Western legend, meet Arabian sand. Pony Express courier Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen), winner of reputedly of hundreds of long-distance races in the frontierland America, is challenged to run in a highly-regarded traditional horserace across the Arabian peninsula. Abandoning his carnival caricature status, where he wallows in after his disillusionment in the White Man's part in the Wounded Knee Sioux massacre, Hopkins travels across the world to join in the race, with his faithful horse, Hidalgo, one of the few remaining of the wild Mustang breed. The race is run by no less than Omar Sharif ... well, the sheik character that he plays anyway. Despite what they perceive to be this cowboy, i mean ... infidel's true intentions are (the money, baby), Hopkins, a half-Indian who understands dying breeds and races (because he is also the last of one), wants to prove he has it in him one last time. Director Johnston has an eye for adventure films (with The Rocketeer, Jumanji and Jurassic Park 3 among his outputs), and Hopkins' and Hidalgo's journey qualifies for one feel-good story. Unfortunately, it came out at a time when the American public were a bit sick of seeing anything of the Middle Eastern locales, plus they've had enough Viggo for awhile after 3 years straight of LOTR. Pity.
"i pray that Allah will bless you in your quest, but i fear you will not find any weapons of mass destruction here!"
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