Unforgiven

What happened to the pigs

top 10. william munny is a bad mf

I was CRAZY for giving this a mere 3 Stars back on my first watch.

I think it’s easy to anticipate a Western to be an idealised, guns-blazing adventure - which Unforgiven is very much not. The film instead offers a deconstruction of the myth and romanticism of “The Gunslinger”, opting to show a more grizzly truth, putting morality into question through the lens of a Cowboy who, despite the odds, managed to live long enough to gain perspective on their actions. It’s very well written, even better edited and shot with stunning natural light and on-location landscapes.

William Munny is perhaps one of Eastwood’s more talkative roles - it’s extraordinarily mellow as he leans into the scars of Will’s past acts. It’s fascinating to see Clint use his legacy in the genre to create a juxtaposition of the tropes he, himself had a hand in manufacturing. Gene Hackman was also fantastic, another award-worthy performance for himself, a wholeheartedly evil man, whose actions are unfortunately almost understandable when you understand his past - and it’s through the glimpses in his performance which allow you to connect the dots which are otherwise withheld.

It’s kinda funny to rewatch this after recently replaying Red Dead Redemption 2 - with a quest line in that game essentially paying homage to this film with the biography being written about a variety of once gunslingers - I never even realised!

movie was slow paced and zzzz in the first half an hour an half of build up was too much but then it turned John wick acting was nice cause Clint Eastwood is the old GOAT overall 7/10

Great movie - heavy hitting lines by Clint