Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsLike great literature, Horizon takes its time to tell the story
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2024
I loved Horizon. It's a movie we so rarely see where scenes play out to their natural end. It doesn't rush every moment like so much of what's in theaters (and on TV). I was a bit restless at the beginning, but the longer it went on, the less I wanted it to end.
There are three main storylines that never connect. That's OK because chapter two is coming next month. If you can wait a week for a new episode on TV, can't you wait a month for a new movie?
I won't describe the plot(s) because it's a lot of standard stuff about lonely men, struggling pioneers, and conflict with native tribes. You want revisionism, Leone is always there.
There's not a single bad performance across dozens of actors. While the characters may not be the most in depth, they never come off as caricatures. Living on the frontier is hard and it can simplify a person.
I think Costner did make a mistake shooting in 1.85 instead of 2.35. There are so many beautiful landscapes (including monument valley) that would have looked better in a wider frame. But this movie still looks great on a big screen. See it the way it was meant to be seen.
This is a big movie that is both epic and intimate. I still enjoy Marvel, but Horizon is a cool drink of water in a sometimes dusty movie landscape.
And don't listen to crybabies who pay to see an R rated Western, with many murders and scalpings, then get upset by cursing and 2 seconds of nudity.