“Horizon” is no “Lonesome Dove,” though Costner tries, and mostly succeeds, at setting aside Western clichés about what towns really looked like, and how frontier life worked. The real problem is the script (by Costner and Jon Baird), which is shapeless.

Costner delivers beautiful visuals to help guide his storytelling. The pacing between action sequences and intimate character moments is just right. The score is hopeful and uplifting, adding the emotional tone to the story. Cons At nearly 3 hours, we never truly know every character fully.

Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is a scattered start to this series. The film fails to stand on its own, culminating in the equivalent of an extended trailer of the next film. It ends with no resolution or meaningful change with the characters, feeling like one long prologue for future installments.