Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

I'm not a big expert on westerns, because I'm not really into this genre, but recently I've had the opportunity to see some interesting films that have made me gradually grow fond of the wild west theme. I'm glad that Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga is one of a very narratively and visually engaging film. And most importantly, you can feel and see how lovingly the director approaches the theme, and that he does everything as honestly and sensitively as he can. I think Horizon is his life project and he gives it his all (including his money and possessions). Of course, there is no shortage of great shootouts and nerve-wracking "who'll come out of this alive" scenes, but at the same time the film is full of unusual and simple scenes that bring the everyday life of the settlers to life. How, for example, people newly arrived in the wild west had to get used to the different mood, different routines, discomfort and danger that this inhospitable environment brings. This may seem boring or unnecessary to many, but I appreciate this aspect of the film because it is simply human. For me personally, it helped me to become even more immersed and empathetic to the stories of the mostly female protagonists, who are given a huge amount of space here, which again is very unusual and endearing, as up until now the classic western has been a predominantly male affair. The first part of Horizon sets up several plot lines, introduces a myriad of interesting characters that I assume will intertwine in the later parts, and I'm looking forward to that. [Festival de Cannes 2024] (05/24/2024)

A nicely outlined western epic with a large number of characters having a diverse palette of conflicts as well as family and romantic relationships. And of course natural locations from multiple corners of America that are a joy to see. Every inch of the film (including Debney’s music) gives us a sense of Costner’s love for the classic genre, which may seem almost kitschy to less knowledgeable young viewers. Horizon doesn’t aim for artistic achievements or creative innovations and is “only” a pure romantic western that, thanks to the planned lengthy runtime, can incorporate marginal scenes of everyday life from the given period, which are something that we have never seen in westerns before. That adds value to the film and – together with the “coming next” at the end – confirms that Horizon is rather a series in film form. Albeit a series in whose case it would be a shame not to see it on the big screen (which means that the spoilerish insert at the end is not a slap in the face). I’m not giving Chapter 1 a star rating for now, since it is only the first quarter of the project and the final impression will depend on the development, integration and outcome of the individual stories. (05/21/2024)

Horizon was probably meant to look like the best of Dances with Wolves, cut with Cold Mountain, but in some passages in the middle the film looks dangerously like The Postman. Only that Kevin Costner loves westerns, and it shows. And I don't just mean the fact that he put up $30-40 million out of his own pocket to make this movie happen in the first place, which is impressive in itself. In every shot of breathtaking scenery, in every set the film takes place in, in every prop or action scene, you can see that the director has a personal connection to what he's making. We can quibble that the story is too flamboyant, there are too many characters, and at times the editing jumps confusingly from one storyline to another. But quite possibly Dances with Wolves had a similar problem in its day, and that too has matured into a classic. Horizon is a bit weaker for a first chapter, but let's see how the whole thing turns out. It could have been a grandiose miniseries for TV, but it wouldn't have been Kevin Costner as he likes it and as we know him, as the ultimate big screen gunslinger, who incidentally steals the best scene of the film for himself (the 1-on-1 fight). (06/28/2024)