Unforgiven

⭐ 9.0/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

This is a classic 90s western that I didn't know existed, and was kinda upset that this critically acclaimed, genre defining film took me so long to discover. It features the king of westerns in Clint Eastwood, as well as Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman. It's a bit of an anti-western in a lot of ways where there are no heros, and rather than guys dropping like flies, this one hones in on the repercussions of violence, the glorification of outlaws, and the nature of healing.

This is a truly excellent movie. I thought the performances of the 3 main actors were all among their best, especially Gene Hackman, and there was also an incredible performance by a more unknown actor who plays a young, wannabe outlaw. I don't often point out acting because I don't really know anything about it, but in a movie focused on characters rather than events, these performances were crucial and I felt it was clear I was seeing something special.

There are quite a few things to like, such as the beautiful location shots and the music. But the main thrust here is the growth and regression of characters. I thought it was really cool how Eastwood basically plays any of his old characters long after their exploits, and he is now an old, broken down cowboy with a life of regrets. It felt like a pretty personal movie for him as everything kinda comes full circle as an character in westerns.

My only complaint is I didn't really connect with the final scene or didn't really understand what it was trying to say. Maybe I'm just dumb, because it was very clear that it was trying to say something, but I didn't really get it and it almost seemed to invalidate where things had been going. But overall, this one is among my favorites for westerns.