 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Legend of Zorro
- Review Date: January 29, 2006
- PG
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2005
Common Sense Media says
Loud sequel to the Mask of Zorro.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the movie contains lots of outrageous and stunty violence: explosions, shootouts, sword-fighting, horseback riding, leaping from rooftops and atop racing trains. While most is suitably cartoony, there is one bloody murder (by a sinister villain and his gang) of a sympathetic peasant as he tries to defend his home, leaving his tearful wife and an aggrieved Zorro behind. A young boy is threatened and watches villains beat and almost murder his father. This boy also engages in his own antic violence against the bad guys. Characters smoke (cigars) and drink (sometimes to the point of drunkenness).
What's the story?
Alejandro del la Vega, a.k.a. Zorro (Antonio Banderas), is busy fighting to ensure that votes cast in 1850 San Mateo will be counted toward California's statehood, in turn granting the "poor and desperate" (many Mexican-born) inhabitants access to rights and property. But it appears his wife, Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones), is tired of being left behind and wants Alejandro to give up his work as Zorro. When he refuses, Elena divorces him, and takes up with the French Count Armand.
Is it any good?
THE LEGEND OF ZORRO is big and loud, mixing extended action sequences with gestures toward family unity. The film lurches from the family trauma to national security anxieties, or, terrorism by way of The Wild Wild West. A nefarious group is working on of a crater-making, nitroglycerine-based weapon in order to control who has access to U.S. statehood, with complications concerning Pinkerton agents and the bad guys' use of Chinese "coolies." That all of this is filtered through Alejandro and Elena's marital discord replicates the parallels between domestic and global politics James Cameron is so fond of excavating, wherein the world's welfare depends on that of the nuclear family unit. You might hope they sort it out this time, and don't have to try again in seven years.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the costs of keeping secrets from family. How does Joaquin think differently of his father once he knows the truth? How are Elena and Alejandro's lies alike, in that they want to save the country but in the process damage their family?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
It was OK-pretty good
It was a pretty good show. Some of the humour was kinda lame. But I liked it
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AGE
Save your money
Save your money and if you must, wait for the video. This was the biggest waist of time and money I have ever experienced. The plot gets confusing: too much action, too much editing and not enough care about basic details. I was so bored that I found myself critiqueing Katherine Zeta Jones' hair and makeup. I was surprised to see spidery hairs escaping her "do" and detract from that gorgious face of hers. The original was so much better!
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AGE
Less Violence Than The Mask Of Zerro But Still Awesome
This Is Still Awesome Even If It Has Less Violence Than The First Movie.
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AGE
Great action movie for double digits and up.
This is the BEST action movie ever!!! In terms of violence, there is a lot of shooting (one that is bloody), a LOT of punching, tons of swordplay, some stabbing, a scene where a man catches on fire, three people that are blown up by nitro-glycerine, people that get crushed, thrown, drowned, threatened with knives, etc. In one scene a man lands on a cactus (he survives though, with a face full of cactus spikes). There's plenty of fighting, but not too much blood. In terms of sex, there is a suggestive scene where Zorro is naked in bed (by himself) but a nun comes in and almost sees him. There's also a lot of passionate kissing and some suggestive comments. There are about three swear words, one of them in Spanish subtitles. There's also a scene where Zorro gets drunk, and quite a few smoking characters. But everything is kept mostly PG. It's a great movie in terms of action.
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AGE
A Decent Sequel...
THE MASK OF ZORRO was a great movie. It mixed good action with great acting and story. This sequel is entertaining, and the action is certainly rousing, but it lacks the engaging character development and story of the original.
Violence is the biggest issue. Most is non-graphic, but there is quite a bit of killing. The overall tone of the battles is more comic than that of the first, but it is still violent. There are a couple of suggestive scenes, but there is no language. The issue of Alejandro's alcoholism is shown and discussed.
Kids who have seen the first will most likely want to see this, but for most adults it's one to skip.
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AGE
Zorro has much lasting appeal.
I think the character of Zorro (Antonio Banderas) is well played, if not appealing. Girls can be charmed by him (example: my mother) and boys will love the action.
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AGE
A Fun Movie
This was a fun movie...lots of action, lots of humor, lots of emontion. We loved it...not as much as the first, but a very close second.
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AGE
Too explicit for a PG rating
A couple of sexual scenes and violent killings--too intense for a PG rating!
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| Topics: | adventures |
| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Martin Campbell |
| Cast: | Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Emerson |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 129 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 28, 2005 |
| DVD release date: | January 31, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | sequences of violence/peril and action, language and a couple of suggestive moments |
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