes a prison break. Being old he finds a new man (Banderas) to train as the new Zorro. Together they eventually foil an attempt at stealing gold and killing all the peasant workers. As Zorro dies, in the arms of his grown daughter, she and the new Zorro make a life together.