Review of Unforgiven (1992) by Wassim S — 21 May 2011

Unforgiven, like Eastwood's other films, unfolds slowly and deliberately, each frame carefully cultivating the frames to follow, each shot heavy with purpose. Eastwood, unlike some of his younger, less seasoned contemporaries, is methodical in his approach, almost to a fault. The pacing of this anti-Western, what some call a "revisionist" Western because of the fact that the hero is a villain, while the villain, an officer of the law, would otherwise be a hero, is even and measured, as if to allow the viewer ample time to feel the simmering undercurrent of what is unfolding.

That undercurrents rest with Munny, a quiet man and a man who wants to bother no one and wants no one to bother him. Through a combination of free will and fate, without a decisive meditation on which is the likelier impetus, Munny finds himself confronting his past and meeting a future that he did not want but cannot escape. Between Eastwood's performance, for which he was nominated for an Oscar (but did not win, and aptly so, since he's played this type of character so frequently), and his systematic approach to storytelling, his character's subtly existential plight is what engages the viewer. The pacing of the film might be a little too slow; at times, it seems to drag on, particularly when Eastwood is attempting to carry a scene almost by himself, such as when Munny is recovering from a fever and injuries sustained from Little Bill's men beating him to a ragged pulp, but it never falters and ultimately serves its purpose, even if it does so without a certain level of urgency. The character of Munny is like a festering volcano, lain dormant for decades but never without boiling lava just beneath its outer surfaces.

The performances of the veteran actors in this film are all superb, particularly Hackman, who plays his sheriff with a hint of sociopath that effectively helps to diminish all sympathy and respect for his charge of protecting his town. The most enjoyable scenes, though, belonged to Eastwood and Freeman; they provided an easy chemistry that suspends all disbelief and increases the credibility of the story. Freeman's Ned is not a stretch for the expert performer, but he is perfectly cast as Munny's best friend, foil, and conscience.

Some of the supporting performances, however, left something to be desired. The actor who played the Kid, though he was clearly allowed to aim for annoyingly pompous, unrestrained, and immature, could probably have been reeled in a touch. Sir Richard Harris was a delight as English Bob to an extent, and it was sort of tragic that he did not have more to work with. The performances of the more minor roles simply did not hold a candle to the performances of their veteran costars.

Unforgiven is an interesting morality play, though. The richness of the story speaks to the "grayness" of life; how, perhaps, there cannot be any absolute good and evil, and that all men have an inkling of both in their makeup. Eastwood easily pinpointed that theme and kneaded and unfolded his tale around it. The cinematography and other production elements were also very good, given the long, slow landscape shots and great uses of natural light. Unforgiven is an excellent western; though defined by its genre, it breaks the formula - skewers it, in fact, in favor of a tale that demands for the viewer to question his/her sympathies for the characters being portrayed.