Alejandro struggles to give up his life as Zorro when California votes
for statehood, until a secret society threatens to destroy the country. ACTION
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The Legend of Zorro (2005)Directed by Martin Campbell
Written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman Starring Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Adrian Alonso, Rufus Sewell, Nick Chinlund, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Michael Emerson, Shuler Hensley Sequel to 1998's The Mask of Zorro Based on characters created by Johnston McCulley |
I was a huge fan of the first Zorro. The character was more complex than ever, with an improved backstory and a renewed sense of purpose. It felt like there was a new underdog superhero for the film studios to compete with. Then its long-awaited sequel came out and drained all my love for this franchise along with all of my hope for a part three. The Legend of Zorro is one of the most disappointing sequels I've ever seen, more so because it has all the parts it needs to be successful but it doesn't use them correctly.
This film challenges Zorro to live a double life as a father and a symbol of heroism, which was good, but it turns his wife Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) into a selfish nag who threatens to leave him if he doesn't hang up the mask, which was really bad. This complete character shift in Elena destroys any and all character development from the first film, making her unlikable and annoying. The villain, Count Armand, paled in comparison to Rafael Montero and Captain Love from the first film. His plan made little to no sense and for some reason, Abraham Lincoln appears at the end to grant California its statehood, despite the fact that Lincoln became president eleven years afterward. If you're gonna include real people in your bad movie, check your facts first. This sequel suffers from a serious lack of story and disorganized characters who are either boring or frustrating. It's a chore to sit through because it constantly reminds you of how much better the first film is. This is a series ripe for a reboot and I'm sure that whoever gets hold of it could do a better job than this. With a rewrite or two from some better screenwriters, this could've easily eclipsed the first one. |