Movie Reviews for Hidalgo (Widescreen Edition)

Hidalgo (Widescreen Edition)

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Movie Reviews of Hidalgo (Widescreen Edition)

Movie Review: Outstanding High-Definition movie
Summary: 5 Stars

This captures the great Wild West. Much of the movie was filmed near Hot Springs,South Dakota-an authentic town- historically- from the old west. Images in high-definition(Blu-Ray) are awesome. I would recommend this highly. Viggo Mortensen is that rare actor that captures authenticity. The scenes with the horses are great! A wild horse sanctuary is located near the filming location of 'Hidalgo'. I know, Hot Springs was my hometown as a boy!

Movie Review: "You survived the sandstorm! Allah must have a more severe judgment awaiting you."
Summary: 4 Stars

Now I don't know just how true to life are the events in HIDALGO, but I do know it's a hell of a good story. Viggo Mortensen parlayed his iconic performance from LORD OF THE RINGS into starring in this spectacular, riproaring "western." Except that this film mostly takes place in the scorching Arabian sands. But, then again, it does feature a short-talking, straight-shooting cowboy and his trusty horse, so at its heart HIDALGO is a western.

It's loosely based on the life and times of long distance endurance rider Frank T. Hopkins. Hopkins, we learn, is half-white and half-Indian (the Indians call him "Blue Child" and "Far Rider"). HIDALGO briefly covers Hopkins' involvement in the Wounded Knee massacre and then his tenure at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, a period in which he spent many a day drunk as a skunk. When Hopkins and his horse, Hidalgo, are touted by Buffalo Bill as the greatest endurance rider and horse, this doesn't sit well with the Sheikh Riyadh, the Sheikh of Sheikhs, who is considered to hold the finest and purest stable of horses in the world. Sheikh Riyadh extends an invitation to Hopkins to compete in the grueling 3000 mile race which has been run annually for more than a thousand years across the murderous Arabian desert, aptly dubbed the Ocean of Fire.

Cowboys and Arabs, instead of cowboys and Injuns, with Viggo Mortensen coming thru again as the steadfast and noble guy, who's struggling just a mite with his half-Indian heritage. HIDALGO feels like an old fashioned film, a cinematic cousin to classic epics such as The Man Who Would Be King, The Wind and the Lion and Lawrence of Arabia (Collector's Edition, 2 discs) - DVD. It's also a fish-out-of-water tale, as Hopkins finds himself in very strange and perilous surroundings, in an unfamiliar culture. I've said "riproaring western" and "cowboys and Injuns," but it's also an exciting Arabian adventure, just without the djinns and the magic lamps. There's an imperiled beautiful princess and a wicked prince. There are royal kidnappings and rousing rescues. Desert bandits and sword fights (and a few chucked spears). There's a mighty sheikh who happens to be benevolent (in a ruthless kind of way), and Hopkins is dang lucky that this sheikh fancies the Wild West mythos.

3000 miles is scary daunting, as Hopkins and his little pony brave the blistering heat, the maddening thirst, sweeping sandstorms, and plagues of locusts. Those are only the natural hazards. Men being a scurvy lot, there are several bedouins who take Hopkins and his half-breed horse's presence as an insult and are willing to stoop to any low means to ensure the foreigner's failure. Naturally, Hopkins wins thru all these challenges. I don't quite know how Viggo managed to pull off that heroic look, what with being all cracked lips and dried sweat and crusty with sand.

Viggo gets marvelous acting support from Omar Sharif (Sheikh Riyadh), Zuleikha Robinson (Jazira), and Louise Lombard (the shady Lady Anne Davenport). I found the relationship between the Sheikh and the wilful daughter, Jazira, to be endearing. I guess, in such a rugged, man-dominated culture, it's not a good idea to indulge the daughter and give her notions of independence. But what matters is that these father-and-daughter arguments provide good movie moments. When Jazirah gets into a serious scrape, the Sheikh remarks: "Have you ever considered just poisoning me, Jazira? Why torture me with slow precision?" Zuleikha Robinson as the spirited princess is pretty damn wonderful. Omar Sharif perfectly pulls off that balancing act between regal sovereign and wide-eyed cowboy enthusiast. Meanwhile, J. K. Simmons shows up for several very entertaining minutes as Buffalo Bill Cody. And a grateful nod also to that old guy who plays Hopkins' old and pessimistic goatherd assistant. Dude has some good and funny lines. When Hopkins survives the arduous first leg of the race, the goatherd tells him: "You survived the sandstorm! Allah must have a more severe judgment awaiting you." Way to show support, goatherd dude.

Very much key to the story is the gutsy mustang pony Hidalgo, who fits the mold of the underdog character. Derided by the Arabian master horsemen as an impure horse, well, c'mon, you can't help but root for the little fella (who also does hat tricks and comes a-runnin' when you whistle). And I couldn't help but experience that "Hah! Take that!" feeling during the pulse-pounding finale of the desert race (If you've seen films like Seabiscuit (2-Disc Collector's Set) and, yup, even Dreamer - Inspired By a True Story (Widescreen Edition), then you know where I'm coming from). If you dig epic, exotic desert adventures, then this is in your wheelhouse. So why not treat the kid in you? Go check out HIDALGO. Quit horsing around (sorry).

Movie Review: Good For All
Summary: 5 Stars

This recount of the life and times of Frank Hopkins is fun to watch, thought provoking, and heartwarming. Even if one has not lived such an exciting life, it is easy to relate to some of the personal trials while wishing for such fun.
As the story evolves around a 3,000 mile race, Hopkins' Mustang is clearly the underdog. Hopkins and Hildago (the paint Mustang) must each face the harsh desert and its perills, the "bad guys", and personal conflicts.
Hopkins competed in races around the world well into his 60's, not only for the adventures, but to bring to light his personal goals regarding the Mustangs and protection of their lives and environment. He was an activist on behalf of the Mustangs all of his adult life.
An excellent movie, good for all.

Movie Review: An entertaining and well acted film
Summary: 4 Stars

Hidalgo is a pretty good film, entertaining and visually beautiful. Viggo Mortensen utterly owns this film. Him and that beautiful horse. Its unbelievable the rapport they have in this film. Its very sweet and completely believable. It's not just an actor on a horse. It feels like so much more. And that is what makes this film work. The script is pretty engaging and the acting from the rest of the cast is also very good. I do remember I think it was a tad on the long side, which isn't a big deal really but truthfully, I don't think it needed to be that long. However, since Viggo is in this, it really doesn't matter since his acting is so brilliant and you really can't take your eyes off him when he's on screen. There is a nice amount of action mixed with humour and some tense, almost depressing moments. It really has everything anyone could want in a film.