Review of Hidalgo (2004) by Wayne K — 02 Jun 2016

I think the most emotional part was when Hopkins defends his horse from some ruffians tormenting it. I have a soft spot for animals, especially horses in movies, and people picking on anything just gets to me.

But if that is your best part, we need to go back to the drawing boards. There's a lot going on with Native American sentiments, Islam condemnation, and freedom of spirit, freedom to know who you really are - and all of that dipped in a race across the desert.

I wish more time was spent on the race and less on saving Native Americans, convincing us Islam is bad for women, and Hopkins accepting himself and true heritage. None of that really worked. Not enough for me to buy into, screamed agenda, or felt as an easy way out to get to the next scene.

You have a list of obstacles and you check them off. Not a lot of real thought. Too much going on that worked against itself, and characters with weird habits and illogical characteristics. But the race part works.

It should have been simpler - an American in an Arabian race and it tests man and horse against everything. Only a few times did this truly shine without anything to cloud it. Still, it might entertain you and may even resonate with you, but for me, it crossed the streams too many times with too many forgettable characters put in place very obviously and a plot that was too predictable for its own good.