Horizon states its intentions in its very title: An American Saga. A saga is a broad story, involving many characters, typically linked by a common destiny, context, family or idea. People have criticized Horizon for having too many characters, too many plot lines, clearly not understanding that that is its point. I have heard people say that it should have been a show instead of a movie, apparently not grasping that it's in the juxtaposition of these stories and characters over a longer period of time that the meaning of the film emerges: the making of America. In that sense, the distant models of Horizon could be Once Upon a Time in the West, Once Upon a Time in America or Gangs of New York. Is Kevin Costner a talented enough filmmaker to create this broad saga on the American West? Probably not. His style is academic, unoriginal and at times a bit cheesy (the romance scenes being typically his worst). But at time when people predict the Death of Cinema, it is refreshing to see a director who believes fully in the resilient power of movies, even in its oldest of genres. And there are scenes in the movie that truly stand out, including an extraordinary first scene. Overall, much better than expected, and I will be there in August to see the second Chapter.

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