'Horizon: An American Saga' Part 1 Review: Kevin Costner's Epic Western Is Mostly Great 

Early reviews along with Rotten Tomatoes scoring were very inaccurate. This HORIZON Chaptet 1 effort, by Kevin Costner was nothing short of spectacular!!! This is grand, sweeping, moving, emotional, beautiful and truly powerful. Not sure how Kevin could've done better. This was the most realistic western/old west movie ever put on film. The wardrobe of the white men and the Native Indian clans looked flawless. The period-correct wagons and town layouts were amazing. Where did he get all this old vintage stuff to make this movie??? Incredible! This is 7 to 10 Academy Awards worthy. Doubt it will get there but it is deserving of this attention. Nobody has ever made a western this awesome before, and it's only part 1. GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!! Truly a work of art. Kevin did extraordinary with this work. Best Director Category for sure. Absolutely brilliant film making! I was pushed to my emotional limits several times in this movie. This work will gain attention by word of mouth. Best movie of 2024, guaranteed!

My sister walked out of the film even before Costner's character showed up... I stayed with the film and was entranced until the end... looking forward to part two of the saga.

I think it is brave to make this in chapter form, the story would not fit into a three hour movie. Most historical movies get a justified rap as being to simplistic. Does anyone reading a book, read the first chapter and say, well I don’t know how it ends I am out? I thought it was better than 90% of trash coming out of Hollywood, and probably will go see it again just to support the effort.

John Wayne's real name is Marian Morrison. They could have named you Morrison Kain.

I went with my parents, all of us big Kevin Costner fans and fans of the western genre. We loved it and never felt it was too long, yet after reading your review and thinking more about it, the third storyline with the wagon train could have easily been moved over to Chapter Two. What a great experience at the cinema!

I just loved it, and was riveted the entire three hours. Must be seen on the big screen. Looking forward to Part 2 and hopeful for the rest.

I hadn't heard of this - thanks for the review. My dad was a huge western fan - I have many fond memories of watching stories like Unforgiven, Geronimo, and Lonesome Dove with him. Love the hat, btw, and your enthusiasm for the genre.

Glad you liked it John Wayne Kain! - I can't wait. Costner knows what he is doing...

I appreciate your comments. I just got out of a screening, and although l was really looking forward to it - and l love westerns - l walked out after 90 minutes. I never found the movie boring, but it seemed uninvolving. I feel Costner really misstepped by over- scoring the film. Every scene has some big, sweeping 1980's soundtrack that l found to be a BIG distraction. I also thought that the film seemed shot for the small screen, as almost all the shots are closeups, extremely tight, and play to the middle of the screen. Now l plan to give it another shot - l will definitely buy the disc and watch at home. I sense that this was originally shot for television, and l actually feel it will play better there. I hope the box office improves. I caught it at a 4:00 matine, and it was nearly full. I hope Costner can finish this film, because l trust his judgement. But so far, it doesn't connect with me. Odd.

Being filmed in Moab, Utah where alot of Westerns have been filmed. There are about 4 story lines that were introduced in this SAGA 1. Eventually they will all intersect.

I’m not sure why I hadn’t heard about Horizon before it released. I love, big, epic Westerns like this (How the West Was Won, or even Heaven’s Gate). It’s also great to see a film that’s trying to do something new and taking a risk rather sticking with the boring paint-by-numbers franchise model. It’s just a shame that the box office has been so disappointing.

The film was great. The montage at the end seemed much more than a trailer to the next film… almost an entire breakdown of the next one. I’m excited to see it either way!

Great review! I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Beautiful shots, fantastic acting, and palpable action. The way I see it is, this first part makes more sense if you realise that the main character of the film is the land itself, the horizon that they're all chasing. I did think the montage was weird and out of place, but it did get me stoked for part 2

Ive been revisiting a lot of older Costner movies recently and you've peaked my curiosity with this review cuz this is the sort of thing Im wanting to watch lately.

Thanks tor that positive review. I saw this film and it was amazing piece of filmmaking with epic storytelling, photography and great acting all around. I know critics are calling this Kevin's Gate but they are really out to lunch. This film had so many clearly John Ford moments like with young girl giving the soldiers keepsakes before heading off to the Civil War. There are also other classic recalls like the initial massacre on the town is clearly taken from Ulzana's Raid by Robert Aldrich starring Burt Lancaster and the Costner story is very much Sam Peckinpah's Ride the High Country. I would agree with your criticism is that the editing could have been better in segueing from story to story which seemed to jump around too much but the way I saw it was the story begins in Horizon with the surveyors and all the character's road will lead there and it takes on the projection as the biblical Promised Land to the settlers(though the movie only implies that vaguely). Also the clumsy ending could have been handled better and I was a bit confused if the montage was actually more story till I realized it wasn't after a few minutes. A title card with "Scenes from Part Two" would have been nice.

I think the movie could’ve benefited from splitting up the different storylines. Chapters within the chapter. Would’ve been easier to follow and allowed us to actually develop a relationship with these characters, rather than teeter back and forth between each story. This movie will be understood better when seen back to back with chapter 2.

Agree. Maybe if the film was subtitled "The Prologue" it would have helped people to understand what they we about to see.

my fear is that they will not have the money for parts 3 and 4 since it's not doing as well. that's what puts me in the TV series camp, would have had the time to flesh the characters and story out more. that being said, I'll be there for part 2! and I pray it's a success

KEVIN COSTNER IS BRILLIANT AND ALWAYS PAYS ATTENTION TO DETAILS WITH DIFFERENT STORYLINES!!

