Kevin Costner might be the mastermind behind his Western epic, butHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2needs more of one actor who overshadows his performance during Chapter 1.The idea for the Western epic began for Costner in 1988, leading to him directing, writing, producing, and starring in the planned four-part saga. DespiteChapter 1’s poor performance at the box office, earning just $36.1 million against a $50 million budget,Horizon: An American Saga’s castdelivers plenty of strong performances, bringing the Civil War era Midwest to life.
WhileHorizon - Chapter 1received lukewarm reviews, with many critical of its plodding pace and unfocused story, the performances from Costner and other stars did garner praise. Some of the more memorable portrayals include Costner as horse trader Hayes Ellison, Sam Worthington as Union soldier Trent Gephardt, and Sienna Miller as widowed survivor Frances Kittredge. While these characters offer intriguing dynamics throughout their respective storylines,there is one star whose character overshadows Costner’s own, which would ideally lead to a larger role in theupcomingHorizon - Chapter 2.
Horizon: An American Saga’s Timeline Is A Fatal Flaw For This Major Storyline
Horizon: An American Saga aims to cover more than 15 years across 4 movies, and some narrative strength is already being lost to the rushed timeline.
Jena Malone’s Lucy, Not Kevin Costner, Is The Best Part Of Horizon: Chapter 1
Malone’s Performance Reflects A Harrowing Storyline
The strongest performance in the Western epic doesn’t come from Costner,but instead Jena Malone, who stars as Lucy. The character is introduced early in the movie, a runaway from Montana introduced by shooting her settlement’s leader, James Sykes (Charles Halford) and escaping with her baby son, Sam. She ends up settling down in a small trading town, marrying businessman Walter Childs (Michael Angarano) and taking in sex worker Marigold (Abbey Lee). Changing her name to Ellen Harvey, she seeks to hide from the Sykes' people and raise her son in a better environment.
However, her fate remains unclear, as she last appears halfway throughChapter 1, with no clear resolution surrounding what happens to her.
Lucy’sstoryline inHorizon: An American Sagadraws intrigue because of how many missing pieces remain. While James is the father of her son, and potentially the reason why she left, it’s still not certain why she believed raising Sam away from the Sykes' family would offer a better life for him.This level of intrigue continues as her new life is shown, adding intrigue that simply isn’t there yet with the wandering gunslinger Hayes Ellison, whom Costner portrays. Malone’s Lucy is also made more interesting because of how her decision to hide from Sykes plays out.
What Happened To Lucy In Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1?
Her Story Ends On A Cliffhanger
Despite the intrigue surrounding Lucy, her story inHorizon: An American Sagaendswith her accompanying Walter to a business meeting, only to learn it’s being held by Caleb and Junior Sykes. Walter is killed in the ensuing conflict, whileLucy is seemingly captured and taken back to the settlement she escaped from.However, her fate remains unclear, as she last appears halfway throughChapter 1, with no clear resolution surrounding what happens to her. It appears she isn’t dead, though, as her body is never seen when the Sykes brothers bury her husband.
As for Sam, he is taken by Hayes and Marigold after the trader realizes Lucy’s family is being targeted by the Sykes'. While on the run, Marigold eventually hands the baby over to a Chinese family before leaving Costner’s character in the middle of the night. With Lucy’s child now in the hands of strangers, it’s unclear how James or his wife (Dale Dickey) will react to her return. Given the importance the child played in the recovery operation,it seems like there could be a much deeper story for the runaway that hasn’t been explored yet.
How Lucy Can Have A Bigger Role In Horizon: Chapter 2
She Could Still Escape The Sykes For Good
Althoughit’s unclear what’s going to happen to Lucy inHorizon - Chapter 2,it’s likely she’s being held captive by the Sykes, potentially seeking information on Sam’s whereabouts from her. But, because she doesn’t know where her child is, they likely won’t have much use for her after realizing she can’t help them in their search. Since her life will be in danger, she’d need to make a desperate escape attempt once more. This time, however, she may need to do more than shoot to injure if she wants to be free for good.
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2 Review – 6 Hours In & Costner’s Western Still Seems Like TV [Venice]
I should be able to applaud Costner’s insistence on theatrically released movies, but after seeing Horizon: Chapter 2, I’m still scratching my head.
Because Lucy is the most interesting character in the movie, seeing her story continue is a key reason whyHorizon: An American Saga -Chapter 2needs a wider release beyond its Venice Film Festival debut. While Costner’s acting role in the movie is noteworthy,it’s Malone’s character that truly steals the show with her intriguing storyline about escape and redemption.Although it’s unclear how her tale will continue, hopefullyChapter 2will provide the answers necessary to flesh out her story and provide an update on her fate.
AlthoughHorizon: An American Saga -Chapter 2was pulled from its initial theatrical release, Costner has stated he still plans to produceChapter 3andChapter 4.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
Cast
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 continues the exploration of the Old West, spanning from 1859 to 1874. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the film delves into the lives of families, friends, and enemies grappling with the nation’s evolving identity.
