*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2010 BLU RAY/DVD COMBO ***
Back in the day I had a Superbit DVD of this beautifully
filmed and hugely entertaining hero-of-the-people movie - and along with
"Vertical Limit" - it was a virtual benchmark for how good the DVD
format could look. The Superbit Series to DVDs were like gold audiophiles to
CDs - dedicated to giving you the best quality possible.
So it's not surprising to find that Martin Campbell's skilfully
filmed "The Mask Of Zorro" on BLU RAY is a proper 'looker' – gorgeous
- and then some.
Right from the opening shot of canvas being slit by the two
young boys hoping to get a glimpse of Zorro (Anthony Hopkins) - through to the
confessional scenes between Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones where she
explains her passion for a bandit (dialogue above) - indoors or out - "The
Mask Of Zorro" is a treat to look at. You see their costumes - the
sweating skin – the heat of the desert and the dust of the towns - even the
deliberate sepia-tint that surrounds the face of Zeta-Jones at times – it's all
cleanly rendered.
And while the film's natural default is 2.40:1 (which means
bars at the top and the bottom of the screen) - even switched to FULL SCREEN -
there's only minor stretching and very little loss of definition. The sound too
is magnificent – horses hooves, blades clashing, gunpowder shots, wood
splintering, buildings exploding – all brought to the fore by a storming 5.1
mix.
The cast is spot-on too – Stuart Wilson as the dastardly and
arrogant Don Rafael – Matt Letscher as the cold-blooded killer Captain Harrison
(in the employ of Don Rafael) - and of course the trio of lead stars – Hopkins
as the wronged older Zorro, Banderas as his hot-headed protégé and Zeta-Jones
as the daughter stolen away from Zorro 20 years earlier along with his beloved
wife. They have a ball donning capes, dropping onto moving horses and pitting
steel-against-steel on tables, in barns and around goldmines.
And while Banderas is perfect for the part (sexy, witty,
charming) and had great chemistry with his leading lady – it's the ethereally
beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones who steals the show. She had a star quality
about her at the time that was almost palatable - part Liz Taylor part Joan
Collins – she was all-woman and a match for any wannabe bandito wanting to
compromise her virtue. All in all – a wildly entertaining ride that stills
stands the test of time (it even comes with a DVD and copious extras too).
"The Mask Of Zorro" is a cinematic blast on BLU
RAY – a film that likes itself – and has every good reason to.
Recommended like a drunken canter with Tonto…
BLU RAY Specifications:
ASPECT; 1080DP High Definition 2.40:1
AUDIO: English, Italian and Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES:
English, English for Hard f Hearing, Danish, Finnish, Hindi, Italian,
Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish
EXTRAS:
1. Blu Ray Exclusive – Movie IQ BD-LIVE connects you to
access real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while you’re
watching the movie
2. Director’s Commentary
3. Exclusive Documentary: Unmasking Zorro
4. Deleted Scenes
5. "The Legend Of Zorro" - Behind The Scenes Sneak
Peek
6. Music Video by Marc Anthony and Tina Arena
7. Exclusive scene from "The Legend Of Zorro"
