Horizon is the first film in writerdirectorstar Costners massive fourpicture gamble that he famously leveraged one of his homes to help finance (spending $38 million out of pocket for the $90 millionbudgeted film). Chapter 1 is three hours and is largely focused on setting the stage introducing a sprawling ensemble of characters, with the promise of more dramatic events to come in the remaining films. There are not a large number of reviews for the postCivil War Western tale so far, but some of the early critiques are pretty harsh. The most common complaint is the film doesnt feel like cinema so much as a trio of backtoback episodes of a new TV series, and one thats rather jumbled at that, as the film jumps between four central storylines. Some are even comparing it to Francis Ford Coppolas Megalopolis, another decadesinthemaking directorial passion project that has drawn critical fire at the festival. Here are some early review highlights Hollywood Reporter called it a clumsy slog It plays like a limited series overhauled as a movie, but more like a hasty rough cut than a release ready for any format. This first part of a quartet of films is littered with inessential scenes and characters that go nowhere, taking far too long to connect its messy plot threads Any of these plotlines might have sustained an hour of compelling television but they dont add up to much in this awkwardly stitched quilt, which rarely provides the space for anyones experiences to resonate Costner in a formfitting role will be a reassuring presence. He was never an actor with the broadest range, but always appealing even when he arrives late, as he does here, and remains on the glum side. Vanity Fair called it more like Waterworld than Dances with Wolves. A jumble of clichd plots rendered in washedout color (and washedout performances), Horizon may rival Megalopolis as the biggest American boondoggle at this years Cannes Perhaps all [the storylines] will cogently, even movingly, converge in Chapter 2, but theres little reason to have faith. This first foray sets a table that seems beyond saving by the end. At least Horizon accomplishes one staggering feat it makes one wonder if we were maybe a little too hard on The Postman. IndieWire called it the dullest cinematic vanity project of the century and wrote, Horizon is shot handsomely with a capital H by J. Michael Muro with the aspect ratio and camera placement of a highbudget television series. Which, along with the movies clumsy episodic structure, leads you to believe that Costner may have been trying to outTaylor Sheridan Taylor Sheridan, the Yellowstone showrunner hes rumored to have drama with as the show supposedly readies for return sans Costner. Costners vainglorious efforts in crafting a sincere Western opus he poured much of his own money into are commendable mainly for what hes put on the line here. But Horizon makes even that other $100millionplus vanity project at Cannes Francis Ford Coppolas Megalopolis look like a work of uninhibited genius by comparison. The After three saddlesore hours, Kevin Costners handsomelooking but oddly listless new western doesnt get much done in the way of satisfying storytelling. Admittedly, this is supposed to be just the first of a multipart saga for which Costner is director, cowriter and star. But it somehow doesnt establish anything exciting for its various unresolved storylines, and doesnt leave us suspensefully hanging for anything else. Screendaily said the film moves between fascination and frustration Beautifully shot, with a deft command of period detail and a starry ensemble cast, Costners Civilwar set epic offers an oldfashioned celebration of the pioneer spirit and a clutch of storylines that never quite have time to engage before the film moves on Audiences in the mood for a lush, oldfashioned Utahshot saddle saga will probably not be disappointed, though they will almost certainly skew to an older demographic But even an audience who may have enjoyed Costners pensive Montana bullet ballet Open Range (2003) risk being alienated by Horizons bracingly abrupt pivots between its various stories. Variety wrote that it feels like the seedbed for a miniseries. Much of what happens is wispy and not very forceful; the film doesnt build in impact, and it seldom seems to aim in a clear direction. Costner, as an actor, doesnt show up until an hour in, and when he does, playing a gruff horse trader whos more than a horse trader, one feels the grounding so much of the film lacks. What you realize, after a while, is that Horizon isnt just a glorified TV series made with more expensively gritty production values. Its the setup for a TV series The real problem is the script (by Costner and Jon Baird), which is shapeless. It doesnt weave these stories together; it stacks them next to each other like a series of cabooses. RogerEbert.com gave it two stars out of five While the first film in the possible Horizon series does well in setting up future pictures, continuing the momentum Costner gained before he left Yellowstone, this single film is a chore to sit through. It rarely gives viewers what they want seeing Costner on the open range. It gives us few memorable characters outside of Costner I cant remember the name of a single figure without looking at my notes. It feels like a debilitating mistake to bank on possible future films to land the entire concept. Horizon keeps far too many of the best bits far out of reach. Yet there are a few positive reviews as well, such as The Telegraph called it grandad cinema (in a good way) Part of the pleasure of Horizon is the sheer, magisterial sweep of the thing with mountains and buttes and mesas like these, who needs CG? But its texture lives in small, telling details we often learn about characters from their approaches to work, be it honest manual labour or otherwise. Perhaps its full grandeur wont be apparent until these tales are completed in part two. But theres more than enough grandeur here to be getting on with. Horizon also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt and Jamie Campbell Bower.
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