there be some aspect of this movie i really enjoy . the cinematography be excellent and range from the clank steam train couplngs to shimmer desert panorama and to the moving and simple effect at wounded knee . viggo mortensen do a good job a the lead frank hopkins and bring his characteristic sincerity to his role . it be nice to see omar sharif and his front teeth again . the horse and hidalgo and almost outdid viggo . and here we find one of the great catch of the movie . the man and animal sidekick relationship which work really well here . sadly and i find the script quite want . the line attribute to the arab and bedouin be banal and one dimensional . their character ( and the brit ) be stereotype . i felt that the scriptwriter do well in the u and but founder in some of their own quicksand in the middle east . i also find myself scratch my head at historical timing . be iraq call iraq back then . when _was_ then . if you be prepared to ignore the base on a real . horse dung and you will enjoy this rollicking adventure and cast much in the same genre a the ripsnorting and politically incorrect cowboy and indian movie of the 50 . to modernise and we move it to 1900 middle east and turn the indian into arab . but what more to expect from hollywood . viggo and his horse make a great pair and between them and the camera and make this film worth see .