I love these Zorro movies. They are many genres rolled into one: adventure, suspense, comedy, romance, drama, and excitement. There have been many super-hero movies of late including Spider-Man, Batman, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four, but there is something special, something romantic, something nostalgic about the legendary hero from the mid-19th century and the beginnings of California. Perhaps it is that his powers are extraordinary but not supernatural, that his weapons are simple yet elegant, and that he rides a horse who is as much a companion as a method of transport. Whatever it is, it works and is truly inspirational.

When we last saw him, Alejandro de la Vega (the man behind the mask of Zorro) was putting his newborn son, Joaquin, to bed as his wife, Elena, looked on. In The Legend of Zorro, Joaquin is now 10 years old and his wife, Elena, has begged him to stop donning the black mask so that their family is no longer in jeopardy. However, when forces threaten California's statehood, his sense of duty prevails. Elena is heartbroken and soon finds herself in over her head with her own set of challenges. And their son, Joaquin, whose adventuresome spirit is beginning to blossom, only sees one side of his father and is quite disappointed in what he perceives as weakness.

Meanwhile, a new set of villains threaten not only the lives and freedoms of the people of new state of California but of the entire United States as well. Armand (Rufus Sewel), the rich and charming Don disguises his sinister intentions while his hired hand, Jacob (Nick Chinlund), is a creature of pure evil and we see right through his twisted, fanatical proclamations about "doing the Lord's work." These villains were great, and we love to hate them.

In the original The Mask of Zorro, we saw a blundering misfit get whipped into shape as a fighter and as a gentleman by the previous Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega. The evolution of his character was something to behold. In this sequel, we see him go the other way. We see his fall from glory and his desperate struggle to get back what was once his: his wife, his son, his honor, and Zorro. Again, the transformations are captivating to see and are a testament to the acting skill of Antonio Banderas.

I loved this movie. The story was good (perhaps not quite as good as the first one but still intricate and entertaining) and the fight choreography was just extraordinary. There is something enchanting about seeing our hero swing through the air on his whip, take on several men at once with his sword, leap across rooftops, and ride into the sunset on his galloping steed. This movie gives us several different kinds of confrontations from a free-spirited fracas in the classroom to intense and deadly struggles. Best remembered from this movie will be the climactic conflict aboard the train. I've seen many different train sequences over the years, but this may have to be the best. Seeing Zorro and his horse, Tornado, atop the speeding locomotive was exciting and fun.

Speaking of Zorro's horse, I love the personality that is has been given in this movie. He seems to have an attitude with his owner at times, and we even see him drink whiskey and smoke a pipe! My favorite, and my daughter's too, was seeing the horse's eyes widen at the sight of an upcoming tunnel while standing atop a railway car.

What I love best about this movie, however, is that is never loses sight of entertaining its audience. May daughter and I were sucked right in, feeling sad at a family being broken apart, being frightened by the apparent rise of evil in 1850 California, laughing at the bits of humor that are sprinkled throughout, and feeling exuberant at the triumphs of Zorro and his family.

Viva el Zorro! I hope they make another one! I can't get enough of these!