The Reel Review
Settlers trying to forge a new life in various parts of North America’s Western frontier clash with its indigenous tribes and one another in this self-proclaimed saga set in the early 1860s Civil War era. Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson and Jena Malone star in this Western drama that Costner also co-wrote and directed.
Featuring a big-name cast, a bloated, three-hour runtime and some fantastically iconic cinematography, this first of four planned films in the series has all the makings of an epic Western – at least on paper. Unfortunately, this history textbook of a movie featuring various stories from throughout the American West is hampered by dull, textbook-like storytelling. There are just too many disjointed subplots and too many underdeveloped characters, making it hard to connect with any of them.
That said, there are some truly touching and enjoyable moments – most involving Georgia MacPhail in her film debut as young Elizabeth Kittredge. That, however, is offset by some other curiously cartoonish performances, gaping plot holes and a disappointingly small amount of screentime given to the indigenous tribespeople. Costner, who doesn’t appear until the second hour, ends his trope-laden film with a confusing, abrupt montage, presumably from chapter 2 in the saga, making this less of a Dances with Wolves, and more of an introduction of what hopefully will be better storytelling.
REEL FACTS
• When filming began in August 2022 in Moab, Utah, temperatures reached a high of 109 degrees (43 celsius). By the end in November, the overnight lows dipped to as lows as 9 degrees (-13 celsius).
• Kevin Costner’s youngest son Hayes appears in the film as Nathanial Kittredge, the son who stays with his father after evacuating his mother and sister to relatively safety.
• Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 cost $100 million to make, nearly half of it directly from Costner, and earned only $32 million during its brief theatrical run. The second installment is scheduled to hit theaters September 7th.
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