There’s a bit of controversy surrounding Disney’s “Hidalgo,” a film based on the life of a famous cowboy named Frank T. Hopkins. It’s not a “Passion of the Christ” type hullabaloo, mind you — after all, the famous Frank T. Hopkins isn’t exactly a household name — but it does raise some interesting questions about the delusory tactics Hollywood employs when offering up entertainment that is “based on actual events.” Hopkins did exist, but there’s little credible evidence that he ever participated in — let alone won — the grueling 3,000-mile horserace across the Arabian Desert that is the backbone of the movie. Not that this ruse qualifies as a crime against humanity, but there’s certainly something shady about creating a hero and pawning his exploits off as actual history. Next thing you know, they’ll be telling us Frank T. Hopkins served in the Alabama National Guard.
Viggo Mortensen emerges from Middle Earth and winds up in the Middle East, where he and his two-toned, scrappy little mustang Hidalgo endure all manner of treachery en route to one-upping a host of horse-crazy Arabs on their own turf. To offset the jingoism, the filmmakers give Hopkins a backstory lifted straight out of “The Last Samurai.” He was complicit in the slaughter of American Indians, became disillusioned and wound up a drunk in a traveling Wild West show. After an improbable challenge is issued by Sheikh Riyadh (Omar Sharif), Hopkins and his horse find themselves in an exotic land where the locals don’t suffer the likes of cowboys and mustangs in their most prestigious equine event … at least, not until the cheeseball finale.
“Hidalgo” looks great, boasting one stunning sand-soaked vista after another, and the race sequences are quite a rush. Mortensen’s portrayal is awfully stony, but he compensates with his mastery of the physical demands of the role — the guy can flat-out ride a horse. On the downside, there are far too many pace-halting interludes involving the Sheikh’s free-spirited daughter, a conniving British sexpot and a pack of marauding thieves, all of whom want a piece of Hopkins in one way or another. These episodes aren’t very original, don’t pro-pel the narrative, and only serve to make this already lengthy pic (141 minutes) seem a bit tedious. Had director Joe Johnston (“October Sky”) shaved 45 minutes off and told Mortensen to lighten up a bit, he’d have had a damn good western adventure. As it stands, this one rates pretty good. (Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and some mild innuendo. Running time: 141 minutes)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 5, 2004. Read the original PDF.