Horizon: An American Saga

 

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 (2024)

An Ambitious, Unfinished Tapestry of the Untamed West

★★★☆☆

An impressive and brutal epic that suffers from its own massive scale and incomplete narrative.

Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is a classic Western tale that chronicles the trials, ambitions, and resilience of Americans settling the frontier. It is an undeniably impressive and brutal look at the era, yet it is so ambitious that the multiple story format feels unwieldy for a single theatrical release. While it captures the epic visuals only the big screen can provide, the film ends so abruptly—with an awkward montage of future chapters—that it leaves the audience with a nagging sense of being unfinished.

"There is not even a cliffhanger or natural chapter ending to the movie. It abruptly ends with an awkward montage of the next chapter in the saga, which gives the film a feeling of being incomplete."

— Ray Manukay

🎬 Cast & Crew

• Director/Writer: Kevin Costner
• Starring: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington
• Supporting: Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee
• Cinematography: J. Michael Muro

The Vision

Costner clearly draws inspiration from the sprawling format of Lonesome Dove and How the West Was Won, aiming to create a generational epic. His commitment to the theatrical format for such a dense story is admirable, but it clashes with modern viewing habits; many will feel this belongs on a streaming platform as a limited series. However, for true fans of the genre, what is on display is riveting and entertaining, providing a cinematic experience that benefits from being shared with a community in a theater.

🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts

• Self-Funded Passion: Kevin Costner partially self-funded the $100M+ budget for the first two chapters, famously mortgaging his own beachfront property to see his 30-year dream realized.
• Epic Scope: The saga is intended to be told across four separate films, making it one of the most ambitious original Western projects in Hollywood history.
• Production Hub: The film was shot extensively in Utah, utilizing the state's iconic landscapes to recreate the diverse settings of the American frontier.

✅ Pros

• Stunning, large-scale epic visuals that demand a big screen.
• Riveting and entertaining for dedicated fans of the Western genre.
• Classic, steady direction from a master of the genre.

❌ Cons

• Ends mid-story with no natural conclusion or cliffhanger.
• The awkward montage finale gives the film an "incomplete" feel.
• Multiple storylines can feel unwieldy and difficult to track.

🏆 Final Verdict

It is simply unfair to judge Chapter 1 in isolation; it fails as a standalone film but succeeds as a tantalizing introduction. Time will likely be kind to this project once the full saga is revealed and evaluated as a complete tale.

View original review on Letterboxd