Kevin Costner’s epic Western “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” might have been a box office disappointment, but it’s certainly popular on Netflix.
The movie grossed a little over $38 million, which is roughly the same amount that Costner himself put into the first two movies (which shot back to back), and nowhere near their reported $100 million budget.
That lackluster return got the sequel pulled from its planned August 2024 release, and it didn’t exactly land stellar reviews.
That said, the movie was recently added to Netflix, and in just a few days it’s become one of the most popular releases on the streaming service. Maybe the same people who missed John Dutton in “Yellowstone‘s” final episodes have tuned in to see what Costner’s cooked up?
At three hours long, it’s certainly a movie you need to invest time into. I’d wager there are plenty of would-be viewers out there trying to decide whether to add “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” to their watchlist. Here’s some more info that should help make that decision a little easier.
What is ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ about?
“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” is, unsurprisingly, the first part of Kevin Costner’s sprawling Western project.
As with countless other Western epics, the planned four-movie saga would revisit the tale of the Old West, spanning decades both before and after the Civil War. Chapter 1 establishes our vast ensemble cast and their overlapping stories, laying the groundwork for future, yet-to-come installments.
That ensemble includes the likes of mother and daughter Frances (Sienna Miller) and Lizzie (Georgia MacPhail), Lt. Trent Gephardt (Sam Worthington), Matthew Van Weyden (Luke Wilson), Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan (Michael Rooker), Marigold (Abbey Lee), Pickering (Giovanni Ribisi), Caleb Sykes (Jamie Campbell Bower) and, of course, Costner himself as Hayes Ellison.
Should you stream “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” on Netflix?
This is a tough question, as it’s kinda tough to judge this as a standalone movie. Costner himself is committed to finding a way to make all four “Horizon” movies happen — “I’m going to make 3. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’m going to make it and then I’m going to make the fourth one”, he told Deadline — and the second one’s reportedly due to release sometime in 2025.
However, I’m not 100% convinced the entire story will make it to our screens unless future installments are bigger hits. On its own, Chapter 1’s primary job is more to establish a sprawling world, and in my opinion, it kind of groans under the weight of establishing and introducing so many different moving parts. Nothing’s paced poorly (as Westerns go), but I think it’s harder to recommend unless you’re a true genre fan.
It’s hard not to admire the ambition or the scale of Costner’s project, though. The cinematography and score certainly mark “Horizon” as an admirable work. But I don’t know that the average Netflix subscriber will necessarily love three whole hours of this kind of movie.
Critically, though, “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” didn’t receive the best reaction. At the time of writing, the movie has a 51% score on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, indicating mixed reactions.
Case in point: RogerEbert.com‘s Robert Daniels described the movie as “a chore to sit through” in his two-star review, arguing that the film “does well in setting up future pictures”, but that it “keeps far too many of the best bits far out of reach.”
Empire‘s Helen O’Hara, meanwhile, gave “Horizon a 3/5-star rating, writing: “It’s fine for an epic to sprawl, but you want a sense of purpose at the same time, and this one sometimes loses its way. Still, it’s handsomely shot and well performed, a throwback to the glory days of event-movie horse operas.”
Reviewing for The Hollywood Reporter, David Rooney, however, called “Horizon” “a clumsy slog”, one which “plays like a limited series overhauled as a movie, but more like a hasty rough cut than a release ready for any format.” Ouch.
Already watched “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1”, and looking for more adventures of a similar ilk? Here’s our guides to the best Western movies you can stream on Netflix right now, or the best movies you need to watch after “Horizon: An American Saga.“
If the movie’s mixed reception has put you off, but you still need something new to stream, be sure to read our guide to the best Netflix movies for tons more recommendations.
Watch “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” on Netflix now
