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Summary
Kevin Costnerhas established a respectable reputation for himself, not just as an actor, but also as a director. After all,he was in Paramount’s hit dramaYellowstoneand is now releasing his film seriesHorizon: An American Saga,which he directed and stars in. He has become a household name now. Of course, there have been many well-known directors before Costner, including Quentin Tarantino. Now, he has undoubtedly been a household name for years. Tarantino is notorious for his action-packed films such asInglourious Basterds,Pulp Fiction, andKill Billseries.
On an initial viewing ofHorizon: An American Sagaand theKill Billfilms, audiences may not see their similarities. After all,Kill Bill’s cast and characters are entirely different from those in the Western movie. However, there is asignificant parallel in the narrative structure of these series. This is especially apparent with theHorizon: An American Sagachapter one ending. Costner reversed the outline ofKill Bill, putting all the backstory in the first chapter and anticipating all the action in the second.
Every Death In Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 Explained
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 kills several significant characters as part of the main storylines. Here’s who dies, who kills them, and why.
2003
Kill Bill: Volume 2
2004
Costner’sHorizon: An American Sagahas minimal action in the first installment. The point of this is to establish all the backstory needed for the action in the film’s sequel. There are so many stories that will be fleshed out with classic Western action scenes in chapter two, andif all the action were in the first film, there would be nothing that a sequel could offer.It would not have a chance of becoming one of thebest Westerns ever made. If anything, a prequel would have been more necessary to explain all the action. Thus, the backstory is mostly in the chapter.
Tarantino’sKill Bill, on the other hand, primarily features the backstory inVolume 2. This sequel explains why The Bride wishes to kill Bill. The backstory being in the second half of the series allows the audience to appreciate her more. It would not have worked in the first film. After all, the series is calledKill Bill, notWhy The Bride Needs to Kill Bill. The title anticipates action. Of course, a backstory is needed with all the action,but that is why volume two features the backstory and nourishes the action-filled revenge narrative.
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2 Is Expected To Have All Action, Just Like Kill Bill: Volume 1
The Placement Of Action Is Essential For Each Of These Franchises.
As mentioned,Costner’s sequel hits theaterslater this year, so it is not officially confirmed if there will be more action. However, the first film’s ending does feature some scenes that will be included in this second chapter, and they all seem action-packed. All of this action will then benefit the series. Many Western films are primarily full of action, and including more inCostner’s film series will allow it to be part of this genre and show his respect for previous Westerns.
Tarantino’s film series is the opposite, asKill Bill Volume Onestarts with action and keeps it going for the entire movie. The Bride needed to start killing people who worked for Bill immediately because audiences were anticipating an action-packed film. Action movies are entirely different from Westerns. Does each genre contain features of the other? Very much so, indeed. They have certain aspects to them, though, that require the plotline to go in a specific order. Thus,action series need to start with action, and Westerns need to start with a backstory.
The Reverse Plot Allows Costner To Be Original And Still Work With Tarantino’s Useful Method
Costner Using A Trick Meant For Action Movies In A Western Is Pretty Neat.
If Costner were to have all the action in the firstHorizon: An American Saga, the film would not work in a narrative sense and would have made the backstory useless. Some action is needed in the backstories, likethe big villain showdown with Costner. The backstory is still heavily important, though. The films would be more like action movies than Westerns without the backstory aspect. Action movies, on the other hand, require lots of action. They just become elevated action movies when the writers and directors add in more of a backstory, like in theKill Billmovies.
2024
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2
TBA
Westerns have the requirements they do because they need to unpack why the American settlers are moving out West and the conflicts they encounter. Costner does the Western genre justice by splitting upHorizon: An American Sagainto two films, where the first explains all the backstory and the second features the action. However, many Westerns have both aspects in single films, including the rest ofKevin Costner’s Westerns. However, Costner’s film includes several storylines. There would be no way for the franchise to be successful if all the action and backstory were in the same movie. They needed to split up.
Although there are not as many stories to flesh out as in Costner’s movies, The Bride’s story is so complex that, likeHorizon: An American Saga, it must be split into two films.
Kill Bill’s complete timelinehas just one story to tell: The Bride killing Bill. Although there are not as many stories to flesh out as in Costner’s movies, The Bride’s story is so complex that, likeHorizon: An American Saga, it must be split into two films. Putting all the action scenes in her story first still works better inKill Bill. There is not as much pressure for the audience to thoroughly understand the narrative as in films with multiple storylines.
With chapter two ofHorizon: An American Sagareleasing soon, it will be interesting to see if there is actually more action in this film than the first installment’s ending anticipates. Perhaps there will be even more action than audiences anticipate. Regardless, reversing Tarantino’s narrative structure forKill Billhas worked well for the Western series. It ultimately shows that despite Westerns and action movies having completely different standards, they could still have more in common than audiences may initially believe.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Cast
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is set in 1859, following families as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. The narrative centers around a cowboy on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after a deadly confrontation, exploring the challenges of life in the Old West.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 follows an assassin as she seeks revenge after being betrayed by her former employer, Bill, and fellow assassins. Released in 2003, the film initiates a violent journey of vengeance directed by Quentin Tarantino and stars Uma Thurman as the central character known as The Bride.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
This is the sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. In it, the Bride (Uma Thurman) continues her hunt for Bill (David Carradine) since he attempted to kill her and successfully killed her family.
