Hidalgo

Aroview: Grandly conceived, this period adventure epic has a troubled 'Pony Express' rider (Mortensen) summoned to compete in an epic 3000-mile race across the Arabian desert - the "Ocean of Fire".

Aspiring to splendour of BEN HUR or LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, this certainly packs exotic locales, visual grandeur and action on a vast scale, so it is disappointing that the story lacks an equal depth or ambition. Still, for a horse opera like no other, this could be your race.