Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

"The American saga begins this summer."

2024 3h 2m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

🥫

51%

ROTTEN

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

6.6

IMDB

★6.8TMDB · 709🥫51%Rotten Tomatoes●49Metacritic★6.6IMDB · 44,001

WesternDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 1859, families discover the lure of the Old West as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. Meanwhile, a gruff cowboy finds himself on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after killing a fellow gunman.

“The American saga begins this summer.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Kevin Costner
Hayes Ellison
Sienna Miller
Frances Kittredge
Sam Worthington
Trent Gephart
Jena Malone
'Ellen' Harvey
Abbey Lee
Marigold
Michael Rooker
Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
Danny Huston
Col. Albert Houghton
Luke Wilson
Matthew Van Weyden

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kevin Costner
Writers: Jonathan Hallett, Kevin Costner, Kevin Costner
Languages: English, Mandarin, Navajo
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

At 182 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 77% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Mandarin, Navajo.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Horizon: An American Saga Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

322+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kevin Costner, shot by J. Michael Muro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kevin Costner directs. J. Michael Muro behind the camera. John Debney scores. Miklos Wright cuts. A long sit — settle in. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Mandarin, Navajo.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1At 182 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
2Mid-budget at $50M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
3Earned back only 77% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
4Released 2 years ago.
5Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Mandarin, Navajo.
6Part of the "Horizon: An American Saga Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
7322+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
8Directed by Kevin Costner, shot by J. Michael Muro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
9Original score by John Debney. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
10Editor Miklos Wright shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
11Kevin Costner and Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington carry the top of the cast.
12Marketing tagline: "The American saga begins this summer.".
13IMDB entry: tt17505010 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
14Classified under 18 themes, including "montana", "indigenous", "brothel", "new mexico".
15Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: J. Michael Muro
Original score: John Debney
Editing: Miklos Wright
Production design: Derek R. Hill
Costume design: Lisa Lovaas
Makeup / hair: Stacey Berrett
Sound: Joe DeAngelis
Stunt coordinator: Kanin Howell
Runtime: 182 min · 3h 2m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $50,000,000
Box office: $38,735,702
Return: 77% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 51% 🥫 Rotten
Metacritic: 49/100
IMDB rating: 6.6/10 · 44,001 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

5 nominations total

Part of

Horizon: An American Saga Collection

An epic series of Western films covering the pre- and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West.

