During the Cannes Film Festival, Yellowstone star Kevin Costner presented the first part of his eventually four-part Western saga Horizon. Meanwhile, the first reviews and do not exactly shout “Yeehaaw!” with delight. After 20 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer is at just 30 percent.
First Yellowstone reviews are rather negative
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter, for example, says in his conclusion:
For many Western lovers of a certain age, Costner is a soothing presence in the right role. He was never an actor of the greatest range, but he was always appealing – even when he comes in late, as he does here, and treads on the depressing side. Just don’t get your hopes up too much.
Byo Hoai-Tran Bui of Inverse criticizes the film for buying into the myth of the American West without looking at it through a critical lens, which makes it comparable to genre representatives of the past:
Costner brings a grandeur to the film that is befitting of 1960s westerns, reveling in sweeping vistas and breathtaking silhouettes, while John Debney’s soaring soundtrack makes every moment achingly romantic. But all these breathtaking vistas and romance-numbed moments cannot make up for the fact that Horizon is unbearably boring.
Tobis
Horizon
Stephanie Zacharek of TIME Magazine also praises the visual values of the expansive landscapes, but does not find Horizon to be entirely successful as a love letter to the Western:
The first part of a planned four-part saga has a lot to do, but above all reminds us of the best of the genre, without being part of it itself.
Conservative voices like Robbie Collin of the Daily Telegraph naturally mean it a little better with the indulgent retrospective dad film, but also include some advance praise for part 2:
The film is sincere but hopeful with sharply drawn characters – but perhaps its true greatness won’t be realized until the second part. […] Part of the joy of Horizon is the sheer masterful scope of it all – who needs CGI with mountains, hills and mesas like these? Its texture lies in small, meaningful details.
But Moviepilot editor-in-chief Jenny Jecke also found the old-school western a little more appealing, as you can read in her Cannes report:
When will the Western Horizon be released in German cinemas?
In Germany, Costner’s Horizon is shown on 22 August 2024 in the cinemas. The second part follows on November 7, 2024.