Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Kevin Costner

Cast: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington

Release Date: September 10, 2024

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 8/10
Disc Rating: 7/10

Synopsis:

In the great tradition of Warner Bros. Pictures’ iconic Westerns, “Horizon: An American Saga” explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner’s ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.

‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ invites viewers to revisit America’s history as it accompanies various individuals and groups during the era of the Civil War and explores the early days of the United States of America’s formation as it began evolving into what we know. The first chapter follows the story of a lone man who meets a troubled young woman and can’t help but look out for her when she finds herself in danger, along with a woman and her daughter who must begin anew after an Apache attack on their home eradicates the rest of their family and the home they knew; meanwhile a group of folks heading for a new, better life become plagued with danger and threats both outside and within their camp and a powerful family hunts for one of their own after she commits an unspeakable act, while a young boy and others hunt down a tribe of Apache they hold responsible for their suffering.

Directed by Kevin Costner from a screenplay written by Costner & Jon Baird, from a story by Baird & Costner and Mark Kasdan, Costner does a fantastic job at the helm of ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ guiding along the beginning of this massive saga with heart, care, beauty and grit. The film’s impressive, star-studded cast includes Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Ella Hunt, Tim Guinee, Danny Huston, Colin Cunningham, Scott Haze, Tom Payne, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Will Patton, Georgia MacPhail, Douglas Smith, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jamie Campbell Bower, Alejandro Edda, Wasé Winyan Chief, Michael Anganaro, Angus Macfadyen, Jon Beavers, Alex Nibley, Kathleen Quinlan, Etienne Kellici, Amos Jason Charging Cloud, Bodhi Okuma Linton, Gregory Cruz, James Russo, Jeff Fahey, David O’Hara, Chris Conner, Leroy M. Silva, Bernardo Velasco, Tom Everett, Glynn Turman, Giovanni Ribisi and more who each contribute solid, if not noteworthy performances altogether in their respective roles.

‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ is a thrilling, powerful and visually stunning beginning of an epic saga that chronicles various groups of people in the Civil War era who sought out a place to call home and all of the fight, struggle, suffering and unflinching resolve that they endured in order to never give up and keep moving forward regardless of the countless elements trying to prevent them from doing so. The first film in what is currently planned as a four film saga introduces viewers to numerous characters and then begins to flesh out their stories as each finds their world changing whether it be from loss of family or home, seeking out a new home or the various things preventing them from moving on or even desiring to do so.

The plethora of characters we’re introduced to may be somewhat overwhelming initially but as the film progresses it becomes consistently easier to follow the course of events and keep track of the different groups and individuals that are focused upon as each of their journey’s becomes fraught with danger, threat or some form of conflict and through conquering such struggles allows us to get an increasingly better sense of each and what kind of person they might be. It’s a rich collection of characters and each has something to offer or contribute to the story at large, while the shift in perspectives and location also offers a wider scope of the county’s landscape during the era and the drastic differences from one area to the next.

One thing quickly becomes clear and that’s that this is a massive and ambitious story for Costner to take on (and not merely in one area as Costner serves as Director, Producer, Writer and Actor for the saga), but one that he so far seems largely capable of tackling although it’s also difficult to fully judge much of it due to the fact that we’ve only been able to experience one quarter of the tale here. To say that it offers a promising glimpse at what might be is an understatement and if it plays out as anticipated and continues down a similar path, ‘Horizon’ definitely has the potential to be something astounding and epic and could even be one of Costner’s most iconic contributions to cinema. If you haven’t yet had the chance to give ‘Horizon’ Chapter 1 a shot but are a fan of Costner or simply of a story like this that is based largely in history, then I would strongly recommend giving it a whirl because it’s a largely impressive start to a massive saga that if all done well should be even more thoroughly appreciated once the subsequent chapters arrive.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks phenomenal from start to finish and provides a beautifully rich, sharp and detailed presentation that never falters or loses its way throughout. Detail is impeccable on every element onscreen from character faces, stubble and clothing to the expansive landscapes and scenery and much more, while the Dolby Vision HDR perfectly complements much of it by providing more lifelike colors noticeable on scenery, pieces of clothing and the expansive plains, all paired with deep, rich and problem free black levels. Overall, this is a magnificent Ultra High Definition video presentation that impresses at every turn and should absolutely thrill fans as well as first time viewers.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack is a real treat as well and it offers a clean, crisp and frequently immersive audio presentation throughout. It repeatedly utilizes all seven available channels in order to send music, wagons and horses along with gunfire, debris and pounding rain, plus quite a bit more consistently whipping throughout the various speakers at every reasonable opportunity, while still making certain that any dialogue or additional audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously with one another remain clean and audible. Overall, this is a marvelous Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that delivers splendidly from start to finish and shouldn’t disappoint in the slightest.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ does not include any bonus content whatsoever.

*Please note: The above images were provided by Warner Bros. and are not reflective of the actual 4K Ultra HD release or its quality. A standard Blu-ray copy of the film was not included in the release that could be used for screenshots therefore the above publicity stills were utilized. They are all the property of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Discovery and any other respective owners.

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Film Rating: 8/10
Disc Rating: 7/10

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‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from Territory Pictures, New Line Cinema & Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment

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You can purchase ‘Horizon: Chapter 1’ on 4K UHD at Amazon HERE!

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