Hidalgo - 3000 Meilen zum Ruhm

A great action/adventure movie! I was surprised at just how good it was, as it has received so little attention. Viggo Mortensen of Lord of the Rings plays Frank Hopkins, a real-life cowboy, although probably much fictionalized in this movie. He is a half-breed, part Native American and part white. In the film's prologue, he works for the cavalry and witnesses the massacre of his people at Wounded Knee. The event scars him and he becomes a lush. For some easy money, he and his horse, Hidalgo, enter Buffalo Bill's roadshow. Hidalgo is so famous that a sheik has sent a servant to invite him to participate in a race across the Arabian desert, which he accepts, it being a better alternative to the humiliating performances. It's really a classical adventure movie, with princesses and scimitars and sandstorms and swarms of locusts. Omar Sharif co-stars as the sheik. Its nice to see a movie like this made with care. It never gets stupid, and, while it moves quickly, it isn't too fast, either. The director is Joe Johnston, whom I think is an undervalued filmmaker who specializes in these kinds of enjoyable yarns. His previous films include Jurassic Park 3, which is my favorite of that series, Jumanji, The Rocketeer, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, as well as episodes of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which I loved in my tween years. He also made October Sky, which I haven't seen, but has been recommended. The film also features good performances from Zuleikha Robinson, soon to be a star, I'm sure, Louise Lombard, and Adam Alexi-Malle, one of my favorite character actors (he was the guy who wrote Chubby Rain in the movie Bowfinger). 8/10.

Hidalgo. A horse with spirit, pride, and eyes that communicate scriptlines as coherent as any spoken. Viggo Mortensen is a charismatic and very persuasive actor and talented man. Omar Sharif, "Let in the light"... the scene at Wounded Knee is thought provoking. Hidalgo is one I would recommend highly. I do not see how a mustang from America could have any chance though in such a race. It would be unaccustomed to the new climate, and could possibly get sick and die just from the change of environment. It would be racing against horses who have been on these sands all their lives... it would be at a great disadvantage. Remember the movie Lucas? Where at the end he finally gets to play football and nearly gets killed? Reminds me of those kind of odds.

This movie has many subtleties that go unspoken that are the signature of a great film. I'd like to point one out.

1. The amount of the purse is unspoken until halfway thru, which leaves the mind open to experience beyond the material aspect.

I love the goat herder whose punishment for stealing milk is to work for the American. We see objectively thru the eyes of Frank the positives and negatives that arise from different cultures, including our own.. and this honest experience, gives the film great character.

Overall a very enjoyable film. I give this film a 8/10

Viggo Mortensen is terrific, Omar Sharif is terrific, and the horse, whose name, I believe is J.T. in terrific! And I heard that Viggo loved the horse so much, he bought him. And he rode him to the premier (sp) of the movie. I think Viggo Mortensen is absolutely gorgeous. He's also a painter and a poet. I think this explains his soft-spoken way. He seems like a very sensitive man and this is what I like. I generally see a movie for the stars in it and not particularly the story, which in this case was breath-taking. I also love an animal storyline and this was one. Reminds me of the times years ago when films were of the type you could take your kids to. Bravo HIDALGO!!!!!!

I've read some pretty disparaging comments about this movie that make me wonder what on earth was so bad? Let's see, there were objections over the predictability of the plot, the stereotyping, the music and on and on. People need to relax and enjoy this movie as entertainment only. I personally thought it was one of the nicest new releases I'd seen.

I know this was another movie about the underdog winning against all odds but I like this kind of movie. I thought the screenplay was admirable in it's restraint not having the main character even kiss the two women involved. The music was very moving and beautiful.

Perhaps some people have become so jaded that a movie simply isn't complete unless there's a helicopter chase, an exploding car or two (or in this case, a wagon), a trip to the nearby strip club with the flashing lights(where all characters in search of answers seem to end up at), gratuitous sex scenes, oh yeah, don't forget to use the 'F' word and while we're at it: let take God's name in vain a few times for the sake of 'realism'.

Hollywood needs to make more movies like this.

The picture talks upon Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) a real cowboy who participated with his horse called ¨Hidalgo¨ in an extraordinary racehorse : ¨ Oceans of fire¨, a 3.000 mile survival race across the risky Arabian desert . He'll take on ominous Arab riders and many dangers . The confrontation will be terrible and he'll face off imposing winds , locust plague , quicksands... though he'll love an Arab princess (Zuleikha Robinson) , Sheik's daughter (Omar Shariff) too . The film is based on historic deeds and famous people , thus : the ¨Wounded Knee slaughter¨ (1890) ; besides , there appears : Buffalo Bill Cody (J.K.Simmons) , Annie Oakley (Elizabeth Berridge) and Indian chiefs: Eagle Horn (Floyd Red Crow Westerman) , Sitting Bull , Crazy Horse and Big Foot . The final duel amongst the horsemen is breathtaking and overwhelming .

This moving motion picture blends adventures , action , a love story , emotions and results to be pretty amusing . From the beginning to end the adventure-action is unstoppable , it's fast moving and for that reason packs a lot of entertainment . The final horse scene was filmed in Browning, Montana , 550 different horses were used in that scene , the horses all came from different owners, so to tell them apart, their hooves were branded . Sets and production design are spellbinding and the Oriental landscapes are mesmerizing . Special effects (FX) by Industrial Light and Magic ILM (George Lucas's ownership) are top-notch , as especially the impressive digital storm . The movie was well directed by Joe Johnston , including Shelly Johnson's riveting cinematography and James Newton Howard's fascinating musical score . The film obtained success at box office around the world and United States was number one . The flick will appeal to Oriental adventure enthusiasts and Viggo Mortensen fans . Rating : Very good , well worth watching .