Zorro is a character that falls into the same trap as the Phantom in terms of being an “exceptional white man” protecting a foreign land. In The Mask of Zorro, Martin Campbell attempts to subvert this trope by handing the mantle of Zorro, a legacy passed down from generation to generation, to the fictional brother of the historical Mexican outlaw Juaquin Murrieta. The casting of Spaniard Antonio Banderas, charm aside, complicates this intent but still results in a top-notch swashbuckling adventure.