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Unforgiven

Unforgiven

1992
Drama, Western
2h 10m
Two retired sharp-shooters and a would-be gunslinger team up to claim a $1,000 reward for killing two cowboys who brutally disfigured a prostitute.
Your probable score
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Unforgiven

1992
Drama, Western
2h 10m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 73.29% from 7970 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(7970)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 26 Jan 2007
95
94th
Unforgiven is not a western, it's an anti-western. It's the conscience of every western, and of the old west itself. Its protagonist is its antagonist and vice versa. Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, and of course Eastwood himself, all deliver great performances, and most of the supporting cast is equally good. The movie makes intelligent statements about violence and man's capabilitity for evil. I don't know if I can ever look at a more "conventional" western the same way again.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
87
95th
Excellent exploration of the western genre and myths. It's gorgeously shot, including the beautiful vistas as well as the mucky weather. Most impressive are the characters: solid, believable, flawed yet compelling across the board, with fine performances by all the major players. I only wish that it were more subtle in places.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
94th
Wow, damn good movie. Practically flawless, I'd say. Weighty and powerful while still being entertaining. Only thing I didn't care for was Saul Rubinek's performance, but it was a fairly minor part anyway.
Rated 28 Apr 2011
91
98th
How come someone can even try to make western after this masterpiece?
Rated 10 Jan 2010
91
97th
The western to end all westerns. Eastwood rips apart the mythos and then whacks you upside the head with the end. In my opinion Clint should have retired after making this.
Rated 07 Feb 2010
96
99th
Perhaps no man other than Eastwood could make Unforgiven, which is a love letter to the Western as much as it is a deconstruction. It features conflicts as tense and scenery as beautiful as any other in the genre, but doesn't simplify its characters or romanticize their murders. This refusal to overlook these flaws, in his character or his genre, allows Eastwood to create something intensely beautiful and powerful.
Rated 24 Jun 2008
98
99th
The beginning was ok but the last hour is awesome!!!! One of my favorite quotes. You just shot an unarmed man! He should have armed himself if he's gonna decorate his saloon with my friend. awesome!!!
Rated 23 Sep 2008
95
98th
I'm not a fan of the western genre to be honest but I can't deny how damn good this film is. It's a terrifying exploration into the repercussions of violence and the deconstruction of myths and legends of the old West. The "writer" character is effectively the audience and is brilliantly used to explain to the audience about what really makes a excellent gun fighter. Eastwood's performance is just incredible and his direction is equally as good. Great ending that just leaves you feeling off.
Rated 29 Jun 2021
90
83rd
The cliches are true; this is as much a Western as it is a rumination and revisionist tale on the genre. There're some great takes on the black and white nature of morality, the mythology of stories, and the use of guns. But it's one fun dude's movie! The quiet quotes are entertaining in the moment, and will stick with you later. And the world is wonderfully constructed in photography, performances, and music. Also, the commentary on violence is good--even if it's filtered via Eastwood.
Rated 20 Feb 2007
90
95th
In this masterful western, Eastwood goes deep in the exploration of violence and its consequences. There's nothing to be said and done about cawboy movies after Unforgiven. It's all here.
Rated 21 Jan 2007
90
96th
Eastwood's honest and brutal exploration of violence, along with his suprisingly deep performance, make this film a classic.
Rated 02 Mar 2007
6
98th
Eastwood wanted to pay tribute to the western, the dying genre that made his legacy. In doing so, he made arguably the best western ever - an examination of morality that is emotionally resonant, entertaining, and executed to perfection in just about every aspect. Eastwood doesn't just fit his role like a glove - he lives it, it's the role his entire career had been building to for nearly 30 years.
Rated 26 Mar 2007
100
95th
The right man at the right age to make a totally different kind of film about this kind of stuff. "Why, no, It ISN"T cool to murder people right and left. And boy am I sorry." A better movie than its audience deserved
Rated 11 Sep 2018
77
82nd
Munney's slow descent back to the "man of notoriously vicious and intemperate disposition" is a great watch. It's not without its problems, though. While I love Richard Harris, the entire English Bob subplot felt mostly unnecessary.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
94
99th
My favorite western. There is nothing like seeing a man working sooooo hard to keep the evil inside until he just can't hold it anymore. Gene Hackman is a bastard in this movie, and gets what's coming to him.
