Title: Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1
MPA Rating: R
Director: Kevin Costner
Starring: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington
Runtime: 3 hrs 1 min

What It Is: An epic saga, or at least part of one, centers on a town called Horizon, seen as the pot of gold at the end of the pioneering rainbow. Many settlers will beg, borrow, and steal to get there, while others will distribute bullets across the prairie to achieve their goal. For those on the frontier, the ambitions may differ, but the ultimate objective remains the same: get there, build, and live a life of freedom.

What We Think: This film is long as hell, and it certainly lives up to the moniker of ‘epic.’ Costner brings a huge sense of scale and importance to everything on screen. There are some incredibly strong performances, with Jamie Campbell Bower standing out in my favorite role as an absolute maniac. The plot involving a set of brothers hellbent on revenge against their former sister-in-law adds a compelling dynamic. While Costner plays his role well, he truly shines behind the camera, where his decision-making and the grandiosity of his cinematography are nothing short of spectacular—a visual spectacle to be admired and loved.

The film’s only, but significant, flaw is its pacing. It often feels too slow or overcooked at times. But listen, it’s a big, bold western in the vein of John Ford. While it doesn’t quite carry the same gravitas as those classics, it’s definitely out here trying.

Our Grade: B+, This is what a modern western should probably feel like going forward. Perhaps Costner learned a thing or two from this film and can utilize it on his next project. I believe he shot Chapters 1 and 2 back to back so I anticipate that will have the same problems this did. We will see in November when it drops. Nonetheless if you’re a fan of westerns this one is really good and if you’re not this is such a good movie you’ll still enjoy it.