100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 115: Unforgiven

Director: Clint Eastwood

Genre: Western/ Drama

Runtime: 131 minutes

Year: 1992

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, Richard Harris, Francis Fisher

Description: Retired Old West gunslinger William Munny (Clint Eastwood) reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner (Morgan Freeman) and a young man (Jaimz Woolvett).

Review: In 1992 the genre western was bleeding to death. “Dances with Wolves” was the last big western in 1990. But thank God Clint Eastwood brought us “Unforgiven”.

Eastwood directs and as an actor he made the genre to what it is now. He also stars and big names like Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman join him. It was a huge success, because “Unforgiven” won four Academy Awards in 1993.

Leaving the cinematic qualities to the side, “Unforgiven” is notable because of its theme: no forgiveness in a situation of friction makes violence inevitable. In the film, a nasty incident erupts in revenge attacks. It’s great to see Eastwood, Freeman and Hackman together in a film like this. You’re not even surprised to see them do this well. All the characters feel like real people, not just black and white. Good and evil lies in everyone.

As a director, Clint Eastwood didn’t have many successes in the 90s. But “Unforgiven” is, together with “Dances with Wolves” the best western of this decade.

Rating: 4/ 5