Artykuł pochodzi z pisma "Guardian"

Perhaps if Catherine Zeta-Jones hadn't been catapulted up the Hollywood ladder by the Mask of Zorro in 1998, they might have got around to a sequel sooner. But now it feels as if they're striking while the iron is cold. Antonio Banderas, looking leaner but a little saggier, struggles gamely to conjure some high spirits, but Zeta-Jones is less "radiant" than the plucky starlet who caught Michael Douglas' eye. Perhaps the intervening years of celebrity exposure, bitchy gossip and legal battles have taken their toll.

The real problem, though, is the convoluted plot. It starts 10 years after the first movie, when we find Zorro (Banderas) still valiantly romping about, but struggling to maintain his work-family balance. So Mrs Zorro (Zeta-Jones) boots him out for not spending enough time with his son. Next time Banderas sees her, she's on the arm of a shifty European count (Rufus Sewell). Surely there must be some explanation for her change of heart? Of course there is, but it's by no means a simple one. There's blackmail, political intrigue, railroad projects, arms smuggling and even a secret old European brotherhood. The way these are blended into a multiplex-friendly action-comedy-romance smacks of big bucks thrown at numerous Hollywood screenwriters - and all to no avail. Where the first movie slalomed recklessly through all the adventure movie pitfalls and emerged unscathed at the other end, this one hits every obstacle in its way. The best way to enjoy it would be as a movie cliché drinking game. Though by the time they get to the "grab the jailer's keys off his belt" routine or the "bullet miraculously stopped by crucifix under the shirt" shtick, you'll be under the table.

blackmail- szantaż
blend- łączyć, scalać, mieszać
boot sb out- wyrzucic kogoś z pracy
brotherhood- braterstwo
buck- dolec, dolar
by no means- w żaden sposób; absolutnie nie
catapult- wyrzucać (z katapulty)
catch one’s eye- zwrócić czyjąś uwagę, spodobać się komuś
celebrity- sława (o osobie, np. słynna osoba)
conjure- czarować, wyczarowywać
convoluted- skomplikowany, zawiły
emerge- wyłaniać się, wynurzać, wychodzić
exposure- przedstawienie, wystawienie
gamely- dzielnie, odważnie
get around to- (wreszcie) wziąć się za coś
high spirits- doskonały nastrój
intervene- wydarzać się, zakłócać
maintain- podtrzymywac, utrzymywać, zachowywać (coś)
obstacle- przeszkoda
pitfall- pułapka, zagrożenie, niebezpieczeństwo
plot- fabuła, wątek
plucky- odważny, śmiały
radiant- promienny
recklessly- lekkomyślnie, nierozważnie
romp about- dokazywać, wygrywać z łatwością
saggy- obwisły, opadniety
shifty- przebiegły, chytry
shtick- kawał, psota
smack- klaps; cmoknięcie; posmak
smuggling- przemyt
starlet- gwiazdka
strike while the iron is cold- kuć żelazo, kiedy już wystygło; strike while the iron is hot- kuć żelazo, póki gorące
take a toll- zbierac żniwo
to no avail- bezskutecznie
unscathed- bez uszczerbku, bez szwanku
valiantly- bohatersko, odważnie, mężnie
shtick- chwyt
cliché- banał; klisza


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