Directed and co-written by Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves (1990); The Postman (1997); Open Range (2003)) and starring Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves (1990); The Bodyguard (1992); Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991); The Postman (1997)), Sienna Miller (Layer Cake (2004); American Sniper (2014); 21 Bridges (2019)), Sam Worthington (Avatar (2009); Clash of the Titans (2010); 9 Bullets (2022)), Jena Malone (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013); Stardust (2020); Nocturnal Animals (2016)) and Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums (2001); Old School (2003); Gasoline Alley (2022)).
Historical drama; 181 mins; 12+
The first of a trilogy set over a 15-year pre Civil War period, this Kevin Costner project aims to become an epic in much the way that Australia did for Baz Luhrmann in 2008.
Set from 1861-1864, Chapter 1 charts a number of not yet inter-linked stories of settlers making their way across America through the Wild West to a new home at Horizon; the storylines were told in different states, including Wyoming and Montana: with different landscapes and over different seasons, the cinematography was stunning.
Along the way, the settlers face almost insurmountable challenges, mainly outlaws and Apache Indians sometimes disagreeing amongst themselves, as well as the elements.
The singular storylines follow characters including Hayes Ellison (Kevin Costner), Frances Kittredge (Sienna Miller), Trent Gephart (Sam Worthington), "Ellen" Harvey (Jena Malone), Matthew Van Weyden (Luke Wilson) and many others have simple backstories but the drive to succeed. Some have survived their settlements being razed to the ground, others come to the rescue albeit too late, and some travel through villages and small towns.
There were few people then to uphold the law, so in order to survive in that time and environment one had to work together and trust each other, otherwise become ruthless. Life was very hard and there was no place for being delicate, as witnessed in one of the wagon trains as it made its way across the landscape, wary of the challenges along the way.
The storylines, particularly at the start, were sometimes slightly confusing - particularly concerning exactly where/what Horizon was, as well as different settlements along the riverbank; however, by the end of the three hour long first chapter, one was left longing to know more and how the separate storylines intertwine, hopefully in Chapter 2.
