By Jonathan Klotz | Published
Westerns were once the most dominant genre in Hollywood, reaching their peak in the ’50s and ’60s, before slowly falling out of favor despite a few standouts in recent decades, but there have been a few standouts, and most importantly, a man has worked tirelessly to bring the genre back into the spotlight. Kevin Costner, star and director of Dances with Wolvesstar of Hatfields and McCoyand modern western star Yellowstone, finally brought his passion project, Horizon: an American sagaan epic four-part film series that sought to redefine theatrical Westerns. The problem is that the first film bombed so much that the release of the sequel was postponed indefinitely, but there is still hope, because Horizon is now a huge hit on Netflix.
A good start
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 debuted on Netflix in early January and has been a top 10 hit on the streamer ever since. The first part of the epic saga features a massive cast of characters, some of whom aren’t even visible until the final teaser of Chapter 2, through several scenarios that have not yet crossed paths. Chapter 1 is not a complete film, with none of the stories reaching anything resembling a conclusion, but it is a bold experiment in bringing the structure of television to cinema.
The film begins with an Apache raid on the new colony of Horizon, which serves as the catalyst for the first two storylines, which follow some survivors taking refuge in a military encampment and others seeking revenge. At the same time, in the less developed storyline, a wagon train is en route to Horizon when it attracts the attention of the Apaches, and the threat of an imminent attack looms over the settlers. Another story follows a young woman fleeing her attackers, while Costner, playing the mysterious Hayes Ellison, finds himself enveloped in their wake as he falls in love with Marigold, a woman of the night.
Each storyline shows potential, and a few characters, including Jena Malone’s Ellen and one of her pursuers, Caleb Sykes, played by Jamie Campbell Bower (you know him as Stranger Things Vecna), stand out among the whole. There are some standout moments, including a tense, well-filmed shootout that proves Costner knows what he’s doing behind the camera, but for the most part, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 There’s so much going on that it’s easy to miss the details, which is probably why it’s taking off on Netflix.
We may never see the whole saga
In the cinemas, Horizon: The American saga – Chapter 1 Good morningbed, earning $38 million alongside a wave of mediocre reviews, with most critics and fans agreeing that the film was okay but featured a lot of no-win setup. Initially, Chapter 2 was scheduled to arrive in theaters two months after the first film’s debut in June, but in early July the second film was pulled from release and to date no replacement has been announced. Given the success of the first film on Netflix, there could be a future for the series, which still has three films to release, on the streaming network rather than in theaters.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 debuted on Max last fall, but Warner Bros.’ streaming service doesn’t have Netflix’s footprint, and more people probably watched itshot the film in the last week than in the last few months combined. It would make sense for the streaming service to pick up the franchise, especially since Kevin Costner self-funded the production, determined to bring his passion project to life after working on it for decades. Netflix needs content, and after spending hundreds of millions on Zach Snyder’s Rebel MoonCostner’s Western epic could probably be acquired for a sum that the streamer would consider a rounding error.
For now, if you haven’t seen Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1it’s always worth checking out Netflix, if only to watch Kevin Costner pour his heart out on screen for three hours. At least now that it’s airing you can take a break and take a bathroom break. And if enough people stream it, we might one day see the rest of the epic.
