This latest telling of the famous legend is one of the summer's best films! Martin Campbell (Golden Eye and No Escape) directs with an energy that is lacking in many of the year's big blockbusters. This time around, Anthony Hopkins plays the spirited swordsman who decides to pass his sword down to a younger Antonio Banderas. Thus, the adventure begins as our newly-masked hero sets out to fight for justice.

The best part of this updated version of Zorro is Hopkins, who is absolutely superb! Is there any part this actor can't play? And Banderas is a perfect fit for the swashbuckling young Z-man. He's charismatic and offers a nice sense of humor to the role. The love story is what seems to fall flat, despite Catherine Zeta-Jones' extraordinary beauty. On the other hand, this is old fashioned cinema, so I guess it can be forgiven.

Campbell knows how to show the audience a good time--offering duel sequences that are truly exhilarating. It also looks as if Zorro will return, because Campbell has stamped sequel all over this throwback to the Errol Flynn days.

The Mask of Zorro isn't the best film of the year, but it's certainly a nice diversion from a summer full of films that go boom!