Horizon An American Saga Chapter 1 2024

 “Take in what is there, and give no thought to what might have been there or what is somewhere else. That can come later, if it must come at all.”

-C.S Lewis, Surprised by Joy

Nowadays we far too often compare everything to everything else. Though that is certainly a reasonable approach to criticism, I have seen that it more often than not gives an unfair advantage to what has come before. I strongly believe that each story, each film or video game, should be given an equal chance to engage us on their own merits. Comparison is important, but when it becomes The overarching factor in criticism the story and characters are often forgotten. Instead we are left with a very awkward game of Where's the subversion. In short, it is a game that only asks one question. Why didn't you do that? It doesn't allow the story to be itself.
Film criticism, in the popular sense, has seemingly become an attempt to save you money. Rather than engage you on any meaningful, filmic or visual storytelling level.
My hope is to open a window for you. To allow you to see, even if it is slightly, the joy and meaning that you can gain from experiencing an engaging film or video game. I certainly have no problem saving you money, where I can. Though, I prefer to leave that decision up to you, because we all approach stories differently. They all affect us in many and varied ways. So I think it's unfair to not allow stories to speak for themselves as much as they can.
All that said, Horizon awaits. Horizon An American Saga is astounding. It certainly has its faults, but they are far outweighed by ambition, and a passion for the Western genre that has not been seen in decades. The major reason for the long preamble here, comes from the fact that this film has not been given a fair shake. It has failed pretty drastically when it comes to monetary success in the box office. One wonders why? Is it its length? No, this 3-hour epic is enthralling from beginning to end. In fact I will go as far as to say that this film is as well paced as some of its far shorter siblings. Did this movie fail because of its affinity for the Western genre? Certainly not, ,at least in regards to its quality and understanding of the genre's nuances. In all honesty, I don't know why it failed at the box office. Though, I am here to tell you that that failure has nothing to do with its quality.
It is filmmaking on its largest scale, and yet it is extremely intimate in its character portraits. Horizon An American saga takes the idea of the American epic, in all its wonder and vastness and contextualizes it in a story of dichotomies. A story of violence and expansion, of hope and misunderstanding. It is the tale of the United States and its journey westward with all its faults and ambitions. The only downside to this film is that it's the first chapter In a four film arc, and It will most likely be its last. Though, do not allow that to deter you from this experience, It is one we do not often get. Director Kevin Costner and his entire team have crafted something here that is vast and wondrous. Yet, it also asks us the question, does ambition come at a price?

Rated R for violence, some nudity (A bathing scene) and sexuality.

I found Horizon An American Saga Chapter 1 to be visually enthralling, meaningful and thought-provoking. I hope in some way you do too.