Ok ok ok, I know that this is not a political or movie review blog, but it is my blog. I have chosen to use it now to encourage people NOT to see The Legend of Zorro. Not only was it a bad movie; the acting wasn't all that great, action scenes weren't very well coordinated, and the plot was incoherent and uninteresting; but it attempted to exploit the current world situation. Don't get me wrong movies about politics and being critical of the world situation are important. However, these films should be masked in another genre. If you want to make a political movie make a political movie and call it what it is. For those that have seen that movie I hope that you see what I'm talking about. For those of you that haven't seen it allow me to explain to you the plot and elements of the plot that parallel world events.
Now perhaps I am too interested in the news and politics and perhaps the parallels were simply a coincidence but allow me to summarize the opening sequence (what is in parentheses are my observation):
Californians (Iraqis) are gathered together in order to vote on a constitution that will make them part of America (the international system). Once the voting has concluded and the ballot box packed up a bad guy (terrorist) that insists that he is doing God's (Allah's) work steals the ballots in order to stop the passage of the constitution. Of course our hero Zorro (America) is there to stop the bad guy (terrorist) from executing his plan inspired by god.
So yeah in the first few minutes of the movie I KNEW that I was in for an outrage. I should say that I wanted to walk out and write this little "editorial" right then but was extremely curious what the rest of the film would bring, and of course see some Catherine Zeta-Jones. I tell you that the political overtones didn't get any less obvious. Allow me to give you the quick plot...
Our bad guy (terrorist) is supported by a French aristocrat who is part of a secret organization (Prieure du Sion, what this was supposed to mean I don't know) that wants to destroy America by detonating nitro glycerin, that they are extracting from soap, in Washington DC. Their hatred of America is based on a text that they hold sacred the prophecy's a growing threat in the west. This is to then tip the Civil War in the hands of the South.
Now ok that is the most absurd plot I've ever heard and just blatantly wrong. First of all I think they are trying to highlight some sort of Islamic plot to destroy the United States planned by the French. [I'll mention that the Prieure du Sion reference makes absolutely no sense though the brief history that the movie gave is very similar to that of Prieure du Sion.] I don't want to debate the absurdity of the fact that destroying the north doesn't exactly destroy "America". But I mean that is secondary to the outrageous undertones in the movie. I have never been so outraged in my life. What really gets me more then all this is the fact that most of the movie reviews don't see this glaring parallel or if they do they see it as insignificant. I read one review that does mention the parallel here is their take:
"Set against the backdrop of the cusp of California's entry into U.S. statehood, the film offers some modern parallels. The territory is holding regional elections to let the people vote to accept the United States Constitution and become a state. Naturally, an evil hand is plotting to break up the proceedings and thwart the election. Sounds very similar to what's happening in Iraq, as they struggle against insurgents. Furthermore, the film tinges this with allusions to the state of Hispanics immigrating into California in the present day. Fortunately, the screenwriters treat the political overtones lighthandedly, and focus on non-stop action. And there's plenty of that. "
http://www.mediajonez.com/index.html?film/review-legendofzorro1005.html
LIGHTHANDEDLY?! There was nothing lighthanded about how they screenwriters integrated political overtones into the movie. *Takes a deep breath*. You know I went to go see a movie about Zorro to escape to some degree the world around me not to be reminded of it and certainly not to have some of the worst generalizations in modern day thrown in my face. Thank you Sony for wasting 18 dollars and over two hours of my life to show me that!
