Mask of Zorro, The

The New York Times Elvis Mitchell

This is hot-weather escapism so earnestly retrograde that it seems new.

Variety Todd McCarthy

The return of the legendary swordsman is well served by a grandly mounted production in the classical style.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

A lively, old-fashioned adventure yarn with just a twist of modern attitude, it's the kind of pleasant entertainment that allows the paying customers to have as much fun as the people on screen.

Newsweek David Ansen

This spirited rerun, neatly mixing parody and panache, squeezes a surprising amount of fun out of the old war horse.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

The return to an Errol Flynn-style hero, who can swing from chandeliers, fight with two swords at once and ride a horse backward, recalls a movie era both sexier and more innocent.

Entertainment Weekly Staff(Not credited)

This pleasant movie anachronism, an assemblage of traditional Robin Hooded scenarios (and superior swordplay) that, in the right light, is a nostalgic treat, and in shadow evokes Monty Python.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Proudly old-fashioned in every way except the often excessive violence that director Martin Campbell splashes across the screen.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The film is a display of traditional movie craftsmanship, especially at the level of the screenplay, which respects the characters and story and doesn't simply use them for dialogue breaks between action sequences.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

A great deal of excitement and adventure, all brought to the screen by using a somewhat irreverent tone that keeps the mood light without trivializing the characters.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Old-fashioned fun that goes down as smoothly as a vintage cocktail.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

The Mask Of Zorro is disarming for the same reasons, coasting on the charisma of its stars and a few exciting action setpieces.

LA Weekly Manohla Dargis

A screenplay that not only has a way with genre cliché, but manages to score some deviously witty political points

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

A pleasantly vicarious slice of summertime falderol, innocuous in its presentation and often genuinely fun.

The New Yorker Bruce Diones

Director Martin Campbell's lumpy direction doesn't coalesce into anything much beyond a pleasant assembly of set pieces.

New York Magazine David Denby

Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas work with professional skill in a ludicrous vehicle.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Lavishly produced swashbuckler that should have been far more entertaining.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Entertaining, but it's about one notch below being something anybody really needs to see.

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

Antonio Banderas signs up for charisma lessons from Anthony Hopkins -- but they just don't take.

San Francisco Examiner Barbara Shulgasser

A slew of writers and an enthusiastic cast all do their jobs admirably enough to provide a couple of hours of unembarrassing entertainment.

Film Threat Anthony Miele

Nothing really works on any level above mediocrity.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

Spectacular, fast, never boring. But it's also one of the more disappointing movies I've seen recently.

Dallas Observer Peter Rainer

A romantic adventure-movie slapstick that's too screwy for the action crowd and too old-fashioned for the Home Alone contingent.