Rated 06 Apr 2009
92
96th
Eastwood's fascinating meditation on the violence and myths of the old west. Technically beautiful and with solid acting, it tears down all the glorified notions of what it was like back then, and replaces it with a dark, ambiguous vision more akin to reality. Eastwood himself stands out as a man who has tried to put this all behind him, but soon finds himself reverting back to the animalistic savagery that he so hates and tried to prevent in one of the most tense shoot outs in film. Excellent.
Rated 06 Jan 2007
85
91st
All right, I'm comin' out. Any man I see out there, I'm gonna kill him. Any sumbitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him I'm gonna kill his wife, all his friends, and burn his damn house down.
Rated 28 Mar 2007
100
95th
One of the best westerns ever made. Should end up being one of Clints best works.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
100
98th
i won't forgive you if you don't like this movie hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha get it?
Rated 21 Jan 2008
92
92nd
For about the first hour of this film, I found it to be a boring, and even bothersome to watch. The second hour started, and it suddenly hit me, and grew on me, how extremely well this film was done. I enjoyed every minute of the last hour, and the excellent performances by Hackman and Harris were absolutely terrific. I found myself trying to discover all the different themes and emotions being displayed on the screen in front of me. Truly one of the greater westerns. Eastwood at his finest.
Rated 09 May 2008
91
92nd
This movie asks a lot of questions about who's good and who's evil and why. The film, it seems, says that everyone can be both. Oh, and that shootout at the end? Fantastic.
Rated 20 Jul 2008
90
79th
One of the greatest Anti-Westerns of all time! Eastwood is a brilliant director, and proves it here with this masterpiece! Solid character developement here, along with perfect shooting, cinematography, gunplay and it's a deep, surreal exploration of the old west itself.
Rated 09 Nov 2008
4
83rd
The consummate anti-Western, Unforgiven despoils the genre of its usual romanticism and hero worship and provides us with a truly menacing gunslinger in the form of William Munny, played nearly to perfection by Eastwood. Injects a much-needed shot of realism into the old west. Violence has consequences, people are afraid to die, and sometimes there are no "good guys." If you don't typically enjoy Westerns, you might like this.
Rated 04 Aug 2009
100
99th
Loved it. It really is a farewell to the genre that Eastwood helped build over his long career. It completely destroys the notion of the Western heroes and villains that previous films had built by bringing it to a semi-satirical reality. It's actually a pretty funny movie and very tongue-in-cheek (hell, he leaves his kids behind for 2 weeks!). Here, cowboys are portrayed as timid and cowardly; the ones with the biggest myths, egos, or drive for revenge end up on top.
Rated 15 Jan 2010
100
99th
The perfect western. Unforgiven successfully takes an introspective look at the genre without falling into sentimentality or Hollywood cliches. The characters are nuanced with unspoken backgrounds that are only apparent through their subtle interaction with each other. The morals are shades of gray and we are allowed to draw our own conclusions as to what the wild west actually meant.
Rated 07 Mar 2007
5
93rd
Clint Eastwood's masterpiece, a reconsideration of the western genre and self-reckoning of his own cinematic persona. On the capacity for violence, the morality of vengeance, and the redemption of wicked men. Every time a gun is fired in this film, the implications are significant and tangible. Among the long lineage of anti-westerns, Unforgiven is exceptional; for its ambiguity and solemnity, its aesthetic beauty, and its creator's iconic association and personal investment with the material.
Rated 19 Mar 2007
94
92nd
Unforgiven is a brutal western tragedy that is darker and more intense than any other I've ever seen. Clint Eastwood stars and directs this masterpiece and he casts both Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman as his supporting cast. All three of them put on some of the best performances of their careers in one of the best movies they've ever been in. Excellent film that should not be missed by anyone who enjoys movies, western or otherwise.
Rated 01 May 2007
93
92nd
I love how the film shows that the legend fades with age. Heroes and men of notieriety are felled in ways that aren't becoming of who they are.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
97
93rd
Maybe the perfect Western. At least, it close to Good Bad and Ugly.
