Horizon Chapter 2 Reviews Are In - Does Kevin Costner's Epic Western Sequel Improve From Chapter 1's Poor Reviews?

The first reviews for Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 are in! The upcoming second part of Kevin Costner's sprawling four-chapter Western epic had its world premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival. This occurred after its planned August 16 release date was pulled after the first chapter's poor critical and commercial performance, grossing only $36 million worldwide at the box office against a budget of $100 million. Currently, no new release date has been announced for Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2.

Critics who attended the movie's world premiere in Venice have shared their reviews for Horizon Chapter 2, which are mostly negative.ScreenRant's Alex Harrison believes it could've benefitted as a TV series, stating that "a bit of sculpting wouldn’t take away from the expanse" and that "he doesn’t go out of his way to make images that take full advantage of the scope available to him." This is echoed in Jessica Kiang's review for Variety, saying the footage "could have made for three perfectly compelling hourlong episodes of the prestige TV show that “Horizon” should always have been."

What the Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 Reviews Tell Us About The Movie?

Chapter 2 Still Doesn't Have A Release Date.

The reception for Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 is similar to the first installment when it had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Many reviewers shared that the movie suffers from the same flaws as the first, as AwardsWatch's Martin Tsai says, "Chapter 2 feels just as episodic as does the first installment."TheWrap's Ben Croll also stated that "by furthering the very televisual storytelling rhythms that cluttered and confounded in “Chapter 1,” this latest volume is not likely to win over unfamiliar devotees nor secure a last minute theatrical rescue."

At the time of this writing, no review thoroughly praised the movie. The most positive finding is from The Hollywood Reporter's Leslie Felperin, who, though agrees the sequel still has the same issues as the first, believes it is slightly more enjoyable to watch. She elaborated that "While plenty of the characters fit into stock tropes — the long-suffering well-born woman, the gunman with a past, the dignified Black lieutenant, the salty, plain-speaking matron — the script by Jon Baird and Costner makes a credible effort to add some dimensionality where possible."

Even with a rather disappointing reception regarding how its story evolves and how its flaws are transposed from the first film to the sequel, most reviews agree that the movie looks great visually. ScreenDaily's Fionnuala Halligan praised the cinematography, saying that its "visuals, again provided by DoP Michael Muro, are as clean and gorgeous as they were the last time out — particularly in the horse-wrangling ranch, but also in the Utah valleys and plains."

With Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2, it looks like Costner is expanding upon his ambitious Western epic in grander ways but is plagued with the same issues that made the first chapter so frustrating. These reviews are not encouraging for the franchise's future, particularly whether the final two movies will come to fruition, let alone if Chapter 2 can even secure a new release date. In the meantime, Costner seems adamant about completing his epic Western story, but the future currently looks bleak.

Source: Various (see above)