How dare you. How dare you make a long, meandering, and event-challenged film and then insist that it’s only “Chapter 1.” What are we supposed to do? Wait on pins and needles for the five-second summary before viewing Chapter 2 in August? Producers, please feel lucky if anybody returns.
Anybody.
While not the worst new film -by a long shot- I’ve seen in 2024, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 immediately put me in the mind of another -and much better- film. Thirty-four years ago, Kevin Costner made Dances with Wolves. It was long, yes. But it wasn’t divided into four parts. The film stood on its own because it was both entertaining and had a great deal to say. I’m not sure either applies to Chapter 1 of Horizon.
Writer/director Kevin Costner, so sympathetic to the plight of Native Americans thirty-four years ago, gives us something to chew on in Act I when Apache forces in the dead of night attack and destroy a (mostly) white settlement in Horizon, Wherever. In 1863, Horizon is in Apache territory and white people have no right to settle there (not that the besieged knew that). This is a pretty bold choice, because there is no doubt the Apache are the bad guys here; they murder an unsuspecting populace with little-to-no provocation.
I know you’re goin’ somewhere with this, Kevin, but unless the audience knows American history backwards and forwards, there is zero way to justify this attack. And even if you do know your American history backwards and forwards, killing unarmed women and children never, ever, ever makes you the good guys. So, what? This attack justifies the treatment of natives in the 19th century?
One storyline in this Chapter deals with the survivors of the Apache massacre. They’re brought to a fort some twenty-five miles away and hang out while Lieutenant Sam Worthington has occasional thoughts. Good for him.
Meanwhile, in another film, the director shows up. After a full hour or so of Native American malarky, Hayes Ellison (Costner), journeyman and self-described “Horse trader” (Is this like Pokémon? “Gotta catch ‘em all!”), reminds us that he’s still a thing by valiantly denying and ultimately giving in to the town harlot, Marigold (Abbey Lee). Apparently, he smells better than most of the crud that shows up. That’s a low, low bar.
It’s only a matter of time before something stupid happens, of course, which occurs
when Costner kills off his only villain in Chapter 1, putting Hayes and Marigold on the run and looking for, how shall I put this? New Horizons (and a new villain).
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 isn’t bad, per se, but any viewer is going to find themselves some two-hours post-massacre saying, “Is anything else going to happen in this film?” And the answer, sadly, is, “Not really.” The last two hours of this film are far better defined by what doesn’t happen than what does. Yeah, you got very pretty scenery and great feel for the 1860s, give the cinematographer a gold star. You might not reach the “anything going on yet?” at a moment of pretty scenery. You might not be there where you realize Costner isn’t going to punch anybody in this film (like the trailer suggests). You might not even be there at the unresolved tension at the general store, but at some point, the viewer is going to realize that Chapter 1 was three hours long, said very little, and resolved next-to-nothing. This entire film feels like the pilot to a TV series you aren’t going to watch.
With 164 minutes of Chapter 2 slated for August, I am questioning whether my time is worth more. I will probably see Chapter 2, but mark my words regarding Human Centipede 2 – once the franchise gets to zero stars, I feel no compulsion to see the next Chapter. And, franchise-wise, Horizon is much closer to Human Centipede than Godfather, knowwhatI’msayin’?
There once was a filmmaker named Kevin
He’s shot Westerns since you were just seven
But he lost his bookmark
When Horizon jumped the shark
So he’s still presenting into hour eleven
Rated R, 181 Minutes
Director: Kevin Costner
Writer: Jon Baird, Kevin Costner, Mark Kasdan
Genre: Reminding people what Westerns used to look like
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People who like long naps
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: I’m sorry; there are *four* (4!) of these films altogether?!
