ANY movie with horses in gets at least a 5 ... this one is not bad at the technical elements regarding the horses, though there are some real boners.
Dakota Fanning is terrific to watch, as always. Fantastic young actress, very appealing, and spookily adult at times. Kurt Russell is OK; he struggles with the angst-ridden and just comes across as wooden. David Morse is a great bad guy, but has got some god-awful, over-the-top lines.
"Inspired" by a true story is stretching it a bit.
On to the gripes ...
First, the actor playing the jockey was very good, but too big to be a jockey. Minor.
There is a scene where Dakota Fanning sets off to run away from home on the filly ... untutored girl manages to tack up the horse and get on, at which point the horse spooks and takes off with the girl. Goof one - in real life, the kid would fall off in the first 10 seconds. Really. Goof two - the kid doesn't fall off but manages to leap with the skill of a trick rider from the back of the galloping horse (who is conveniently galloping in a nice straight line) into the waiting arms of her father. Hugely dangerous move, not one that should be attempted by a novice rider.
The scene before the big race includes a totally spurious "fight" between the Sonador horse and her arch rival in the race. First off, fillies and colts don't fight. Two colts might, but racehorse handlers are well used to colts and wouldn't let one get started. And come on ... handlers of BOTH horses just LET GO of the horses so they can get on with the big fight? Give me a break.
As horse movies go, this one isn't bad. Still bears the marks of being spiced up by completely non-horsey writers, however. I never understand that, as horses are pretty dramatic without the flights of fancy.
Dakota Fanning is terrific to watch, as always. Fantastic young actress, very appealing, and spookily adult at times. Kurt Russell is OK; he struggles with the angst-ridden and just comes across as wooden. David Morse is a great bad guy, but has got some god-awful, over-the-top lines.
"Inspired" by a true story is stretching it a bit.
On to the gripes ...
First, the actor playing the jockey was very good, but too big to be a jockey. Minor.
There is a scene where Dakota Fanning sets off to run away from home on the filly ... untutored girl manages to tack up the horse and get on, at which point the horse spooks and takes off with the girl. Goof one - in real life, the kid would fall off in the first 10 seconds. Really. Goof two - the kid doesn't fall off but manages to leap with the skill of a trick rider from the back of the galloping horse (who is conveniently galloping in a nice straight line) into the waiting arms of her father. Hugely dangerous move, not one that should be attempted by a novice rider.
The scene before the big race includes a totally spurious "fight" between the Sonador horse and her arch rival in the race. First off, fillies and colts don't fight. Two colts might, but racehorse handlers are well used to colts and wouldn't let one get started. And come on ... handlers of BOTH horses just LET GO of the horses so they can get on with the big fight? Give me a break.
As horse movies go, this one isn't bad. Still bears the marks of being spiced up by completely non-horsey writers, however. I never understand that, as horses are pretty dramatic without the flights of fancy.