Costner Delivers Once Again
Settlers mark the border of the town Horizon as Native Americans watch. This town would exist for several years before being raided and destroyed by the Natives. Among the pillage is a family: The mother and daughter barely survive underground, while the father and son, whom we were introduced to earlier as admirably heroic despite his young age, go to fight. Sacrifices are made, and Horizon's tale comes to an end.
To know how bold a game Kevin Costner is playing, know that the arc above occurs before he even appears on screen. But his presence is deeply felt behind the camera, operating on cinematography strikingly rich with detail, motivated lighting, sound design that makes you hear every footstep, realistically loud gunshots. The film has a transition shot from the chaos inside Horizon to a journey in front of the sunrise. Combined with the lush, propulsing score, it moved me. Not only because of the beautiful details on screen, but also because it is deeply felt that the American west was made from the blood and journeys of countless men. There are no lands that Western Americans live in that weren't stepped upon by the ones before them.
Costner himself channels a hero in the fashion of Clint Eastwood. A man with both tough muscles and a heart for love and mercy. He doesn't get to do much in the film, but as the ending montage suggests, plots will intertwine and he will eventually lead the saga.
There are a lot of meanwhiles. This is not the film's weakness, but a proof of its ambitions. If there are complaints made about its lack of resolution, empty build-ups, it should be noted as its artistic intent. What matters is how Costner treats every side of the story with equal worth and sympathy. Despite their reservations or prejudice, he keeps an open mind. It brings me great faith to witness that there is still one man in Hollywood who knows how to spend his own hard-earned money to produce a magnificent project. The result is one of the best westerns I've seen, and since it is only the first of four chapters, I am sure the best of the series has yet to come.
It has been 34 years since Dances With Wolves. Times have changed, people are more educated than ever about Indigenous tribes. It only makes sense for Costner to aim higher, with greater confidence and clarity. And it will always be a pleasure to see him deliver.
To know how bold a game Kevin Costner is playing, know that the arc above occurs before he even appears on screen. But his presence is deeply felt behind the camera, operating on cinematography strikingly rich with detail, motivated lighting, sound design that makes you hear every footstep, realistically loud gunshots. The film has a transition shot from the chaos inside Horizon to a journey in front of the sunrise. Combined with the lush, propulsing score, it moved me. Not only because of the beautiful details on screen, but also because it is deeply felt that the American west was made from the blood and journeys of countless men. There are no lands that Western Americans live in that weren't stepped upon by the ones before them.
Costner himself channels a hero in the fashion of Clint Eastwood. A man with both tough muscles and a heart for love and mercy. He doesn't get to do much in the film, but as the ending montage suggests, plots will intertwine and he will eventually lead the saga.
There are a lot of meanwhiles. This is not the film's weakness, but a proof of its ambitions. If there are complaints made about its lack of resolution, empty build-ups, it should be noted as its artistic intent. What matters is how Costner treats every side of the story with equal worth and sympathy. Despite their reservations or prejudice, he keeps an open mind. It brings me great faith to witness that there is still one man in Hollywood who knows how to spend his own hard-earned money to produce a magnificent project. The result is one of the best westerns I've seen, and since it is only the first of four chapters, I am sure the best of the series has yet to come.
It has been 34 years since Dances With Wolves. Times have changed, people are more educated than ever about Indigenous tribes. It only makes sense for Costner to aim higher, with greater confidence and clarity. And it will always be a pleasure to see him deliver.
- Dunkaccino
- Jul 12, 2024