| Key Points |
|---|
| 1. Fragmented Storylines: The film follows three main threads involving Marigold, Frances and her daughter, and a wagon train. |
| 2. Lack of Narrative Progression: The movie feels disjointed and fragmented, with scenes from each storyline cut at random. |
| 3. A Slog Without Substance: The film’s long runtime makes it feel more like a disjointed TV season than a cohesive movie. |
It would be unreasonable to expect Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, the first of a planned four-film series about the expansion of the American West, to tie all its narrative threads together. However, Kevin Costner’s grand opus gets off to an inauspicious start, with various storylines often muddled by consistently haphazard editing. This fragmentation makes it difficult to keep track of how many of the countless characters are related to one another.
If viewers are meant to understand where things are heading, there should at least be some clearly defined motivations or character development, perhaps even a semblance of narrative momentum. Unfortunately, Horizon Chapter 1 is all table-setting, with stories lacking polish and dramatic energy. The characters never develop beyond archetypes, and there is little sense of either geographic or temporal scope to make this entry feel like part of the all-encompassing saga of westward expansion that the series clearly aims to be.
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Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 |
|---|---|
| Director | Kevin Costner |
| Writers | Kevin Costner, Jon Baird |
| Producers | Kevin Costner, Mark Kasdan, Jon Baird |
| Main Cast | Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt, Jamie Campbell Bower |
| Release Date | June 28, 2024 |
| Runtime | 3 hours 1 minute |
| Genre | Western, Drama |
| Synopsis | Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won and lost through the blood, sweat, and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War (1861-1865), the film chronicles a 15-year journey of pre-and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West. |
| Setting | San Pedro Valley (1859), Wyoming mining camps, Santa Fe Trail |
| Notable Features | The film features multiple interconnected storylines, showcasing the perspectives of families, friends, and foes during America’s westward expansion. |
| Reception | Mixed reviews, with a 42% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is praised for its grandeur and engaging performances but criticized for its convoluted plot and vague chronology. |
| Sequels | Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 scheduled for release on August 16, 2024. |
Three Interwoven Narratives: Marigold’s Escape, Frances and Lizzie’s Union Army Journey, and Matthew’s Santa Fe Trail Adventure in a 181-Minute Film
Three main threads are discernible within the film’s 181-minute runtime. The first follows former sex worker Marigold (Abbey Lee) as she gets caught up in her landlord Lucy’s (Jena Malone) troubled past and sets off to safety with the mysterious Hayes Ellison (Kevin Costner). The second revolves around Frances (Sienna Miller) and her daughter Lizzie (Georgia MacPhail), who join the Union Army under Lt. Trent Gephardt’s (Sam Worthington) care after their family and town were slaughtered by Apaches.
The third thread, which only starts two hours into the film, tracks a wagon train moving along the Santa Fe Trail under Matthew’s (Luke Wilson) guidance. But many storylines are left dangling, such as one about infighting within the Native American tribe that raided Frances’s town. This narrative isn’t returned to after the one-hour mark, other than sporadic mentions of Pionsenay (Owen Crow Shoe), who strikes fear into whoever hears his name.
Lack of Narrative Progression
The term ‘drifting‘ aptly describes Horizon Chapter 1. The movie is not just discursive but also hopelessly fragmented, feeling as if scenes from each storyline were cut at random. While elliptical editing can enhance sprawling epics, time jumps here simply bypass critical information. We’re left wondering about Marigold’s mysterious partner and how she met him while Hayes was dragging her through the San Pedro Valley.
A Slog Without Substance
Horizon Chapter 1‘s runtime doesn’t help either—it feels less like a long movie and more like an entire ten-episode TV season hacked into a three-hour prologue. If his last two directorial efforts—1997’s The Postman and 2003’s Open Range—showed that Costner excels more with tighter character dramas than sprawling epics, Chapter 1 serves as a painful reminder of that truth.
An Odd Ending Note
A baffling montage of scenes from Horizon Chapter 2, finishing on a close-up of Giovanni Ribisi (who wasn’t in this film until then), ends the movie oddly. It’s almost as if the filmmakers were finally eager to move on from their story just like the audience.
The same can be said about the occasionally interesting yet often frustrating character developments. Costner shared in an interview regarding his dedication to this project. His exact words were:
I have a giant love for my movies and what they can be. I was interested in the story that I wanted to tell…
An Ensemble Cast Overloaded With Subplots
With an ensemble cast featuring Sienna Miller and Georgia MacPhail are in their characters’ roles, including Jena Malone’s critical role as Lucy, and Sam Worthington portraying Lt. Trent Gephardt, it’s tough not to acknowledge the star power involved. Yet, this star wattage doesn’t translate into cohesive storytelling or satisfying character arcs.
Owen Crow Shoe’s portrayal of Pionsenay starkly contrasts with other characters due to his imposing presence; however, his storyline is not given enough screentime.
The Backdrop & Cinematic Splendor Not Enough
The grandiosity is undeniably amplified by scenes set against dramatic landscapes like those on the Santa Fe Trail. Costner comments on his dedication:
I was interested in crafting something unique…
Yet again, stunning visuals cannot save an otherwise disjointed attempt at storytelling.
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