Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

 

"These people think that if they're tough enough, smart enough, and mean enough, all this will be theirs someday."

Sprawling, grandiose and epic, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 may feel initially incomplete and episodic but it’s individual threads establish stories, characters, themes and threats that will hopefully continue and culminate in future chapters, as Costner crafts a truly breathtaking portrait of the Old West, in all its romance, brutality and fighting frontier spirit. 

Discussion Points:

Undeniably a classic Chapter 1, that feels unsatisfying, I’m sure that Chapters 2, 3 & 4 will bring together this sprawling, grandiose, romantic depiction of the Old West into something truly special. Whilst some may argue that what Kevin Costner seems to have envisioned would be better suited to a television series, I for one am really glad I get to experience these high production values projected on the cinema screen. Beautiful to look at, and with a gorgeous John Debney score behind it, I was continually amazed and engaged, even as the 3 hours wore on, and the story jumped around. An absolutely stacked ensemble all deliver characters that feel lived in, and shaped by the frontier life they find themselves in, or entering into afresh. Jaime Campbell Bower is the personal standout, with great work from Abbey Lee, Sienna Miller and Michael Rooker. Of the three main threads: the community of Horizon, Arizona recovering from being raided by the Apache, a horse trader coming into conflict with the evil Sykes brothers in Montana, & a wagon trail trekking the Santa Fe trail, I found the first two the most compelling, especially the interactions between Costner and Lee in the second thread, and the outstanding and visceral Apache attack on Horizon that opens the film. Consider me seated and excited to see what Costner has created and designed to be seen on the big screen.