Photo By Andrew Cooper

Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones star in The Legend of Zorro.

Adventure movies of the Star Wars variety claim over-the-top special effects and little else. A recent superhero movie like Fantastic Four contains no wow factor whatsoever. But a blockbuster worth celebrating is The Legend of Zorro, a classic swashbuckler and child-friendly adventure film that emphasizes characters, humor and stunts over cold, redundant digital pizzazz.

Like Pirates of the Caribbean, Legend of Zorro, a sequel to the popular 1998 adventure The Mask of Zorro, does the genre proud with period costumes, acrobatic swordfights and a climactic battle atop a large steam locomotive. Complementing the action are frequent laughs.

Set years after the previous film, Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas) leaves his bandit life behind and now goes by his adopted name, De la Vega. He's also Zorro, the masked protector of innocent Californians.

It's 1850, and California is on the verge of statehood. French aristocrat Armand (Rufus Sewell) owns a winery, a front for something deadly.

A secret organization has plans to destroy America with a new weapon: nitroglycerin. De la Vega is distraught about his pretty wife Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) leaving him and taking their 10-year-old son Joaquin (Adrian Alonso) until he realizes the reasons for her separation. Before everything is settled, the trademark Z will be slashed into the villain's clothes.

Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman contribute to the Zorro cannon with a solid story and the addition of a wide-eyed young boy who worships Zorro but has little respect for his absentee father.

Shiny swords, a bullwhip and a wide-brimmed hat are the tools at Zorro's disposal, and Banderas makes amusing use of these simple items. His dark clothes match his dark hair and bedroom eyes. He's a natural as the Spanish landowner turned masked protector of the people.

Banderas dives in headfirst with an often funny, always exciting performance. He has charisma and gusto to spare and, more importantly, the verve to take acting foolishly so seriously. The one new factor is that Banderas looks better the older he gets.

Zeta-Jones provides the romance and long, wet kisses that will make children scream in disgust. Her red lips and jet-black hair are as pretty as ever, but her standout features are the spark and charisma that match her smoky good looks.

It's noteworthy that the original director chosen to revive Zorro in 1998 was Robert Rodriguez, who remade Banderas into an acrobatic hero with his El Mariachi movies. Banderas fits the high-spirited hero mold, and he plays the part well.

Director Martin Campbell, best known for his James Bond adventure Golden Eye (he's also slated to direct the upcoming Bond film, Casino Royale), matches the excitement of countless Saturday afternoon serials with an array of playful action scenes. But beyond the Errol Flynn-inspired melodrama and constant sense of humor is a heartfelt plot about a son who learns the heroic legacy of his father.

Granted, Anthony Hopkins is missed as Don Diego de la Vega from the 1998 film, but Banderas more than makes up for his absence with what has become his signature role. As Zorro, Banderas joins the worthy company of Harrison Ford as bullwhip-cracking adventurer Indiana Jones and even pioneer matinee idol Douglas Fairbanks.

Other action heroes could learn about the importance of charisma and good humor from Banderas. There's a childhood spirit within the veteran Spanish actor, a good heart that's responsible for the first fun surprise of the fall movie season. Grade: B