Antonio Banderas returns as the 19th-century caped hero in The Legend of Zorro, a sequel to the 1998 blockbuster The Mask of Zorro.
This time, Zorro and his wife Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) are caught in a conspiracy masterminded by evil European count Armand (Rufus Sewell) in 1850. The count is planning to equip the Southerners with weapons of mass destruction so that America can never be united.
The plot, which makes little historical or common sense, has as many holes as Zorro's cape. Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman's characters lack subtlety, with even Zorro's 10-year-old son (Adrian Alonso) belting out macho and patriotic lines promoting contemporary America's version of freedom.
Fortunately, there is an interesting romantic subplot in which Elena, growing tired of her husband's dangerous hero antics, seeks a divorce.
She turns up later in the film at a vineyard party flirting with Armand, an old schoolmate who is eager to win her love. The love triangle provides some of the best comedy in the movie, particularly the scenes in which the jealous and lonely Zorro drinks and talks to his horse.
Director Martin Campbell cooks up enough swordfights to keep the audience entertained.