HIDALGO: The Great Race

Unbridled. Unbroken. Unbeaten.

Behold the magnificent tale of Hidalgo, an epic action-adventure of one man’s journey of personal redemption.

Based on the life of Frank T. Hopkins, his legend comes to life when one of the greatest riders the American west has ever known is pitted against the world’s finest Arabian horses and racers in the Ocean of Fire, a grueling 3,000-mile survival race across the punishing terrain of the Arabian Desert.

In making Hidalgo, the filmmakers were excited to have a film that blended spectacular action and adventure with a story of redemption. "I think audiences every-where will connect with the story of Frank Hopkins," says producer Casey Silver. "There’s an exciting race that frames the story, but the real race is this man’s race to find himself, to find forgiveness within himself for his transgressions –the themes are compelling."

The story of the cowboy Hopkins and his mustang named Hidalgo, strangers in a strange land as they become the first American and non-Arabian horse to compete in the toughest endurance race the world has ever known, Hidalgo stars Lord of the Rings’ own King Aragorn Viggo Mortensen as the man billed as the greatest distance rider the West has ever known.

"Ultimately, this is a classic hero’s journey," says Mortensen. "Hopkins has to leave his familiar surroundings, and overcome, in a strange place, the obstacles and dangers in his path. What’s really interesting about the Ocean of Fire race is that it doesn’t really matter who wins in the end. It’s a question of getting through it, and what happens to a person as a result of going through that experience."

To direct the film, Silver tapped Joe Johnston, a director who has showcased his ability to capture emotional intimacy with October Sky, epic vision in Jurassic Park III, and sheer originality with Jumanji. "There are very few directors with the kind of expertise and range that Joe Johnston can bring to a motion picture," says Silver. "Hidalgo is one of those rare motion pictures that contains all of those elements, and Joe’s passion and vision has brought a great true story to life."

"Once I started reading the script of Hidalgo, I couldn’t put it down," says Johnston. "It was almost like reading a best-selling thriller. When I closed the script I knew I couldn’t say no. Opportunities like this come along once in a career, if you’re lucky. I knew that the action and set pieces, the epic scope of the story, could make a visually stunning film, but the element that appealed to me most was the simple story of this lost soul and his best friend, who happens to be a horse. At the heart of this amazing adventure is the story of this man running from himself, not knowing who he is. His ordeal by fire, this impossible 3,000- mile horse race, is the catalyst for his rediscovery of who he really is and what his life means."

"In order for the story to work the audience has to care, not only about Frank Hopkins, but about his horse and the relationship that holds them together," Johnston continues. "I was conscious of the fine line we were walking with that relationship. I wanted to make sure we never humanized the horse, made him ‘superhorse.’ In a way, that’s the easy solution–to push the believable limit of the horse’s intelligence, (but) he could never be Silver or Lassie. I think it’s more compelling to keep the two main characters within the realms of their species, because the reality you’ve set up will pay off emotionally in the end. We wanted to treat the horse as a partner, but in the way a real horseman in 1890 would do it. There’s no doubt who’s in charge– the horse serves the man–but theirs is a uniquely close and humane relationship."

"Joe handled the material incredibly well," says Mortensen. "I liked the movies he’d directed, and I liked meeting him, but it’s not until you start meeting challenges together, as a team, that you know what the movie’s going to be like. But not only was Joe a professional, but an optimistic and calm presence at all times–a very ‘can do’ sort of person. If something wasn’t working out, he calmly sat down with the team and worked it out. It inspires confidence in the actors and the crew."

Hidalgo opens on March 10 in theaters across the Philippines.