Here’s What the Critics Are Saying About ‘Horizon’ by Kevin Costner
Every year at the Cannes Film Festival, much attention is given to the length of standing ovations. This past Sunday, audiences stood for seven minutes after the credits of Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga finished rolling — a promising sign for “Chapter 1” of the planned four-part western epic. Costner, who both directed and starred in the film, reportedly became emotional, thanked the crowd, and pledged there would be “three more” Horizon installments.
However, the next day, critics offered a very different take on Costner’s latest venture. Peter Bradshaw described the film as “three saddle-sore hours,” while David Rooney criticized it for feeling like “a limited series overhauled as a movie.” Ryan Lattanzio went further, calling Horizon “the dullest cinematic vanity project of the century,” and argued that its clumsy episodic structure seemed like Costner was trying to outdo Taylor Sheridan.
Costner is said to have personally financed $38 million of the $90 million budget. Like Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis—which also premiered at Cannes this year—Horizon has been labeled by some critics as another expensive Hollywood misfire. The film’s reception is further complicated by Costner’s recent departure from the hit TV series Yellowstone. After five seasons as the show’s lead, a public feud with creator Taylor Sheridan delayed the final season, adding to the media narrative surrounding Horizon.
Speaking at a press conference, Costner pushed back on the criticism: “I don’t know why it’s so hard to get people to believe in the movie I wanted to make,” he said. “I don’t think anybody else’s movie is better than mine. I made it for people. It’s a pattern with me—from Dances with Wolves to Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, and Open Range—the projects I care about are always harder to make. My problem is I don’t fall out of love with something that’s good.”
Despite the critical backlash, many Cannes attendees praised aspects of Horizon. Reviewer Robert Daniels noted that Costner’s character doesn’t even appear in the first hour but commended the film for its diverse cast, highlighting the inclusion of Black people and Chinese immigrants in the history of the American West. Cinematographer J. Michael Muro’s sweeping visuals were also widely praised. Bilge Ebiri described the film as “Dune: Part One for Dads,” calling it “a gorgeous, sprawling, and at times moving blast of old-fashioned storytelling,” but acknowledged that it feels like only half a movie. “It could work as a TV series,” Ebiri added, “but it looks so good on the big screen that it really shouldn’t be.”
Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1 is set to hit theaters on June 28, 2024, with Chapter 2 following shortly after on August 16. The film features an ensemble cast including Sienna Miller (Anatomy of a Scandal), Sam Worthington (Avatar: The Way of Water), Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar: The Way of Water), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), and former Yellowstone star Danny Huston.
