It was definitely a difficult experience for me. Kevin Costner In 2024. His latest project, Horizon: An American EpicThe film suffered at the box office before making its way to streaming, to mixed reviews from viewers and critics. Some would say the discourse around the film was a bit harsh on Costner, whose career as an actor and director has been marked by equal parts success and terrible failure.
However, of all the films Costner has directed, there is one that stands out as his biggest failure, and we're not talking about Water worldwhich he starred in. 1997 mailman He was It was such a critical and financial failure that it had an irreparable impact on Costner's career. Only a few other actors witnessed this event. We will examine how bad it was. mailman I did it in theaters, the repercussions, how does it compare to HorizonFinally, is it worth giving the movie another chance after decades?
The Postman movie story and cast
The film takes place in post-apocalyptic America in the year 2013. mailman The film follows a drifter (Kevin Costner) who gains the nickname “Iron Man” after discovering a U.S. Postal Service uniform and an undelivered bag of mail. Costner initially uses this as an excuse to announce the restoration of the U.S. government, gaining the trust of the people to ensure safe travel and food as he travels from place to place. However, he is soon thrust into the role of a symbol of hope for survivors living under the oppressive regime of a tyrannical warlord named General Bethlehem (Will Patton) and his militia.
Directed and starred by Kevin Costner. mailman. This was his second production in which he took on both roles, with the massive western Dances with wolves It was released several years ago, in 1990. Will Patton played the antagonist, General Bethlehem. Patton has made himself a staple in Western-inspired content, including a recent appearance in Yellowstone and outer range, In addition to Costner's recent failure, Horizon: An American Odyssey – Chapter OneThe cast is completed by Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, and James Russo. mailman The film was based on the book of the same name by David Brin.
The Postman was a box office failure.
mailman Its reported budget was $80 million, but it only grossed $27,026,234 worldwide, resulting in a loss of over $62 million, making it one of the biggest box office failures of the 1990s. This was Costner's second consecutive failure.with Water world It was unable to recoup its budget of about $235 million in 1995. Why? mailman Did the movie flop that badly? There are several factors: It was released on Christmas Day and faced the excitement generated by James Cameron's film. Titanic (Even then, it was ranked ninth at the box office), and critics also panned it. The film became a running joke of the season, winning five Golden Raspberry Awards.
Critical reception compared to the latter Horizon, mailman It sits at a 14% rotten with 44 reviews, while Horizon: An American Epic Currently rated 49% with 148 reviewsIf you think the speech is about Horizon It's cruel, it pales in comparison to the contempt heaped upon it. mailman In the 1990s. In Paul Tatara's review of CNNHe concluded his review by saying:mailman “The film has a lot of brutal violence and a little nudity. It's as inspiring as a movie about a vengeful meter reader.” Roger Ebert He was a bit kinder, giving it one and a half stars and opening his review by saying, “There are those who will undoubtedly call it mailman “It’s the worst movie of the year, but it’s too good-hearted for that.” However, at the time of the film’s release, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone giving glowing reviews to Kevin Costner’s Western epic.
After two consecutive failures, the first with Water world And then mailman This led to Costner being trusted as an actor with the name value to draw audiences. Costner continued to find major roles, but it was not until six years later that he became a major star. mailman The actor would see critical acclaim and financial success with the 2003 film. open group. open group The film would gross $68.3 million worldwide from a budget of $22 million, not the biggest hit, but it would put Costner back in the director's chair with Horizon: An American Epic.
Is The Postman worth watching?
He is mailman The initial reaction to the film was undoubtedly harsh, and the long running time of just under three hours gave critics and fans all the time they needed to analyze everything they didn't like about it. However, as time went on, The film has gained a cult following.with some praising its unique approach to a dystopian landscape backed by strong character development. The film also deals with themes of hope in a way that others found inspiring. If you're not sure if you'll like mailmanGive it a try; just make sure you have three hours dedicated to it.
Horizon: An American Epic Chapter One Available to stream on MaxIt has not yet been confirmed whether the production of the second and third seasons will be completed. You can rent mailman On Apple TV, Prime Video, or YouTube.
