Review of Unforgiven (1992) by Harry W — 22 Mar 2014

Unforgiven is the last western film Clint Eastwood will ever make after so many years of dedicated efforts and awesome films, and considering it is called one of the greatest western films of all time there is literally no chance that I would find myself missing it.

As instructed by my English teacher, I could not watch Unforgiven until completing the Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone âDollars Trilogyâ? of spaghetti westerns. That was excellent advice, because as Unforgiven is Clint Eastwoodâ(TM)s final venture into the western universe, it was important too look back at where it all started as well as watch his arguably greatest western before Unforgiven, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Unforgivenâ(TM)s story relates to him re-entering the aforementioned western universe by having his character William âWillâ? Munny come back after many years of retirement, so it has a real world tie in. And to explore the theme of a world dominated more by the youth where there isnâ(TM)t much life for an old man, it explores many western themes not touched upon in other Clint Eastwood films. It explores themes that Cormac McCarthyâ(TM)s explored in his writing such as in his novel âNo Country for Old Menâ?, about the dark nihilism of a lawless world where people who respect the law are simply powerless. So Unforgiven is definitely the deepest exploration of the western universe that Clint Eastwood has created in his long career and is a great sendoff for him. Unforgiven has a simple story, and it's perfect for Clint Eastwood to be the man telling it. In Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood says everything hay he has to about western films, and any aficionado of the genre will truly appreciate just the kinds of talents that he has as a director of cinema. Unforgiven is the true western film of Clint Eastwood's heart and mind, and so he makes the personalised project an artistic, emotional and exhilarating experience which is scripted very well and directed perfectly.

One thing is that he reveals the dark nature of western violence without turning it into a series of cool action moments. It actually emphasises the horror behind death and murder which has been trivialised by generations of cinema, and in Unforgiven Clint Eastwood brings it back and makes audiences think. The dramatic dynamics of Unforgiven hit very hard because they remind audiences what other films have made us forget.

Visually, Unforgiven has plenty of appeal to it. As well as featuring impeccable western scenery which depicts the universe of the film very well in a convincing manner, the production design and costumes make everything feel more legitimate. And it is all shot excellently with beautiful cinematography which some traditional western techniques while keeping things on a small scale and reminding us that the drama in the story is more importantly based on the characters than the western genre as a whole. Unforgiven is a great visual experience, and it combines with some impeccable music to make the experience all very exhilarating.

The musical score in Unforgiven is absolutely excellent. It emits a certain sweet and beautiful nature combined with some kind of melancholic undertone, very reminiscent of the classical guitar piece Cavatina, widely known as the theme song to The Deer Hunter. So the musical score captures the saddening mood of the film instead of making it heavy handed in glamourising the grit of it for the sake of action. It doesn't have the same adventurous mystery theme that his collaborations with Sergio Leone had. It has a soundtrack with a lot of sadness to it, a natural emotional sadness which is true to the mood of its story. So as an atmospheric experience, Unforgiven is unforgettable.

And furthermore, the actors in Unforgiven give it their all, as if their performances are the last they will ever give, especially Gene Hackman's whose send off performance is the greatest of the end of his career.

Gene Hackman is blunt. In Unforgiven, his sharp edged and gritty performance as "Little" Bill Daggett features some of the most aggressive talents he has ever put into a character since his performance in the 1971 crime thriller classic The French Connection. In Unforgiven, he has the power of an antagonist without ever going over the top and he brings in the endeavour of his critically acclaimed acting talent. Unforgiven features an aggressive and intimidating performance from Gene Hackman which displays him towards the end of his career at some of his finest. He has come a long way, and Western cinema proves to be one of the finest films to boast him as an actor in it. Unforgiven is given exceptional support from Gene Hackman's performance, and it's a hell of an experience to see him delivering his lines with such grit.

To see Clint Eastwood missing shots with his handgun and struggling to get on his horse is to see his old cowboy persona after facing the battle of age, and so it is great to contrast his performance in Unforgiven to his performances in his many older western films. In Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood puts all his feelings towards the western genre into characterising William "Will" Munny and making him an emotionally powerful figure facing the nostalgia of a time when things were easier and for when he had happiness. His lead performance captures the nature of the hero in violent westerns and western drama films combined and makes William "Will" Munny a great and even somewhat unpredictable figure. The heroism that Clint Eastwood puts into Unforgiven is restrained yet powerful, and it's his greatest performance in all the western films of his career. He is an excellent lead.

Morgan Freeman's performance is also great because of his natural charisma and his ability to create a natural and appealing chemistry with Clint Eastwood makes them an excellent duo. Morgan Freeman is excellent in Unforgiven and he proves that he works some of his best when teamed up with Clint Eastwood, and he just adds to the success of the cast with his brief yet effective performance which boasts the skills of his dramatic line delivery and frail physicality. Morgan Freeman is a great western hero, and putting him in Unforgiven was an excellent decision on behalf of Clint Eastwood.

Jaimz Woolvett's youthful charisma is also beneficial to Unforgiven and it adds a certain contrast between him and the aged figures in the universe around him to make Unforgiven an intelligent examination of the changing generations in the western world. He lives up to the skill requires for a Clint Eastwood film without problem.

So while Unforgiven has a basic plot, Clint Eastwood pours his heart and should into making it everything that it could and should be, and the result is incredible.