Horizon is great and look forward to the next one..we need more westerns like this!

I read your review on Forbes after I watched the movie and you articulated everything I observed very well. I had the exact conversation for 10 minutes after the movie ended. Lacked context, lacked continuity, and lacked a climactic ending. Left you guessing what was happening at many times.

I am a HUGE Western fan and supporter. I Absolutely Loved the Movie and can’t wait for the next 3!! Yes sir it didn’t explain everything but in the end it definitely will. Enjoyed ur review sir! I agree with a lot of ur comments 😉

You describe the slow build up just like Lonesome Dove, which was the greatest western of all time !!!!!!!

Rio Bravo :)

🐦LOVED Costner's Horizon: An American Saga! "Chapter 1" is highly entertaining, edge-of-your-seat exciting, and stunningly beautiful. The reviews in aggregate are shockingly shallow, silly and some laughable. Sorry, expected far better of professional film fans, so disaappointed in you guys ... no offense. Happily, Erik actually "gets" it. Good on ya' Erik! This is going to be a long, long saga, with many characters representing the peoples, types and inevitable events involved in the Westward Expansion era and growth of our country. My own family was a tiny part of this big story, though not famous, but still pioneers ... all the way to Cali. I am amazed at the hardships they endured. We are so soft and weak these days, panicing if we lose charge on our phones. "Chapter 1" is setting the stage, requiring extensive "Exposition". You've heard of "exposition"? With the "exposition" part of the story THIS exciting, can only imagine what the rest will be! And OF COURSE there's loose ends... DUH ... I can only ask: If this first film is so "confusing" to you, how did you ever make it through The Ring Trilogy?? (Don't lie, you watched every installment) As for me, I'm all in. Bring it on, August 16th!

Great epic movie with a great cast. Can’t wait til August.

I feel that all of these stories were chopped up to make it fit into a "movie" shape. These storylines would have worked better as hour-long episodes that are a bit more contained and letting those stories play out. I'll go see part 2 in theaters if it goes there, but if the rest of these parts only play on TV, I won't shed any tears.

Can you do annother review explaing some of these plot lines. I missed alot

I wish people of today had patience for an epic movie. People want to watch movies from home but in a theater it's an experience. I just wish this movie was made closer together in time. Too hard to wait a month to see the next film.

The ending clips went so fast that it was hard to follow. Sometimes hard to follow where the story was and it's purpose. For a movie in a theater to have 4 parts is asking too much of movie goers to maintain. Now I have to wait a month to see a second half. I do like this movie though.

I absolutely loved the movie. I just saw it today.

I very much enjoyed this movie, but I feel like I’m alone in not viewing it as a western? I feel like I’d classify it more as a historically authentic drama/period film? Like it seems to be chronicling manifest destiny and the era as a whole than just a western focused story.

The biggest hit against the movie is that it's a 45 min movie that took 2 hrs to end. The epic/westerness aspect is special tho

Yes, I agree I want to know who Kevin's character is. I didn't know the others characters either. Just small glimpses. Don't understand why to evil brothers wanted that baby so bad. Why they wanted to kill the women with babiy

I thought it was Luke Wilson? I never did think that Owen Wilson is talented.

I would like a better director for the next 3 films maybe he can direct the last one if they give him a time limit

I just saw it today, I really liked it

Good intro! Good Hat! Good video!

I really liked this movie loved it can't wait for chapters 2 ,3 and 4 I can't wait.

He should have stuck with two story lines in part 1. Focus more on details. Some things I didn't understand partly due to volume of movie. dialogue hard to hear. Well acted. I hope more people see this movie. It needs to be told. Bring movies back to theaters.

Never heard of a movie in theaters where you have to come back 4 times. I think too much for a show to do that. It will stream better

Feel like civilization was always a thing in the Americas at least since Maize, chocolate, chilis, and taters had been around.

It's an epic masterwok...

With all the negativity I'm so happy that someone I trust actually liked it. I'm excited to go watch it when it comes in my region.

ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT KEVIN COSTNER IS WRITING, PRODUCING, DIRECTING AND ACTING IN THIS MOVIE ABOUT HORIZON WHICH MEANS A PLETHORA OF WORK WAS DONE ✔️!!

I loved it. I'm dismayed it bombed.

Since the general public and critics have apparently rejected this film, it is now safe to say that the Western genre is officially dead....sad, really.

It looks intriguing and definitely epic in scope. We haven’t had a good Western theatrical release in a long, long time. At the same time, 3 hours for a movie with multiple plot lines that don’t resolve until part 2 (or even 3 or 4) is a little off putting. Might see this Tuesday at AMC (has to be worth $5).

Its actually only 2 hours and 50 minutes actually not 3 hours and 1 minute. Chapter 2 will be 2 hours and 44 minutes long. I think its a 11 hour epic saga Horizon An American Saga release in 4 Chapters.

Loved Horizon.

ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE MOVIE 🎬 IS WOMEN HAVE A PART WHICH IS NOT STEREOTYPICAL OF WESTERNS!!

This epic failure waste of time wait for video at second hand book store

Yet another vanity project from Costner where again his ego is far bigger than his cashbox. It looked and performed like an over-produced 90's mini-series. The first part is convoluted and derivative. It's a project that only western loyalists could love, although mediocre pictures like HORIZON 1 are not going to encourage new cowboy movie fans by any means. I can't believe a star like Costner, as bland and stiff as he is, couldn't get financed by a streaming service for this kind of picture. He's getting exactly what he deserves at the boxoffice.