“Kevin Costner’s American Saga: Our Opinion and the Trailer for Horizon”
Kevin Costner Returns with Horizon: A Grand but Flawed Western Epic
Kevin Costner is back in the director’s chair — and on screen — with Horizon: An American Saga, an ambitious and sprawling project that reaffirms his fascination with the mythos of the American West. After a non-competitive screening at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, the first chapter of this massive trilogy is set to premiere in French cinemas on July 3, 2024, just ahead of the U.S. Independence Day.
Known for his Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves (1990), which explored American history through the lens of Native Americans, Costner once again dives into the foundational myths of the United States. But this time, he’s going full Western — for better and for worse.
Horizon is classic in every sense of the word, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. The wide open landscapes, sweeping cinematography, and deep Americana vibes bring back the grandeur of the old-school Western. It’s clear that Costner takes genuine pleasure in capturing the early days of the United States, almost like a proud parent filming their child’s first steps.
But this passion project, with its hefty runtime (three films, each three hours long), also leans heavily on familiar tropes and traditional storytelling. It’s a film that plays it safe, sticking to genre conventions without much innovation. While the cast is solid — featuring Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, and Costner himself (in a supporting role) — the narrative doesn’t stray far from what we’ve seen before.
Set in the mid-19th century, the film tracks the journey of settlers (referred to as “White Eyes of the Plain”) chasing their dreams across the American frontier, and the Apaches whose land and lives are threatened. From Arizona’s San Pedro Valley to Montana’s snowy peaks, and from Wyoming’s reservations to the Santa Fe Trail, Horizon paints a violent, chaotic picture of a nation being born — complete with bloody battles and brutal showdowns.
For seasoned Western fans, the film delivers a satisfying dose of nostalgia. For newcomers, the atmosphere may evoke the immersive world of Red Dead Redemption. There’s no shortage of action, and the scale is undeniably impressive.
Yet for all its scope, Horizon stumbles when it comes to coherence. The film juggles multiple timelines and storylines, often at the expense of emotional depth. In its attempt to show everything — every conflict, every journey, every motivation — it risks drowning in its own ambition.
Ultimately, Horizon: An American Saga captures the chaos and contradictions of America’s westward expansion. It’s a film with heart, scope, and spectacle — but also one that struggles to balance its epic vision with the clarity and innovation needed to truly stand out.