Rated 23 Nov 2008
35
19th
Touting this film as a revolutionary anti-western requires real ignorance of the genre. The main problem with Unforgiven is simply that it is poorly written, but its pretentiousness, its delusion of subversiveness is an added extra. There are no intelligent statements about violence here nor is there anything remotely groundbreaking about evil anti-heroes, which have existed since the dawn of the movie western.
Rated 21 Jan 2009
100
99th
Sentimentally, I rate this as Clint Eastwood's greatest. Classic take on the genre that embodies everything a western film should be. Revenge, loss, and the unforgiven. It was a treat to see Freeman and Eastwood team up to create such a masterpiece. The music is serene, along with the scenes of passing countryside. The simple words of Munny cut deeper than any Hollywood saturated blazing bullet shootout scene.
Rated 10 Jul 2009
9
90th
(2nd viewing) One of the better westerns I've seen. Cold desolation combined with a warm and uplifting mood. Brilliantly acted and paced, and right up there with Eastwood's best work.
Rated 24 Feb 2011
99
99th
the western to end all western, as civilisation hits the formerly wild west. the script is near flawless, pitting man's desire for order and stability against the unruly forces of (his) nature. and it's quite clear which comes out on top. i love how everything goes full circle, every setup has a payoff, that you're not hit over the head with, right down to seemingly trivial details like shooting "royalty". combine this with the perfect execution and there's little left to do but watch in awe.
Rated 15 Apr 2012
85
94th
The last fifteen minutes of this movie are so awesome they belong in the guy hall of fame, right in between the last fifteen minutes of The Good the Bad and the Ugly, and the last fifteen minutes of The Magnificent Seven.
Rated 20 Apr 2014
90
94th
An almost systematic dissection of the Western genre, with surprisingly deep and heavy characters played by a great cast. An undeniable classic, and Eastwood's climactic, brutal display during the final scenes stands as a memorable moment in cinema history.
Rated 04 Mar 2021
70
66th
I understand it's status as a great western, but I found it a bit slow. It still has some fantastic scenes and dialogue.
Rated 27 Feb 2007
93
99th
A work of genius--the prototypical western done as parody, yet succeeding as both. Up there with High Noon.
Rated 20 Mar 2007
97
98th
This film is just so amazing on so many levels. As a dissection of myth, as a sincere farewell to a genre from its brightest star, as an exercise in raw cinematic technique, as a showcase of talent for every single actor and bit player. Deserving of every single letter of praise it received, Unforgiven is an absolute classic.
Rated 12 Jul 2007
93
85th
Probably the best modern Western around.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
98th
"Well, you sure killed the hell outta that fella today." Eastwood knocks it out of the park. Brilliant western with an amazing cast.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
100
95th
Just about perfect.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
50
43rd
Overpraised. Classed as an anti-Western, by which is meant a kind of demythologisation. Not in anything like the same class, however, as MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD, Altman's BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS, or LITTLE BIG MAN.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
92
96th
Even if you don't like westerns, you should see this film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
96th
Reportedly, Eastwood kept the David Webb Peoples' script until he was old enough to play the part, and for that we can all be appreciative. He's not only older but he's also much wiser, and perhaps no other man could have crafted such an intricate masterwork on the meanings of redemption and retribution so beautifully.
Rated 22 Mar 2008
100
98th
Flawless save for the pox of the late 80s and 90s: Saul Rubinek.
Rated 13 Apr 2008
8
93rd
A pretty darn brilliant deconstruction of the Western; acted and shot with skill from all corners. Like any good Western it lets the tension simmer and build, but unlike the satisfaction that accompanies the sudden violence in an ordinary Western, this one leaves you feeling a bit sickened, and the fact that it's Eastwood himself breaking down the genre makes it all the more effective.
Rated 07 Aug 2008
100
97th
Simply brilliant. The western genre came back in a big way with this film. It's a genius concept really: All those characters Eastwood played in Westerns...gets old. Simple, and highly effective.
Rated 22 Jan 2009
96
96th
Perhaps the most definitive of Clint Eastwood's films, intensely gripping and it doesn't pull any punches. This seems like the movie Eastwood was always meant to make.
Rated 06 Apr 2009
80
86th
Pretty damn good dark gritty fucked up western movie. Gene Hackman doesn't dissapoint, as always, Clint Eastwood makes the ending pretty sweet, at least for me. Richard Harris is also damn cool as an eccentic Briton killer, Morgan Freeman does a decent job with his role and doesn't really impress me, as he normally does and the tiny "killer" is just around for laughs.
