10 More Epic Westerns
Horizon: An American Saga is an epic western saga straight from the mind of Kevin Costner. It’s a slow paced thriller, but it certainly has some great worldbuilding and great western beats.
If you’ve finished streaming this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top picks for alternate viewing.
So without further ado, we present 10 movies to check out when you’ve finished watching Horizon: An American Saga.
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves is about Union Army lieutenant John Dunbar who, after being assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Native Americans, making him an intolerable aberration in the military.
Both of these movies have a similar premise offering a critique of oppressive systems, land disputes and explore ideas of friendship, respect, and cultural understanding.
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Sergio Leone’s epic tale of the American West is hyper-stylized and hypnotic. Its story revolves around a mysterious harmonica-playing cowboy and a ruthless outlaw who join forces to protect a widowed woman from the hands of an evil assassin working for the railroad.
Leone’s spaghetti western is a great example of how to make the most of the western genre and if you’re itching for more of the same after finishing Horizon, look no further than this one.
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
3:10 to Yuma is a great western/action film from director James Mangold that stars Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. It’s a film about an outlaw and a rancher who volunteers to escort him to justice.
The film goes from being a plot-driven western to a character-driven one by the midway point and the shift works incredibly well, making for a great movie. It also must be mentioned that the film is technically a remake of the original, which came out back in 1957.
Unforgiven (1992)
Some argue that Unforgiven is the last true western to ever be made. The Clint Eastwood-directed and starring film about an old gunfighter who is on a collision course with a brutal sheriff makes for an unforgettable piece of cinema.
Although their styles are a bit of a mismatch in terms of approach to the genre, Tarantino and Eastwood both know how to deliver on the material.
Tombstone (1993)
Tombstone is an epic Western film from ’93, all about the Wild West dangers in Tombstone, Arizona. At the center of the story are Wyatt Earp, a no-nonsense lawman, and his sidekick Doc Holliday, the gambler and gunslinger.
The Earp crew, including Virgil and Morgan, just wants to settle down in Tombstone and enjoy some peace, but when is life in the Old West that simple? Soon, they get into trouble with a Cowboy crew, a batch of outlaws led by a power-hungry gunslinger.Â
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
The Magnificent Seven takes place in a Mexican village that’s always getting hassled by bandits. The villagers decide to call in seven tough and skilled gunmen to help protect them.
These seven defenders become a tight-knit family as they start training the villagers in the ways of warfare, but things heat up when the bandits, Calvera, and his men come back for more trouble.
Stagecoach (1939)
The film revolves around multiple characters taking a nerve-wracking route through Apache territory, all packed into a stagecoach cruising from Arizona to New Mexico.Â
Among them is a man selling whiskey, a mom-to-be, a doctor, a gambler, a lady who’s nocturnal in her activities, a sheriff, and an outlaw known as Ringo Kid. With the Apaches chasing them, the passengers team up and form alliances just to make it through the risky journey alive.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
Arguably Eastwood’s best movie, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a Western classic and a fantastic example of how to deliver an epic, sprawling storyline. Spread across 2 and a half hours, the movie depicts a treasure hunt, as three different men attempt to find a fortune of gold buried in a remote cemetery. When two of the men join together in an uneasy alliance, a race against time ensues.
While the stand-off at the end of the movie is the scene that’s most fondly remembered, there’s lots of other scenes in this that stand the test of time. Clint Eastwood stars in the role of Blondie, and his gravitas and charisma makes it an enthralling watch from start to finish.
The Patriot (2000)
Directed by Roland Emmerich, The Patriot follows Benjamin Martin, a peaceful farmer driven to lead the Colonial Militia during the American Revolutionary War after a sadistic British officer murders his son.
Both movies focus on a man who initially seeks a peaceful life but is driven to lead a revolt against oppressive forces after personal loss. This and Horizon both center on the struggle for freedom and involve epic battle sequences too.
Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Last of the Mohicans is set in 1757 during the French and Indian War. The story follows Hawkeye, an adopted son of the Mohican tribe, as he and his adoptive father and brother protect a British Colonel’s daughters in the midst of war.
This is another historical epic, set right in the period of war and conflict. They also feature a main character who steps up to protect those in need, with romance backdropped against the war.
So there we have it, our 10 movie and TV shows picks to keep you busy after watching Horizon: An American Saga.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!