If you missed it in the cinemas, the Western epic has hit streaming at last.
Kevin Costner’s Western epic Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is finally now streaming at home after its cinema release last summer.
Available to watch via NOW Cinema and Sky Cinema, Costner directed, co-wrote and stars in the Western which was intended to be the first of four films chronicling “the story of how the Old West was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many”.
The plot synopsis for the project as a whole reads: “Spanning 15 years before, during and following the Civil War from 1859 to 1874, embark on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.”
The first entry in the series follows three main storylines. One revolves around a woman (Sienna Miller) trying to take care of her remaining family after her husband and son are killed.
Another sees Costner play a horse trader who finds himself protecting a sex worker (Abbey Lee) and toddler from a group of murderous brothers (led by Jamie Campbell Bower).
The third revolves around a wagon train (led by Luke Wilson) where tensions flair between a wealthy British couple (Ella Hunt and Tom Payne) and the other members of the group.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 earned mixed reviews and was a box office flop, developments which have put Costner’s four-movie plan at risk – even if Chapter 2 has already been completed.
That said, the first film has found an audience on streaming in the US and many ardent defenders, who have praised the Western for its epic scope, its gorgeous scenery and its string of extremely taut action set pieces.
While JOE would admit that Horizon’s leisurely pace (Chapter 1 feels like watching the first act of three different stories) didn’t quite work for us, we are very curious to check out what Costner has in store in Chapter 2.
You can read some positive reviews for the Western here:
The Atlantic: “Horizon might not be ‘watchable’ in the most traditional sense of the word, but it’s audacious enough that I’ll be heading back for more in [Chapter 2], in anticipation of what might happen when all of these tales hopefully, eventually, collide.
Daily Telegraph (UK): “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.”
HeyUGuys: “A visually impressive endeavour that sets the stage for a larger journey. While it struggles with pacing and narrative cohesion, it manages to hold promise for future instalments to build upon. Impressive stuff, but a little too schmaltzy in places.”
Toronto Star: “Many of these mini-narratives fascinate, with glorious cinematography and standout performances that include Costner as a gruff cowboy.”
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How to watch Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1
Horizon: An American Saga is available to watch on NOW Cinema and Sky Cinema in the UK and Ireland.