Hidalgo

Hidalgo arrives as an action film directed by Joe Johnston, and its first strength is a clear sense of purpose. Viggo Mortensen and Omar Sharif give Hidalgo a recognisable human centre before the larger mechanics take over. The central situation in Hidalgo comes into focus without a long explanation: In 1890, a down and out cowboy and his horse travel to Arabia to compete in a deadly cross desert horse race. Across its 2h 16m running time, Joe Johnston keeps Hidalgo alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them.

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The acting in Hidalgo is anchored by Viggo Mortensen, who treats even functional scenes as opportunities to reveal character. Omar Sharif answers that approach with a different energy, giving Hidalgo welcome friction whenever the pace begins to settle. Around them, Zuleikha Robinson helps Hidalgo feel like an ensemble piece rather than a vehicle with decorative support. Under Joe Johnston, the performances in Hidalgo share a tone even when the writing gives them unequal depth.

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The narrative of Hidalgo works from a simple but productive collision between Arabia and the central character. Through Viggo Mortensen, Hidalgo keeps that premise rooted in a reaction the audience can understand. John Fusco introduces an important relationship at a useful point, giving Hidalgo a reason to change pace without abandoning its emotional line. The handling of a difficult choice is not equally fresh, yet Hidalgo usually earns attention through clarity rather than surprise alone.

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What Hidalgo has to say is rooted in responsibility under pressure and the cost of impulsive courage. The experience of Viggo Mortensen carries that question through Hidalgo without reducing the character to an example. A difficult choice helps Hidalgo test the theme through consequence instead of explanation. When Joe Johnston allows ambiguity to remain, Hidalgo becomes more involving than a simple statement of intent.

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As director of Hidalgo, Joe Johnston proves alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them in the transitions between intimate material and larger demands. A strong scene in Hidalgo often begins with a modest detail before Joe Johnston lets its meaning expand. For Hidalgo, the cast and craft keep the experience watchable because the central tone remains visible even during busy passages. The weakness in Hidalgo is that too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested, although Joe Johnston usually finds the original rhythm again.

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Hidalgo gains much of its identity from set pieces with a clear sense of place, a choice that makes the world readable as well as attractive. The contribution of Touchstone Pictures allows Hidalgo to combine set pieces with a clear sense of place with a consistent visual language. Within its United States setting, Hidalgo makes particularly good use of physical momentum when the story needs to change scale. Sound and editing preserve the personality of Hidalgo by supporting detail instead of announcing every intended response.

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Taken as a whole, Hidalgo is an uneven film with enough personality to remain interesting for action fans who want spectacle tied to recognisable stakes. Hidalgo leaves its strongest impression through set pieces with a clear sense of place, the work of Viggo Mortensen and a clear understanding of tone. The limitations around how too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested should be acknowledged, but they do not erase what Hidalgo does well. I would return to Hidalgo for its personality and its willingness to connect genre pleasure with recognisable feeling.