Hidalgo is a story about a man and his horse. It is based on the true story of Pony Express courier Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) and his Mustang, Hidalgo. The pair receive national fame for their speed and endurance across the plains of the American West, thanks in part to Buffalo Bill Cody (J.K. Simmons), who makes the claim that Hidalgo is the fastest horse in the world. Taking exception to that is a Sheik from the Middle East who prides himself on his pure-bred Arabian Stallions who consistently win, what he calls, the greatest endurance horse race in the world, which has taken place annually for hundreds of years in Saudi Arabia.
Sheik Riyadh (Omar Sharif, pictured above on the left, who is perfectly cast here) is so determined to rob Hopkins and Hidalgo of their reputation and so eager to establish his own, that he invites them to take part in his race. Hopkins, who is sort of down and out at this time in his life, figures that he has nothing to lose and accepts the challenge. He and Hidalgo head off for the journey which will lead them half-way around the world.
When they arrive, Hopkins and Hidalgo are greeted with skepticism, at best, and scorn and hatred at worst. They are up to the challenge, however, and this sets the stage for a fun and exciting adventure story. Hopkins and his horse face heat, thirst, hunger, sand-storms (see below), temptation, ambushes, and more giving a real meaning behind the word "endurance."
I'll be honest. I went to see this movie because of its main star, Mortensen, who played Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Not that I was expecting to see another epic, but I was taken aback when he first spoke with his American Cowboy accent. HAHA. Hopkins is no Aragorn, but they both share that "rugged" look which Mortensen gives so well.
The main message of this film is one of nostalgia, I think. Nostalgia for the wild mustang of the American West. It is refreshing to see a different kind of love story than we're used to...one about a man and his horse, because in the end, we see that Hopkins one and only love is for his amazing horse, Hidalgo.
For the most part, this film is a lot of fun to watch. We see horse racing, sword-fights, and the rescue of a princess. There is also a lot of humor thrown in from time to time. But for some reason, the makers of this film decided that they had better make us feel real guilty and sad about what happened to the Native Americans in America in the late 1800's. It isn't that I don't care, or that I don't regret this aspect of our past, but I just didn't expect or want those issues brought up while I'm trying to enjoy myself watching an adventure flick.
Worth a viewing for the adventure and fun. Not memorable enough to want to see again though...
Read
Back