It's been 26 years since the swashbuckler film from 1998 called The Mask of Zorro hit the big screen. The film was based on Johnston McCulley's fictional character, Zorro. Stuart Wilson, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Antonio Banderas feature in Martin Campbell's film. Now is the right time to visit the legendary film, which is currently streaming on Netflix. The film is also available to rent on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) and Prime Video.

The Mask of Zorro plot synopsis

In The Mask of Zorro, Hopkins plays the original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega, who breaks out of prison in search of his daughter Zeta-Jones and exacts revenge on Rafael Montero (Wilson), the corrupt governor, for the murder of his wife. His successor, Banderas, is helping him out while falling for de la Vega's daughter and harbouring grudges against the governor's right-hand man.

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Don Rafael Montero, Zorro's old adversary, has returned after serving a 20-year prison sentence, according to Anthony Hopkins's portrayal of the character. After escaping, Don Diego goes back to his old headquarters and grooms Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas), who is drunk and confused, to take over for him. Montero, who has secretly raised Elena, Diego's daughter (Catherine Zeta-Jones), as his own, is hatching a scheme to steal gold from California.

A tyrant's evil plot to acquire California from Mexico requires the intervention of two Zorros, Anthony Hopkins's renowned Don Diego de la Vega and Antonio Banderas's dashing bandit-turned-hero Alejandro Murrieta. With all their daring and bravado, will de la Vega be able to get even with the man who murdered his wife, abducted his daughter, and held him captive for twenty years?

Success and reception

After its release, The Mask of Zorro earned $250 million, well above its $95 million budget, thanks to both critical and commercial success. There were two Golden Globe nominations and two Oscar nominations for the film.

In 2005, Campbell directed a sequel to The Legend of Zorro that starred Banderas and Zeta-Jones but was not as successful as the original.

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