Also by

Kevin Costner

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-07-02
★ 6/10
Well it's certainly a saga! Against a backdrop of the American Civil war we are introduced to half a dozen different spokes on the wheel of pioneering America that gradually head towards a centre of what I assume will be the creation of the fabric of modern day USA by the end of part four. It begins rather brutally when a woman shoots a man then flees the scene with her infant child. Despite her proximity to the victim he survives and orders his two sons to pursue her. Meantime, there's a wagon train heading across the Apache dominated territory under the command of "Matthew" (Owen Wilson) and, separately, "Hayes" (Kevin Costner) is doing a bit of wintery horse-trading. With the younger Apache restless and determined to do what they can to thwart the encroachment on their ancient hunting grounds, they attack another white-man's settlement decimating the population. It's only after some sterling riding from the young "Russell" (Etienne Kellici) to a nearby army post that we meet "Lt. Gephart" (Sam Worthington) and his sagely "Sgt. Major Riordan" (Michael Rooker) who arrive to pick up the pieces amidst the charred ruins. The survivors include the terrified "Frances" (Sienna Miller) and her daughter "Lizzie" (Georgie MacPhail) whom they rescue from a tunnel in which they were hiding. The two adults immediately click perhaps offering us a glimmer of romance for the remorseful widow? Across the country, "Hayes" arrives in a small settlement where he encounters the good-time girl "Marigold" (Abbey Lee) and her young baby who just happen to be the one the avenging sons are looking for. Needless to say he, and his Colt revolver, have to come to the rescue and they decide it's better to take to the hills to avoid yet more trouble. With the forbidding west outstretched before these characters and the dangers and demons of their pasts never far behind them, the adventure is teed up for part two. To be fair, this looks great with some stunning drone cinematography illustrating really well the the scope of this virgin land that is every bit as hostile at times as those who have lived there for generations. There's also some impressive battle scenes as the maturing natives try to protects their homeland. The style of the rest of the narrative is just all a bit too bitty, though. Costner doesn't really appear until hour two and the substantial elements of the plot draw heavily from a very well established genre that it was always going to be difficult to reinvent or reimagine. The score helps it along rousingly at times and dialogue is sparingly used by most of the characters which is also quite a sensible tactic as we quickly realise we are in for just as long a slog as the settlers. It's the necessary character establishment part of this story which we can only hope will pad out the people more and rely less on the visuals as the story progresses. Otherwise, it's not really much better than a series of episodes of "Bonanza" bolted together.
r96sk2024-07-04
★ 9/10
'Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1' surpassed my expectations! A three-hour western, which is only the first of many connected entries? Yeah, that doesn't exactly set the pulses racing! Based on that, I was anticipating it to be a slow-moving set-up to future chapters. However, to my surprise this opening installment is a lot of fun. For a film of such a length, it absolutely flies by; this felt like a 2hr, max, movie to me. My main praise for this film is directed at the pacing (evidently), the visuals and the score - the latter is particularly outstanding. I will say there are a fair few scenes that I felt could've been lit better, mainly across the opening chunk - not a big deal, though. There are so many characters in this, some may say too many but honestly I enjoyed all the different people portrayed onscreen. Kevin Costner is very solid, though to be truthful he isn't really involved all that much in this chapter - at least to how much I was expecting to see of him. I wouldn't say there is a main standout from the cast, but I don't mean that negatively. Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Abbey Lee, Jamie Campbell Bower and Michael Rooker are some of the notable performers, though it truly is an ensemble because I can't really separate any of them based on their performanes - which is actually a good thing. Mind you, as good as he is, Rooker's Irish accent is awful, I gotta say - rather distracting. How annoying that we have to wait so long for the seque... oh, ''Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2'' drops next month! Bring it on! ...oh, and I (unintentionally) watched this on July 4th - how American of me. shudders
TheSceneSnobs2024-07-09
★ 6/10
Kevin Costner channels his inner John Ford with his immense passion project, starting with Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1. Unfortunately, in this initial chapter, he falls short of making a lasting impression akin to Ford's timeless works. Costner serves as the film's producer, director, co-writer, and star, undertaking a monumental task. This film marks the first chapter of a four-part epic series that weaves together the lives of various characters around the territory of 'Horizon'. The saga will span 12 years, with this first film serving to introduce Horizon and its primary characters. The ensemble cast is led by Costner himself, alongside Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, and many more. While the cast is impressive on paper, the execution leaves much to be desired. The characters feel underdeveloped, and the acting often comes across as lackluster. Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington, despite their talents, struggle to breathe life into their roles, making their characters feel one-dimensional. On a positive note, Costner's direction and the film's cinematography are commendable. The sweeping landscapes and meticulously crafted shots capture the grandeur and harsh beauty of the American frontier. His wide-angle shots of the sprawling territory and close-ups that highlight the characters' rugged determination are visually stunning, reminiscent of classic Westerns. These elements create an immersive atmosphere that is one of the film's few strengths. The primary issue with Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 is its role as a setup for future installments. The film feels more like an extended prologue than a standalone story. The plot is fragmented, with numerous threads introduced but few developed to a satisfying degree. While the film has its flaws, it lays the groundwork for what could become a compelling saga. The potential for intricate storytelling and character development exists, but it is not fully realized in this first chapter. If the subsequent films can build on this foundation and address the gaps in the plot, Horizon could evolve into an epic worth watching. However, if the pacing and character development issues persist, maintaining interest in the series may prove challenging. Given its ambitious scope and narrative structure, Horizon: An American Saga might have been better served as a TV miniseries. This format would allow for more detailed character arcs and a more deliberate pacing, giving the story the room it needs to unfold organically. The episodic nature of television could provide the depth and continuity that the film format struggles to achieve in this case. Overall, Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 is a visually impressive but narratively weak start to Kevin Costner’s ambitious project. While the direction and cinematography stand out, the lackluster acting and fragmented plot diminish its impact. The film serves primarily as a setup for future chapters, which may hold promise if they can build upon and enrich the story introduced here. As it stands, Horizon has potential, but it will need to deliver more in its subsequent installments to truly captivate its audience.