Yellowstone, the exciting contemporary western TV series broadcast in the USA from June 2018 on Paramount Network, after two years of waiting will finally be made available also by us starting from March 13 on Sky Atlantic to the delight not only of fans of the genre, but also of the many fans of Kevin Costner, the multifaceted American artist protagonist of unforgettable films such as Dances with Wolves and The Bodyguard who returns to the small screens playing the role of Josh Dutton, a man ready to do anything to save his ranch. We at Resources4Gaming have had the opportunity to view the first episode and now we are ready to give you our opinion on it.
The value of the land
Josh Dutton, the protagonist of the story, is in fact the owner of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the largest ranch in all of the United States, but its Montana property is in jeopardy: not only Native Americans guard its borders and bitterly claim territory, but also a group of building contractors colluding with greedy politicians eyes on those areas, forcing Josh to reunite his four children Jamie, Beth, Kayce and Lee (respectively played by Wes bentley, Kelly reilly, Luke Grimes e Dave Annable) for a free-for-all war that will spare no one.
Directed and written by Taylor Sheridan (Soldado, Hell or High Water and Sicario) e John Linson (Great Expectations and Sons of Anarchy), this contemporary western stands out for its realism and for its insight into a semi-unknown aspect of American life, or rather on the difficulty of families who have dedicated entire generations to the care of their lands and their horses, to face the claims of landowners, politicians and multinationals, more interested in earning than in the effective protection and enhancement of the territory. Thanks to a dry and essential direction and photography, Sheridan and Linson manage to highlight not only the wild beauty of the prairies in which the series is set but also the skill of an exceptional cast, which will never make us doubt what we are watching.
An interesting series but not for everyone
Although overall it is a more than successful product, which combines at the same time an excellent direction, splendid landscapes and highly respected performers, it certainly cannot be said that it is an "easy" series to watch, mainly due to the not very smooth plot and the rather heavy and above all themes dealt with far from the European mentality which in some cases finds it difficult to identify with the reactions and behaviors of the protagonists. In any case, for those who feel like a busy series with a typical "American" mold, well done and with exceptional actors, Yellowstone absolutely deserves an opportunity.
