| HIDALGO |
 2004 - USADirector: Joe Johnston - Reviewed by guest reviewer Jennifer
Nine months of anticipation are a lot for any movie to live up to, and there is little chance that a two hour film will be as life-changing as, say, the baby you could have produced in that amount of time, but Hidalgo does its best to live up to expectations. The story itself is solid. Frank T. Hopkins (Mortensen) travels halfway around the world to ride his mustang, Hidalgo (TJ the horse), in a 3,000 mile race across the Arabian desert. What makes them endearing is the sense that they are there to prove to themselves that they can win, not simply to beat the other riders to the finish line. Their quest becomes one of personal redemption rather than competition, and Viggo offers up one of his classically complicated performances. Ultimately, the story serves as a parable about the power of individuality, and demonstrates that what you choose to do with your life is more important that who or what you are. Hopkins stands out in sharp contrast to the other riders whose beliefs and actions are determined by strict societal rules and the will of Allah, driving home the point that if just one man has the strength to be true to himself, change is possible. At one point Hidalgo reminded me of Young Guns, and later I realized it was because both films are written by John Fusco. Viggo Mortensen even had a small role in Young Guns 2 (he shot Doc Scurlock). So the connections make sense. Then the movie reminded me of Indiana Jones, and I found out that's because the director had worked on Raiders of the Lost Ark. This should have been a great combination of creative forces, but I am left wondering if Hidalgo wouldn't have been better if it felt entirely new and unique. After, it is a movie about individuality.... Hidalgo contains moments of serious drama, high adventure, genuine compassion, and even humor. The cinematography is beautiful, and Viggo even does that half-dead-on-a-horse thing that makes you just want to scoop him up and nurse him back to health. What I can't figure out is why I didn't feel more. Shouldn't I have cried at some point? Was it the editing that prevented the story from reaching an emotional climax? Was it my head cold? Or was it that after waiting with baited breath for the better part of a year, I was bound to be disappointed just a little? I have thought this over long and hard, and decided there is only one thing to do—I will have to go back and see it again. And that is a sign of a delicious pie, even if it is missing a piece or two. It was unquestionably entertaining, and should not be asked to be more than fun. It is a legend that doesn't require analysis—the final scene of the movie gives this away, as a certain horse gallops poignantly off to a life in the wild with his shoes on. Don't think too hard—just sit back and enjoy the ride. |
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There are those of us who would watch Viggo Mortensen muck out stalls for
two hours if it meant seeing him in a horse movie. Needless to say, when
trailers for Hidalgo surfaced last summer, I began counting the days to its
October release. Unfortunately, tragedy struck and the release date was
pushed back to March. I came to terms with this blow by realizing it left
something to look forward to after 