It has been ten years since Don Alejandro de la Vega (Antonio Banderas) inherited the mask and the mantle of legendary California folk hero Zorro. In that decade his has married Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and had a son, Joaquin (newcomer Adrian Alonso), whose life is passing the father by. But now, with California approaching statehood, it looks like Alejandro will finally be able to hang up the mask, put his sword aside and make good on his promise to be a husband and father above all else to his loving family.

This does not happen right away, however, and soon Elena has separated herself from de la Vaga and allowed mysterious and secretive former boarding school friend Armand (Rufus Sewell) to court her. He’s come to California ostensibly to start a winery. What Elena, apparently, does not know is that this aristocratic Frenchman is a member of the secretive Knights of Aragen, an origination whose motives might not have the best interests of California at heart and who have also captured the eyes of Zorro, her already jealous former husband. Now, with secrets swirling around them and their home about to officially become a part of the United States, the biggest problem facing Elena, Alejandro and Joaquin might not be stopping Armand from starting civil war, but finding a way to remain a family.

In 1999, “The Mask of Zorro” emerged as one of the summer’s most guiltless pleasures and wondrous surprises. Decidedly old-fashioned in all the bet ways, the swashbuckling adventure was a pure cinematic delight bringing Johnston McCulley’s literary hero, the first masked hero of them all, back to deliriously energetic life. Better, for the first time a man of Spanish descent picked up Zorro’s weaponry in a Hollywood production, Banderas proving to be the single-best incarnation of this 19^th century hero (and I’m including Tyrone Power) bar-none.

Six years later and my assessment of director Martin Campbell’s (“Goldeneye”) original have not changed. If anything, my affection, and that of so many others, has only grown, “The Mask of Zorro” proving to be continually popular with movie watchers no matter what their age. This, of course, explains why we’re finally getting sequel here in the latter days of 2005. With the majority of the principals returning (save for Anthony Hopkins who died last time out), “The Legend of Zorro” has all the making of a hit, especially with a family-friendly PG rating.

Happily, moments here and there are indeed extraordinary. Unhappily, plenty of others are not. Worse, you can see the pressure of making a successful follow-up wearing on the filmmakers, and at well over two hours much of the movie can’t help but feel bloated and overlong. It doesn’t help that Campbell’s reliance on CGI and digital imagery is unfortunately omnipresent. Where the original had a lived-in quality making the action visceral and immediate, here the trickery and the artifice of it all is far too apparent. As good as some of it is, I never felt I was ever taken back in time by this installment, the obvious computer generated fakery taking me out of the picture time and time again.

Luckily, there are still plenty of things to cheer about, not the least of which is the return of Banderas and Zeta-Jones. The latter has won an Oscar (for “Chicago”) since her star-making turn in the original, and yet the actress still seems as fresh and alive and sexy as she did back then. But Zeta-Jones has added something, a sense of world-weary wherewithal allowing her the ability to make tough decisions in order to save her family. She’s splendid, and like Alejandro it was nearly impossible not to find myself falling in love with Elena all over again.

Yet her work would mean next to nothing without equal support from her costar. But Banderas knows Zorro is the character – the hero – he was born to play. All the movie’s passion, pathos, excitement, sex appeal and humor can be traced directly to him and Banderas does not disappoint. Sharing a chemistry with Zeta-Jones that could illuminate a dark and stormy sky, the actor is perfect as the titular character once again, returning to the mask with personality, charm and confidence oozing from every sinfully sensual pore.

It all begins with an exciting opening showcasing Banderas and Campbell at their very best. Introducing one of the central villains, a dastardly reprobate named McGivens (Nick Chinlund) claiming to be doing the Lord’s work, Zorro races against both time and odds to save a ballot box containing precious votes deciding California’s quest to join the United States. From horseback to the air to nearly walking on water to balancing precariously on an unfinished bridge, this hero never quits and never gives in, and from all appearances audiences are going to be in store for a wonderful family adventure not seen since Harrison Ford first picked up a bullwhip.

That opening, alas, is the only time “The Legend of Zorro” hits, and keeps, its stride. Campbell moves the picture in fits and starts, elongating scenes we’d rather see cut short and ending others before they even have a chance to develop. Also, like their script for this summer’s misfire “The Island,” Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman’s screenplay is a brimming with good ideas and yet hasn’t a clue as to what to do with them. Mixing in elements of European unease towards America’s growth, a coming civil war, racial tensions and militaristic invention which will change to face of warfare, there are some interesting and compelling tangents percolating throughout the script.

So many, though, go nowhere, and just as things should be building to an astonishing climax of epic proportions the whole thing just fizzles out in a CGI fireball so fake kids watching Saturday morning television have seen cartoons more realistic. And, while I personally don’t mind the addition of a 10-year-old child to the mix, turning Zorro into a “Spy Kids” sequel is definitely something I could do without. Yet that is exactly what Campbell, Orci, Kurtzman and company do, too many times turning the entire picture over to (the admittedly likeable and charming) Alonso, forgetting about Banderas and Zeta-Jones altogether.

There is still much to love about this next chapter in the story of Zorro. The actors are all solid (with Sewell making a surprisingly sympathetic, if still evil, arch villain) and Campbell, when he sets his mind to it, is one of the bet action directors in Hollywood. In fact, if it were thirty minutes shorter, and if it didn’t try so hard to be whimsical and cute (a pipe smoking horse for gosh sakes), I’d go so far as to call the sequel a success. As it is, however, “The Legend of Zorro” hardly lives up to its title. If anything, instead of legendary, thanks to the filmmakers, this Zorro has the potential to be something else far different and unsavory.

Forgotten.

Film Rating: êê1/2  (out of 4)