Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring; Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman
‘A Wonderful Western’
Few filmmakers in Hollywood are as beloved as Clint Eastwood. Ever since his rise to fame during the 1960’s, Eastwood has become an icon in the film industry. With his larger-than-life personality, charisma and powerful screen presence, Eastwood has stood the test of time as an actor. Whether it’s stories of gunslingers without a name or political leaders, Eastwood has portrayed several characters. Through his abilities to create characters that are entertaining, Eastwood has always created movies which are engaging. Despite reaching age of retirement, Eastwood has seldom lost his lifelong passion for entertainment. A living legend, Eastwood has made memorable films throughout his career which are worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Clint Eastwood and adore all the movies has made throughout his career. However, “Unforgiven” remains my favourite. Released in 1992, Eastwood’s Oscar-winning movie brought fresh life into a stale genre. Boasting extraordinary production-design, sharp storytelling and superb performances, it’s one of the greatest westerns ever made. At the centre of it all is an excellent performance from Morgan Freeman, who embodies a black gunslinger that searches for justice in the Wild West. Ultimately, the film delivers a powerful message about vengeance that would resonate with everyone. A captivating western classic, there are many strong reasons why “Unforgiven” is a movie that’s definitely without a doubt worth watching.
Set in 1880’s, “Unforgiven” follows an unforgiven outlaw that embarks on a journey to seek vengeance. Clint Eastwood embodies Will Munny, an aging gun-slinger that has retired from his profession. Munny finds peace in farming far away from a profession that’s traumatizing. Hoever, Munny’s life forever changed when he’s called back into action to resolve issues in a town teeming with corruption. Accomplished by his comrade Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman), Munny embarks on a mission to catch men responsible for committing violence against women. Clashing with the town’s cruel sheriff (Gene Hackman), Munny wonders whether he will every achieve his goals. Trapped in a dilemma, Munny questions if he can any longer be a gun-slinger the modern era.
Clint Eastwood has always been fond of the western genre. Before he made “Unforgiven”, Eastwood was well-known for his classic western movies. His beloved western “High Plains Drifter” made him a talented director. With “Unforgiven”, however, Eastwood crafted his first revenge thriller. It was the director’s first attempt to capture hardships faced by African-American gunslingers but he succeeded. Through gorgeous cinematography, Eastwood captures a gun-slinger’s journey to resolve an awful crime. Eastwood expertly uses montages to capture gunslingers roaming across the Wild West. For instance, montages elevate the travel scene. During this unforgettable scene, Will and his comrade Ned embark on a journey across Western prairies. Through these montages, Eastwood creates a strong western audiences can easily relate to. Using breathtaking visuals, Eastwood produces a western that’s compelling.
Another admirable aspect of “Unforgiven” that merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, the film is extremely well-made. For a film made during the 1990’s, the movie has aged beautifully over time. Eastwood effectively designs sets that immerse viewers into the Wild West during the 1880’s. For instance, the production enhances the final gun shootout scene. During this tense scene, Will Munny embarks on a journey to bars to search for killers. One admires breathtaking sets bringing to life a small town that’s captivating. Throughs stunning sets, Eastwood creates a compelling western audiences can relate to. Moreover, the music is magnificent. Lennie Niehaus’ music captures a small western town facing tensions that are tragic. Through powerful production-design, Eastwood creates a wonderful western with towns that shine.
Storytelling is one of the primary reasons why “Unforgiven” is a celebrated western which is compelling. The movie is beautifully written, and effectively uses silence sequences to capture a gunslinger haunted by past violence. Eastwood’s greatest screenwriting strength is using silence to capture repercussions faced by outlaws in the Wild West. Unlike most westerns that are driven by sound, “Unforgiven” depends on silence to build tension. For instance, scenes of silence elevate the opening scene. During this unforgettable scene, Munny reflects on acts of violence he has committed in the past through silence. Through gorgeous scenes of silence, Eastwood captures hardships that African-American soldiers in wars went through. Silence is a complicated technique to use in movies. Most westerns are driven by loud noises. Nevertheless, it works tremendously. Through an awe-inspiring screenplay, Eastwood celebrates the western genre today.
One admires amazing performances.
Clint Eastwood delivers one of his best career performances as William Munny. Eastwood achieved appreciation for playing heroes in good westerns. With “Unforgiven”, however, he took on his most complex western hero. It’s not easy to embody the personality of an aging gunslinger, but Eastwood succeeds tremendously. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, determination and vengeance of an unlawful bounty hunter. It’s a phenomenal performance that launched the successful career of one of the greatest actors working today.
The supporting cast is excellent and equally worthy of appreciation. Morgan Freeman is fantastic, bringing compassion to a friend assisting Will up on his journey to achieve vengeance. Gene Hackman is phenomenal, capturing the evil personality of a sheriff committing obscene violence that deserves to be seen. Lastly, Frances Fisher merits appreciation. As a prostitute, she brings heartfelt emotions to the movie.
Finally, “Unforgiven” is a film that would engage everyone seeking vengeance against people that are unforgiven. Unlike most western movies, the film tackles universal themes everyone would relate to. Viewers aren’t required to be fans of the western genre to appreciate it. It tackles meaningful themes such as aging, family and racism which would resonate with everyone. Despite being set in the 1880’s, its themes remain relevant today. It delivers a universal message that would please everyone impacted by trauma at an early age. Therefore, “Unforgiven” is one of those rare one-of-a-kind westerns that everyone would adore.
Fans of Clint Eastwood will definitely enjoy “Unforgiven” and so will movie-goers seeking old-fashioned entertainment. A captivating western classic, it celebrates the lasting legacy of an iconic filmmaker whose career is enduring.
Nearly 30 years following the release of a groundbreaking western about unforgiven outlaws facing deafening gunfire in small towns that are dire, it’s a phenomenal reminder of a legendary filmmaker that hasn’t lost his abilities to inspire audiences by creating compelling characters wearing rugged attire with no plans to retire anytime soon whose memorable films that have stood the test of time as classics I will forever admire.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 