Rated 23 Apr 2009
93
98th
Unforgiven provides a gripping western experience, revealing the realities of moral gunplay against an iconic backdrop. A great cast provides some deep and interesting characters, lead by the usually fitting Eastwood and expertly bolstered by Hackman and Freeman. Unforgiven appeared on the horizon as somewhat of a hybrid of Eastwood's previous westerns, but none has captured the moralities of living and dying in the wild west so clearly. An iconic modern look at the dark shadows of the old west.
Rated 23 Apr 2009
93
98th
Brilliant screenplay, terrific acting by Eastwood, Hackman, Harris and Freeman and solid directing. Much deeper than your average western.
Rated 18 May 2009
91
85th
One of the best cowboy movies, ever. Clint Eastwood directed wonderfully.
Rated 09 Jun 2009
80
81st
It's quite impressive to see Eastwood tackle his own and the genre's image. Literally everything, not a cliché is left out. Combined with some beautiful scenery and excellent acting of Hackman and Eastwood this really is an admirable film. ... But it still has his flaws: Freeman's role isn't really worth the effort, the music is kind of dull and I missed a general numbing atmosphere.
Rated 30 Jun 2009
89
96th
Tremendous. A thoroughly effective exploration of the Western myth.
Rated 06 Aug 2009
90
86th
Eastwood, starring as a ruthless, amoral anti-hero, gives you everything you could ask for from a character like his. A very involving, remorseless Western.
Rated 11 Aug 2009
84
72nd
The word "yeah" has no right being that powerful. Certainly much more mature or interesting than the rest of its genre.
Rated 26 Jan 2010
90
83rd
Perhaps Eastwood's best. No black hats or white hats in this Western. Which is part of the reason why it's so good.
Rated 18 Jun 2010
10
92nd
The manner in which the icon of the ol' western gunslinger is depicted here, as a man with a mysterious past, one which he would preferred forgotten, yet ultimately, comes to rely on for the survival of the redemptive life he has built since, shows how this film could've also been called "The Final Chapter Of The Man With No Name, But Now We've Given Him A Name.... Punk".
Rated 11 Jul 2010
95
96th
Not much to say what hasnt already been said about Clint. AWESOME.
Rated 14 Jul 2010
9
71st
Clint Eastwood's best work as a director. Unforgiven is a brutal, searing exploration of the West. It takes apart the Clint Eastwood persona, and eliminates old ideas of how the West was. The scenes with the writer and Gene Hackman's character are brilliant in the way they destroy old perceptions of the West. By the end, there are no more white hats or black hats, just a lot of people who try to live their lives, while others try to end them.
Rated 13 Aug 2010
90
94th
An outstanding take on the issues of violence in the old west. Especially poignant since Eastwood made his fame portraying violence in almost all of his movies up to this point. It does tend to drag in a few spots, but I'll be damned if you aren't completely drawn in by the end. Take it from a guy who isn't even a big fan of Westerns, this is not one to miss.
Rated 21 Aug 2010
90
97th
Everything you could want in a western is here, with some added grittiness and explorations of the darker side of men. The cast is excellent all-over, with a grizzled Clint as the perfect man for the role. Gorgeous cinematography mixed with a plot where no one is innocent. Amazing.
Rated 22 Sep 2010
97
99th
Eastwood is awesome, there appears to be almost no story but the subtle deterioration to his old ways is captivating.
Rated 07 Dec 2010
95
98th
Another Eastwood classic, this maybe his most effective role. As a retired bounty hunter trying to "make ends meet", he is forced to return to his old self when a local sheriff becomes particularly aggressive to Eastwood and his friends who are on a manhunt, one of whom is played as well as you expect by Morgan Freeman. To many great Eastwood lines in this film, which is also full of remarkable performances throughout.
Rated 24 Apr 2011
65
57th
A lot of build up before Clint does something cool, unlike Gran Torino, when he does cool things from the start.
Rated 13 Dec 2011
96
98th
This film is one of my favourite westerns of all time. Clint Eastwood is perfect in the lead role and he does an excellent job at directing. The supporting cast are all great with Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman among others. The screenplay examines many themes and is outstanding. This is definitely a high recommendation for this western.
