A.V. Opinions: Is Hidalgo an underrated adventure gem or a one-trick pony?
Recently, I popped in Hidalgo on VHS, a movie I had no desire to see when it was released. I don’t remember what else was playing at the time, but for whatever reason, Hidalgo never appealed to me, and critics weren’t exactly kind to it. However, I’m glad I finally gave it a shot. I was in the mood for a good adventure film, and I’m pleased to say that Hidalgo is an underrated gem, possibly even a top 10 adventure movie. They just don’t make them like this anymore.
If you’re unfamiliar, Hidalgo follows cowboy Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen), an expert horseman who performs in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. When Sheik Riyadh (Omar Sharif) hears of Hopkins’ talent, he challenges him to compete in a grueling long-distance horse race across the Middle Eastern desert called the Ocean of Fire. Hopkins, accompanied by his mustang Hidalgo, finds himself racing against the world’s best riders and thoroughbred horses with his reputation and life on the line.
One of Hidalgo’s biggest strengths is how it blends everything together. It’s part Western, part Middle Eastern adventure, and part exploration of Indigenous identity. It’s not just about cowboys and Arabia, it’s also deeply tied to Frank Hopkins’ Lakota heritage, which adds a unique layer to the classic Western hero archetype.
Most Westerns focus on cowboys versus Native Americans, but Hidalgo flips that by making its main character half Lakota, someone caught between two worlds. He’s not just proving himself in a foreign land, he’s also struggling with his identity and the erasure of Native culture, particularly through Buffalo Bill’s commercialized Wild West Show. That internal conflict makes him an even greater underdog in the race, he’s always been an outsider, whether in America or abroad.
The result feels like Dances with Wolves, Lawrence of Arabia, and Indiana Jones mixed with an underdog sports story. Not something you see every day! You get everything from shootouts and sword fights to daring rescues and epic scenery. It checks all the adventure boxes.
Viggo Mortensen delivers a rugged, charismatic performance that fits the role perfectly. He plays Hopkins as a quiet but charming outsider, down on his luck but still possessing a quiet confidence. I completely buy him in this role.
Louise Lombard, who plays a British aristocrat betting against Hidalgo, also stands out. I’m glad the role didn’t go to a bigger Hollywood name of the time, she fits this movie perfectly, even after all these years.
And let’s talk about Hidalgo himself. Not to overhype this, but the horse is fantastic. He’s one of the coolest horses I’ve seen in a movie like this. The coloring, the personality, it all works. If you’re making a film about a horse, that horse needs to look and feel iconic, and they nailed it. Does that sound weird? Maybe. But it’s the truth.
Director Joe Johnston, who also made The Rocketeer and Captain America: The First Avenger, knows how to craft a good adventure film. His influences are obvious, there are moments that feel straight out of Indiana Jones and Lawrence of Arabia, but it never feels like a cheap imitation. The action is well handled, with practical effects mixed with just enough CGI to expand the world without overwhelming it. A sandstorm sequence and some desert predators push the limits of early 2000s CGI, but Johnston wisely cuts away before anything looks too dated. He uses CGI as a tool, not a crutch.
At the end of the day, Hidalgo is a great adventure movie, one you could watch with just about anyone. It’s the kind of film you could throw on with your grandma after church, and she’d probably enjoy it just as much as you.
So why isn’t this movie talked about more? I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with anyone about Hidalgo, and that’s a shame. This is a well-crafted, fun, exciting, and surprisingly layered adventure film that deserves more recognition. If you skipped Hidalgo back in the day, give it a shot. You might be surprised. I think it’s an underrated adventure flick that deserves a second look.
-Brad McBoom