Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

The Mask of Zorro 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 18, 2023

Sony has once again released the popular 1998 film 'The Mask of Zorro,' starring Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, to the UHD format. The film was previously released to UHD in 2020. The differences with this release include Dolby Vision color grading, a higher bitrate Atmos track, and SteelBook packaging. This release includes the same supplemental suite from the previous issue.

The masked hero of the people, Zorro (Anthony Hopkins), has once again saved the day, freeing a trio of innocent peasants from a firing squad under the command of Don Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson), an evil tyrant who sees Zorro as a stumbling block towards his goal of ultimate power in California. However, treachery is afoot: Montero has tracked Zorro -- a man by the name of Don Diego de la Vega -- back to his home where his men accidentally kill Diego's wife; Montero imprisons Diego and raises his daughter Elena as his own. Twenty years later, Diego escapes from prison and seeks vengeance on his arch nemesis, his assassination attempt halted only when his rightful daughter, Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones), arrives by Montero's side as his own daughter. Later, Diego happens upon young Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas), a slovenly and drunken man mourning the loss of his brother who recently died at the hands of Montero's most trusted underling, Captain Harrison Love (Matt Letscher). Diego recognizes an older Alejandro as one of two brothers who aided him in his last victory over Montero twenty years prior, and he takes Alejandro in as an apprentice to succeed him as the masked hero of the people, Zorro.

For a full film review, please click here; note that this link points to the original Blu-ray release.

The Mask of Zorro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sony once again releases The Mask of Zorro to the UHD format, again with 2160p resolution but now with Dolby Vision color grading rather than the previous issue's HDR-only grading. There appears to be minimal, if any, gain in terms of overall resolution clarity or film accuracy with this UHD compared to the previous one. The picture is organically filmic and very satisfying, leaving almost nothing to be desired for sharpness, clarity, textural intimacy and elegance -- it's everything fans have come to want from a film-sourced UHD and everything fans have come to expect from Sony. As for the new Dolby Vision grading, there is a nice gain to vitality and depth alike compared to the previous HDR image. Brights are brighter, darks are deeper, and the full color spectrum is lavishly alive and extraordinary nuanced. While much of the picture favors warm and earthy tones, the color splashes on dresses, fireballs, and other intense hues offer extraordinary vividness and accuracy that surpasses even the excellent HDR grading from the last release. One of the areas where the Dolby Vision grading really shines is in the shadows. Look at an image of a hooded Zorro right before the opening action sequence. The clarity of the face against the shadowy backgrounds inside the hood is a beautiful example of the Dolby Vision's tonal balance and precision. The grading is certainly an improvement over an existing first-class color presentation in the old UHD. It is not a must upgrade only because the previous issue is so wonderful, but serious fans of the film and the Dolby Vision color grading format (not to mention SteelBook collectors) will want to add this to their libraries posthaste.

The Mask of Zorro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack for this release plays at a higher bitrate, but are the differences in the tracks all that evident? Not really. Both hold to that core dynamism and somewhat overengineered 90s sound design, evident right out of the gate with the big, explosive sound effects and some very intensely deep and satisfying bass lines with the music, giving it that punch and kick, that depth and satisfaction, that really allows the sound to hit on all cylinders. Stage engagement and saturation remain a premium experience, especially as the track drops the listener right in the middle of a chanting crowd in the opening moments, with voices and other effects seamlessly penetrating practically every inch of the stage. Action elements, whether crackling gunfire, clanking swords, or other dynamic elements all yield satisfying vigor and accuracy, even at this track's size. With every opportunity the track aims for the most dynamic content available, all without sacrificing clarity or placement excellence. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and center positioned for the duration.

The Mask of Zorro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

For this second UHD release of The Mask of Zorro, Sony has included the same supplements from the previous UHD and Blu-ray issues. The list of extras is recreated below. Please click here (Blu-ray) and here (UHD) for full coverage. This release ships with a Movies Anywhere digital copy code.

UHD:

• Deleted Scenes
• Trailers

Blu-ray:

• Audio Commentary
• Unmasking Zorro
• Deleted Scenes
• Music Video
• The Legend of Zorro Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peek
• Exclusive Scene from The Legend of Zorro
• Previews

The SteelBook packaging is of a glossy finish. The front panel depicts Zorro in silhouette against a red background which fills the bottom two thirds, and a black background which fills the top third. In the black area, the silhouette is outlined in red. Zorro is holding a sword, having just etched a large fiery "Z" in the center. The rear panel also features red and black background elements but offers a waist-up image of a masked Zorro, looking straight ahead, the right half of his face in shadow. He is holding his sword vertically in his right hand. The image is off center to the right. The spine is black with the film's title center in a silver color. A Sony logo appears at the bottom.

Inside, the digital copy code is tucked underneath the left-hand-side tabs. The two discs, one UHD and one Blu-ray, are situated on the right in staggered-stacked formation. The inner print is a two-panel spread that features Zorro in an action pose on the left with a fiery background behind him filling both panels.

The Mask of Zorro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Zorro fans, rejoice. Sony has re-released the film to the UHD format with superb reference-grade picture, including the new Dolby Vision color grading and higher bitrate Atmos audio, in addition to returning supplements and, for now, exclusive SteelBook packaging. It's a shame that The Legend of Zorro did not, yet again, get the same treatment at the same time, but that's the only remotely disappointing thing one can say about this release, and it doesn't even directly relate to it. This disc is truly first-rate. Very highly recommended.