It may not be a comic book adaptation or feature otherworldly abilities of any kind, but from the outside looking in, The Mask of Zorro ticks every single one of the boxes required to qualify as a superhero origin story.
The character first appeared in pulp novels dating back to 1919, and is cited as one of the biggest inspirations behind a certain Caped Crusader. Not only that, but the dashing hero is a masked vigilante who refuses to reveal their identity to the public he dedicates his life to saving, and even leaves behind a signature calling card to taunt his enemies by carving a “Z” into anything lying close enough to hand.
As a result, Martin Campbell’s classic 1998 blockbuster following Antonio Banderas’ evolution from imprisoned criminal into legendary outlaw surely qualifies as a superhero origin story without technically being an explicit part of the genre, and it also happens to be one of the most purely entertaining and re-watchable that’s ever been made.
Loaded to the brim with action, heart, humor, and smoldering chemistry between Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones that creates a ridiculous amount of sparks, it’s not exactly a coincidence that co-writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio would be responsible for creating Pirates of the Caribbean just a handful of years later, because the similarities are there for all to see.
It’s big, bold, and brash escapism of the highest quality that still holds up after 25 years, and it’s been embarking on a streaming comeback for good measure after FlixPatrol outed The Mask of Zorro as one of the most-watched features on Rakuten this week.