Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

Director: Kevin Costner

Stars: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Jena Malone, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson & Abbey Lee

Runtime: 3 hours 1 minute

Genre: Western

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 which premiered at this years Cannes Film Festival to a 10-minute standing ovation, went on to largely split critics saying that is was "absorbing yet taxing". It currently sits at a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

One things for sure it is arguably going to be my longest titled movie of this year. It may also actually be my longest movie of the year coming in at 3 hours 1 minute!! 

It is also the first movie directed (and co-written) by Kevin Costner for 21 years, with his last being Open Range, itself also a western. Considered very much a passion project on the back burner since 1988. The project saw the double Oscar winning 69 year old Californian controversially part ways with Taylor Sheridan's Paramount Plus flagship series Yellowstone to make this movie. (He has recently ruled out returning for the final season on that show).

It is also a movie that he has personal part financed, investing a cool $58 million dollars into the movie that took 52 days to shoot.

Another first for the project is that it is split into two initial movies spanning this summer with Chapter 2 slated to be released in August. He is currently filming Chapter 3 for a 2025 release.

The market is not exactly screaming out for western epics, but then again when did Costner ever care about that the box office wants.

Let's break it down..

Story and Plot

Set during the era of the American Civil War and into the formation of the American West, it tells the story of how the old west was won and lost through blood, sweat and tears. The movie is split into three separate stories, a family headed by Frances Kitteridge (Miller) and her family who live in a small settlement under attack from Apache Indians. Hayes Ellison (Costner) a horse wrangler who befriends Marigold (Lee) a prostitute who is the carer of her friends little boy, and finally the story of a wagon train heading west led by Mathew Van Weyden (Wilson).

The movie also gives screentime to the native American point of view so it's not all one way traffic, they also talk in their native language. 

My overall thoughts...

Having just seen Horizon two words comes to mind - sprawling and mess. The movie is essentially an anthology set over Montana, Wyoming and Kansas navigating three separate plot strands that by close of play do not intersect. I'm not quite sure what Costner has in mind here but it was a strange movie. It's a head scratcher this one, because it never really dragged but also nothing of note really happened it meandered and ambled without any real aim in sight. 

It's well acted, looks gorgeous and has sweeping music so it's ticks the basic boxes of a western but I just wasn't connected to any of the characters or the stories. The movie also has a huge amount of characters which into the third act (where the movie is cross cutting between the three separate stories) get's a little tough to keep a handle on what is going on. 

The movie also at the end strangely cuts without mention to a highlight reel for Chapter 2, but as there is no title card to say "coming soon" it took a while for me get my head round what it was.

If you go in expecting another Dances with Wolves you will be disappointed. This movie is essentially a set up to Chapter 2 due in August (and subsequent future instalments). It plays out like three one-hour TV episodes and in doing so the question must be asked why this was not made into a Yellowstone type series. 

Cast

Kevin Costner who doesn't appear until a good fifty minutes into the movie has his usual stoic Western persona. Sienna Miller gives the movie heart as the doting mum dealing with tragic loss. Sam Worthington and Michael Rooker are part of the US cavalry who rescue Miller's family, they are good although I did find Rooker a little hard to understand at times. 

Abby Lee as the feisty Marigold adds glamour but it's a little disconcerting to see a relationship developing between her character and Costner's Hayes with about a 50 year age gap. 

Luke Wilson is well cast as the leader of the wagon train but doesn't have a huge amount to do. Danny Houston also adds gravitas as the US cavalry captain. 

On screen Action

Short of a shoot-out in a dusty wild west town, Horizon has many of the usual action elements of the genre. The movie though bizarrely carries a 15 rated certificate (as if this movie's audience isn't limited enough as it is). Although there are violent elements of the movie it in no way warrants a 15 certificate. The action is well shot though and the set pieces were exciting. 

Cinematography 

Despite it's overstuffed approach and narrative short comings, Horizon is a universally beautiful movie with sweeping vistas making use of the dramatic and iconic landscape. Costner very much takes a leaf out the book of the golden era of Westerns. As a fan of westerns throughout the years and an avid fan of the iconic game Red Dead Redemption 2, I lapped it up. 

One thing I would say though is Costner inexplicably filmed this movie in 1:85:1 aspect ratio, it's a western so why he did not choose to film it in 2:35:1 as he did Dances with Wolves, I have no idea. 

Score

Seasoned composer John Debny provides the score and decides to go full western with a swelling score that matches the stunning vistas.

Horizon is an over-stuffed meandering mess of a movie where nothing really happens for three hours. Whilst it looks gorgeous, has a great score and is well acted, I just didn't connect with the characters and the three stories told. With Chapter 2 heading our way in August, Costner is not yet riding off into the sunset.

Verdict  - It's Fine