Academy Award-winning visionary filmmaker Kevin Costner directs New Line Cinema’s vast “Horizon: An American Saga” Chapters One and Two, a multi-faceted chronicle covering the Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West. A story of America too big for one film, this true cinematic event also stars Costner, who co-writes with Jon Baird (“The Explorers Guild”) and produces through his Territory Pictures.

In the great tradition of Warner Bros. Pictures’ iconic Westerns, “Horizon: An American Saga” explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner’s ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.

For in-depth thoughts on Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, please see my colleague M.N. Miller’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 offers a gorgeous presentation, but a standard Blu-Ray is not included to judge the level of upgrade. Numerous sprawling landscapes are presented here with each location providing incredible detail ready for exploration. Every location is realized with the precision of a finely authored disc. There is some impressive period production design featured in the film which you can especially appreciate with this transfer. This 4K UHD presentation succeeds on all fronts including robust showings in clarity and color. Compression artifacts and banding are nowhere to be seen with this 4K UHD disc.

The Dolby Vision enhances the colors to unbelievable levels in terms of sheer wondrous beauty. The expanded range of the color spectrum is what this format was made for. Color contrast and striking lighting schemes provide unparalleled spectacle as the applications of HDR really make the film radiate off the screen. Skin tones are stunningly natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as sweat, grime, and stubble. Black levels are strong, staying deep and inky with great detail. Elements occurring in the cover of darkness are vivid and finely delineated. The highlights in the film are more refined with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Warner Bros. has delivered another top-tier transfer on this latest 4K release.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with an equally terrific Dolby Atmos audio mix that brings this journey to life with grace and nuance. Dialogue is clear and is never overpowered by any competing sounds. There is subtle yet consistent activity in the surround channels that allows the world to feel alive. The height channels are used to impeccable effect to make the world feel fully immersive. All sounds emanate from the appropriate directions, and there are zero technical issues with the track. There is notable activity in the low end when the story calls for it. The score courtesy of John Debney is one of the most rewarding aspects of this experience. This track effortlessly executes everything that is asked of it.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on this disc.

Final Thoughts

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is a huge swing from Kevin Costner, a big-screen presence who has been trapped on the small screen for too long. The drive to make a new landmark American epic is admirable, but there are numerous moments when it feels as if Horizon is taking on the story structure of a season of television rather than embracing what makes cinema such a distinct mode of storytelling. This results in some inconsistent pacing and an imbalance of story development, yet we cannot deny that many moments stir us deeply and make us long for the complete journey as intended. Westerns are amazing when done well, and we can see glimpses of that here. This is not a satisfying standalone, but we are on board for as much of this story as we can get. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring an awe-inspiring A/V presentation but no special features. Recommended

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.