A traditional gunslinging adventure from the master of yee-haw Hollywood W ith the exception of Clint Eastwood, there isn’t an actor who has made the western their own in the modern era in the way Kevin Costner has. From starring in 1985’s Silverado with Kevin Kline to directing the Oscar-winning Dances With Wolves (1990) and Open Range (2003), Costner fits the genre like a well-tailored Stetson. So now he’s back with the most ambitious film of his career, Horizon: An American Saga , a largely self-funded project that he directs and stars in.
Already a second part is due in August, with a third and possibly fourth set to follow, making this an epic western (albeit for the big screen) in the mould of classic Eighties TV show Lonesome Dove . All set around the American Civil War, Chapter 1 is a three-hour slow-burn that takes some patience, but rewards with handsome vistas, moments of thrilling action and characters that will likely grow in significance in subsequent instalments. If you feel a big Red Dead Redemption -shaped hole in your life after completing the Rockstar video game, this might help.
An ensemble story about the expansion of the Old West, Costner himself doesn’t arrive until the first hour has elapsed. He plays Hayes Ellison, a pioneer cowboy who is the classic strong, silent type. He’s one of many characters in this ensemble that bounces between Wyoming, Montana and other States, but also focuses on Horizon – a settlement that has yet to become a fu.
