Evaluating an unfinished work of art is always a challenge, if not impossible, but if the first installment of Kevin Costner’s four-part Horizon: An American Saga is any indication, a fascinating cinematic triumph is riding into view. Graced with some of the most breathtaking cinematography the Western genre has seen this century and a stirring score, Costner’s initial brushstrokes on this ambitious canvas are undeniably bold and magnificent.
An ensemble cast featuring both seasoned actors and rising stars brings to life the sweeping saga of the American West. This sprawling, multi-narrative epic unfolds through the perspectives of settlers, Native Americans, and immigrants journeying across the vast landscapes from Kansas to Wyoming, all ultimately converging on the founding of the fictional town of Horizon.
This first film primarily introduces the key players in the drama. Horizon is deeply aware of both its historical context and the cinematic legacy that precedes it, including Costner’s own contributions to the genre. The cast pays homage to classic Western archetypes with their unique touches and nuances: Abbey Lee portrays the harlot with a heart of gold, reminiscent of McCabe & Mrs. Miller; Sam Worthington, Michael Rooker, and Danny Huston bring to life Union soldiers in a nod to Dances with Wolves; and Sienna Miller embodies the town belle, channeling the charm of her predecessors from the likes of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and High Noon. Costner himself steps into the role of the rugged traveling loner, evoking the stoic heroism of Gary Cooper, whom he has long modeled himself after.
Westerns have long grappled with the challenges of portraying the complex relationships between Native Americans and the settlers who ultimately conquered much of their land, a task further complicated by our political divisions. Costner, no stranger to controversy, has faced his own share of criticism over the years, including accusations of a “white savior” complex — an especially ridiculous charge, since it’s the Natives who save him in Dances. Here, Costner undertakes a nuanced exploration of this intricate history over a sprawling three-hour run time.
The film, already blasted by progressive critics, is ill-suited for those who prefer oversimplified narratives of the West that cater more to contemporary biases than historical truth. The first 40 minutes alone depict three brutal assaults by Native Americans against pre–Civil War settlers, rival tribes, and the larger groups later assembling to build the town. These harrowing scenes are balanced by subsequent intimate portrayals of Native life — reminiscent of Don Siegel’s Flaming Star — and the abuse the Natives endured. Costner eschews sanitizing the past, presenting instead a more holistic and unvarnished view of our history.
Naturally, no single film can encapsulate the vast complexity of the Old West, which is why Costner has embarked on this four-part passion project. Despite its standing ovation at Cannes, the film has received a mixed critical reception, with much of the ire directed at its narrative structure. Some critics have accused it of neglecting character development, deeming it “incomplete.” Many of these critiques, with all due respect, seem obtuse and, in some cases, simply foolish.
One might question whether Costner should have instead crafted four distinct, self-contained films, each telling the story of the West from different perspectives — akin to Sam Mendes’ reported upcoming treatment of The Beatles. Perhaps a director’s introduction could have better set the audience’s expectations. But criticizing a film explicitly labeled “Chapter 1” as “incomplete” is like ordering an appetizer and complaining it wasn’t an entree.
Properly understood as a cinematic amuse-bouche, Horizon leaves audiences yearning for more. The true star of the film is the breathtaking landscape of southern Utah, captured through the loving eye of its talented cinematographer, J. Michael Muro, who previously led the photography on Costner’s Open Range and honed his craft on Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The soaring visuals are further enriched by the evocative strings of John Debney, known for his work on The Passion of the Christ, whose compositions add emotional depth.
Costner, who has poured over $40 million of his own money into the project, has reportedly been planning Horizon for 36 years. Over these decades, the evolution of his directorial craft is most evident in the film’s meticulous details. For instance, the lighting and rugged set design are markedly more cinematic and authentic than the interior shots of 2003’s Open Range starring Robert Duvall. A lovely film, to be sure, that more closely resembled the polished Westerns of the 1950s than the genre’s gritty aesthetic post–Sergio Leone’s revolutionary Dollars trilogy.
The Hollywood legend, who brought the likes of Eliot Ness and Crash Davis to life on the silver screen, clearly has a deep love for America and a profound understanding of the Western genre’s pivotal role in shaping not just our self-image but also how the world perceives us. The power of Westerns struck me recently while speaking with a newly arrived immigrant from rural Cuba. Before moving to the United States, she knew little about our country beyond more than 60 years of the Castro regime’s propaganda. Yet one of the reasons that she resisted its anti-American narratives was because she knew John Wayne. You see, in her mind, a country that produced men like The Searchers’ Ethan Edwards couldn’t be all that bad.
There is something deeply moving, not to mention admirable, about Costner’s patriotism and gamble on one of our chief artistic exports. It’s only fitting that a collection of films striving to be the definitive account of the West would be as expansive as the boundless skies and as daring as the pioneers who forged this land. The Horizon tale has just begun, and like the vast frontier itself, this journey is filled with unknowns. This initial salvo, however, shows Costner, like Field of Dreams’ Ray Kinsella, betting the farm to build something truly special. Americans will come, or at the very least, we should — because this is even bigger than a baseball field in Iowa; it’s a celebration of our shared heritage and cultural legacy, arriving just in time for Independence Day.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is now playing in theaters. Chapter 2 debuts on August 16.
