Hidalgo goes for the gold; gets lost in uneven story, cliche

“Hidalgo”

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Zuleikha Robinson, Louise…

“Hidalgo”

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Zuleikha Robinson, Louise Lombard

Directed by Joe Johnston

Following soon after 2003’s “Seabiscuit,” “Hidalgo” shares with the earlier film the elements of a troubled rider and his allegedly not-so-perfect horse. But rather than building up to the big race, the movie takes the duo straight for the gold in the clutches of the Arabian Desert.

Directed by Joe Johnston, “Hidalgo” is based on the true story of American courier Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) and his mustang, Hidalgo. Set in 1890, the pair accepts the challenge of Sheik Riyadh (Omar Sharif) to enter a Bedouin horse race in Saudi Arabia. The 3,000-mile fight for survival across the “Ocean of Fire” is an opportunity for man and horse to prove their strength in the centuries-old competition.

As Hopkins races towards a hefty prize, he struggles with his traumatic memories of the Massacre at Wounded Knee. Hopkins and Hidalgo conveyed the message ordering American soldiers to disarm the Sioux encampment, resulting in the slaughter of nearly 350 people. Hopkins, whose mother was Native American, is burdened by guilt after the tragedy and walks in limbo between the two worlds of his parents.

Filmed partially in Morocco, the majesty of the scenery in “Hidalgo” is the highlight of the film. Aerial shots of the horses charging across the golden dunes are breathtaking and almost enough to compensate for the quasi-love story and handful of peculiar subplots.

Although he is told to “ignore her presence,” Hopkins is intoxicated by Jazira (Zuleikha Robinson), the mysterious daughter of the sheik. But the cultural and religious gap between them is too large to bridge, and the only result of their platonic adoration is an angry father (amusingly) threatening Hopkins with castration.

While Hopkins swoons over the sheik’s daughter, a brittle Englishwoman competes for her mare’s breeding rights to his purebred Arabian, Al-Hattal. As Hidalgo becomes a greater threat to her win, Lady Davenport (Louise Lombard) funds the kidnapping of Jazira to tug us away from the race and into an “Indiana Jones”-style mini-adventure.

When Hopkins isn’t rescuing maidens or wrestling with his past, the trials throughout the race are suspenseful and thrilling. He and Hidalgo, a horse with a surprisingly vivid personality, find themselves pushed to the limit by the scorching heat and natural obstacles of the Arabian Desert. The special effects, from sandstorms to mirages, are impressive, as are the sets comprised of time-worn and sandblasted walls.

Even with the harsh reality of death in the desert and murderous sabotage, Johnston incorporates strangely immature humor into the film. When the sheik asks his terse nephew if a horseshoe would stand erect in his coffee, the man replies, “At your age, uncle, I think it’s the only thing that might.” Erectile dysfunction jokes have their place, but not in the tent of a lord horrified by his daughter’s chitchatting with a man.

After a few detours, the race comes to a (rather sudden) end, as do Hopkins’ anxieties about his cultural identification. Hopkins traveled halfway around the world to find himself and prove his worth, and the cliche results in a generally fun ride with some bumps along the road.

“Hidalgo” opens in theaters Friday.