Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1 is an incredibly ambitious production in every respect. For starters, Costner is the director, producer, star, and co-writer of the film. Additionally, the chapters are three hours long. Additionally, while reports vary on the exact figure, it’s clear that Costner has pumped in tens of millions of dollars of his own money into this unprecedented four-chapter, 12-hour movie saga.
While there is plenty of ambition in all of the above, I think Costner’s true ambition (and moral courage) lies elsewhere.
Costner is determined not only to tell the complex truths about the Old West, but to do so in a moving and entertaining way that draws the audience into the story and its characters.
Horizon—Chapter 1 A few years before the Civil War, the story begins with a massacre full of excitement and heart-breaking tension. Urged by flyers promising a new start and more land, dozens of mostly white settlers, including women and children, celebrate the success of their thriving town. Then the Apaches attack. As history has shown, the Apaches are often merciless, and they are no exception to the rule when it comes to women and children.
As humans who yearn for second chances and new beginnings, we of course sympathize with these doomed settlers. They are not bad people. Imperialist. They had no intention of harming anyone, including the American Indians. In fact, most of them were decent, everyday people looking for a better life. Who could blame them? But that brutal massacre changed things. The once united settlers were divided by fear, and because violence begets violence, one of the bloodthirsty dividers felt justified in exacting the worst kind of mercenary revenge against the Apaches, or any other Indians they encountered.
Next we meet the Apaches, who are rightly concerned that their way of life may (and has) been inevitably and inexcusably destroyed. Clearly, they must protect their culture; they have a right to do so. And again, thanks to Costner’s storytelling skill and respect for the audience, we can empathize, because in the Obama/Biden era, we all know what it’s like to see your way of life threatened.
Like the settlers, the Apaches were now torn between those who believed that continuing the slaughter would give the white man an excuse to destroy them and those who were hell-bent on inflicting their worst fears on the invaders.
Who is right? The settlers or the Apaches?
Who is to blame?
Do the Apache really need an area the size of Texas to house 25,000 people? Is that fair? Is that just? But weren’t the Apache here first? And weren’t the Apaches the ones who stole much of their land from other peoples? Does that make it right to take their land from them?
Costner only asks these questions; the answers are left to us. And while these questions are unanswerable, the search for answers is no different from the pedantic filmmaking around us today that tells us what to think. Horizon—Chapter 1 Lots of joy.
Throughout the first hour — thrilling, emotive, beautifully shot and intelligent — Costner sets thematic hooks deep, and if you’re a mature adult willing to challenge yourself to think things through for yourself, rather than a trained seal waiting for Jon Stewart to throw you a fish, you’ll finish the hour knowing you’re in the hands of a master.
And then there’s Kevin Costner.
Horizon—Chapter 1 is no ego trip; it’s a labor of love in which the star doesn’t appear for an hour and then nothing unexpected happens. In scenes that take their time to build character and story, Costner’s Hayes Ellison is reluctantly drawn into a bitter family feud over a little boy and a horny prostitute (Abbey Lee). There’s no quick gun pull, no shot of anyone firing a gun. The violence is real, followed by a refreshing flight instinct.
It’s the second period.
The third hour introduces a wagon train led by an insecure boss (Luke Wilson) who doesn’t want to be boss of the trail. Wary Indians and the human condition create uncertainty and tension, both external and internal.
after that Horizon—Chapter 1 The circle is completed with another kind of obscene carnage.
I knew the movie was three hours long before I went to the theater, and I was surprised when it ended with a montage of the next highlights, since I thought I’d only been watching two. Chapter 2will be released on August 16th.
teeth Horizon—An American Saga Perfect, a masterpiece? I don’t know. It’s not finished yet. All I know is Chapter 1 is a classic piece of cinematography filled with gorgeous cinematography (you’ll wish it had been shot in 2.35:1 widescreen), an uplifting score, and incredible stars playing ordinary, complex, relatable, imperfect characters in a story filled with romance, humor, passion, action, violence, sensuality, courage, emotion, truth and conflict. Artist He felt a strong desire to share his vision, even at the cost of personal sacrifice.
All of this is coming to the screen and I can’t wait Chapter 2.
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John Nolte’s first and last novel Borrowed time, Winning 5-Star Rave Reviews Submissions from our everyday readers. You can read excerpts here here And a detailed review here. Also available in hard cover and Kindle and Audiobooks.
