On U List of Movie Reviews

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Unforgiven (1992)

Rate: 10
Viewed: 5/03, 6/06, 8/11

UnF
6/06: A perfect film for Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven is possibly the last true Western classic in cinema history.

An ode to the dying genre, it does well enough to dispel the misconceptions that countless Western movies have established for so long. I can see the blind-as-a-bat boy representing the audience while the old-timers Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Gene Hackman's characters show him what the life is really like out there in the West. There's a clear-cut difference in what makes men stand apart from boys.

The acting, the mood, the setting, and the somberness are well-constructed. What makes the film great is the realism of the ambience as the mood rides heavily on William Munny's mystique. Throughout, there's a touch of wry humor, and the final climax is a monster roller-coaster ride.

Morgan Freeman proves he makes an outstanding supporting actor for Clint Eastwood as he'll repeat it in Million Dollar Baby. Jaimz Woolvett gives a standout performance as the Schofield Kid, and Gene Hackman is just like as he was in The French Connection but older and wiser.

All in all, Unforgiven is a genuine Western neo-noir.

8/11: Probably the last true Western picture made, Unforgiven corrects many myths about the Old West.

The film boasts of an all-star cast which includes Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Gene Hackman. These three are the reasons why I watched the film again. More importantly, Clint Eastwood brings along a solid résumé of Westerns to give credence to what he's doing in order to wrap up the dying genre with a nice bow-tie. An underrated performance comes from Jaimz Woolvett as the blind-as-a-bat Schofield Kid, and it's too bad that he didn't receive an Oscar nomination.

All in all, Unforgiven is a Western neo-noir masterpiece that finally recognized Clint Eastwood as a great director.