I was initially pretty excited for this "American Saga" that Horizon was promising and thought the idea of a 2-part, back-to-back release was pretty epic. It seemed like a potentially lucrative idea, particularly when you consider Kevin Costner cashing in on the popularity of Yellowstone.
However, that popularity has been waning for a show that - while still strong - isn't at its strongest, and amidst a bunch of will-he, wont-he drama behind the screen on Costner's continuation of the character that has helped revitalize a career. There's also the storytelling element; Taylor Sheridan is primarily responsible for how successful and engaging Yellowstone is. And his spin off shows are potentially even better (I was blown away by 1886, but have yet to see 1923).
Initially skipping Horizon: An American Saga - Part I in theaters, impacted by a busy weekend, a daunting run time, and prioritizing A Quiet Place, I decided to wait and watch it in my own home. My own home became a plane ride to Hawaii for a babymoon (courtesy of a quick dump onto HBO Max), for an incredibly frustrating - sometimes baffling - viewing experience.
Horizon has all the makings of a great film. It has a solid cast that includes Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, and a subtly great Michael Rooker. There are a lot of unrecognizable faces, but I didn't encounter anyone who wasn't doing well. The production values, set design, and costume design are all top notch. There seemed to be minimal usage of CGI, instead building real sets on real locations. Camera work ranges from being adequate to awe-inspiring when it shows vistas of the American Great West, and there's an original score that - while not quite iconic - is good enough to support the material.
So what was my problem with Horizon?
It's not a movie, plain and simple. This is a story caught in between the medium of TV and film and all the worse for not making a decision either way. There's barely any coherent overarching story, and just when we feel like we get one, we transition to another group of characters elsewhere. The runtime is brutal as it's the equivalent of binge watching 3 TV episodes in a row - something I don't often do - and the disjointed nature makes it feel longer. Aside from a few sequences, this feels like all setup with very little payoff. As if we only spent the first Lord of the Rings in the Shire. Even more baffling, and probably what left a sour taste in my mouth the most, was a "highlight reel" at the end of all the cool things we'd see in Part II. A montage of people, places, and action sequences that hadn't been in the film yet but were wildly out of context as the film gets you to believe the adventure is just beginning.
I'm unsure of what they'll do with Part II given this was such a bomb at the box office, but if I had to give my recommendation it would be: sell it to a streaming service and make it a TV show. Recut Part I to be 3-4 episodes, and introduce Part II as the latter 3-4 episodes. While I can appreciate the experimental nature of this Saga, and even appreciate how well made certain aspects are, the end result is so confusing and disjointed that it can only succeed either i) as a re-cut TV series or ii) as a film series with 50% of the characters cut out OR an entirely new screenplay. For the time being, this partially-completed experience is a baffling one.
Rapid Rath's Review Score | 5.5/10
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