Rated 27 Jun 2012
95
99th
Simply put one of the greatest westerns ever made and in my opinion a realistic portrayal of the old west. The story of an old gunslinger searching for security for his children and maybe even a tiny spark of redemption.
Rated 16 Dec 2013
62
18th
Has its moments of very good writing and acting, but this feels like a very standard morality tale that wears its themes and messages broadly on its sleeves. "KILLING IS WRONG!!" -- I knew that before seeing this film.
Rated 12 Mar 2015
89
82nd
I think it's interesting that Eastwood's career in Westerns started during an era associated with rigid ideals (the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black hats). But when the Western part of his career came to a close, it was at a time when those ideals blurred and were harder to discern. It's like somewhere, over the course of 36 years, someone tried to do cowboy hat laundry and it went horribly wrong, creating 48 new cowboy hat colors in a grayscale between white and black.
Rated 15 Apr 2017
94
94th
Despite featuring one of Clint Eastwood's greatest performances to date, the brilliance of Unforgiven lies in its ability to tell an engaging story that effectively blurs the concepts of right and wrong in favor of its existential, yet passionate, message.
Rated 24 Apr 2017
83
87th
Plays with western genre traditions and motives successfully. Unforgiven is set up well in terms of narrative and characters, from which the sheriff, portrayed by Hackman, is my favourite. Eastwood's a cool guy but his self-adoration on this one goes too far, hurting the credibility of the story he created (even though it is thick on western mythology in the first place)
Rated 24 May 2018
7
50th
I didn't hate the villain enough. His crimes include not thinking to provide a cut up hooker satisfactory justice, and not wanting vigilante bounty hunters shooting people in his town. He just didn't really seem evil enough for me to fully get behind the "heroes". Loved the kid though.
Rated 04 Jun 2020
87
71st
Extremely heavy handed
Rated 27 Sep 2022
95
95th
I loved the way this story was told, really feels like Eastwood's send off to the western genre even though he did appear in another one after this. Great performances all around. It's also beautiful to look at, especially the closing shot. It's great scenery for a pretty dark and gritty story with morally questionable anti-heroes all around where the past hangs over them all, bringing together the most important piece of the entire story.
Rated 01 Nov 2022
92
50th
I was entirely too young to be taken to this in the theaters as a child by my parents. Hence, one of my fondest memories.
Rated 20 Mar 2023
85
88th
Gene Hackman embodies top entertainment (as was already noted by the acadamymembers) in this rightly praised and awarded Eastwood. Interestingly, Freeman plays the only character that goes along with the very forgiving sounding score, and strangely enough becomes the carrier of the most important theme in that way - too bad his role is a bit small, however very enjoyable.
Rated 22 Mar 2023
85
83rd
Magnificent western which could have been named a A Fistful of Morals if a somewhat similar title was not used 30 years earlier. Hackman brilliantly plays the just (he even enforces a gun ban!) yet extremely violent sheriff. Eastwood and Freeman do splendidly as the classic pair of cowboy 'heros'. Unforgiven is a movie in which one looses sight of good and bad, hero and villain (hero: the innocent associate of the abuser, who interfered and offered the victim his pony as a reparation, RIP).
Rated 06 Dec 2006
25
14th
BOOOR-ING!
Rated 26 Jan 2007
86
62nd
Eastwood directs this picture so perfectly. He steers his character into the most complex aging killer. A man whose past torments him and it shows on his face, in his eyes, at all times. And then there are scenes without William Munny, which are conducted beautifully, with tension and humor. Just fantastic.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
70
82nd
Good film.
Rated 02 Mar 2007
85
79th
Perhaps Eastwood's best film, both as an actor and as a director. Despite it not being about the same character, the film really works as a perfectly suitable epilogue to his Italian Man With No Name westerns of the 70s. Such a satisfying ending, too.
Rated 03 Apr 2007
80
61st
The bit with Gene Hackman offering his gun to the dude in the cell is incredibly tense.
Rated 18 May 2007
90
86th
Great western movie. The climax was well worth the wait.
Rated 26 May 2007
80
89th
I'm a sucker for westerns.
Rated 30 Jun 2007
95
89th
Clint Eastwood's (presumably) final word on the western. And what a word it is. This is genre deconstruction at its finest. It's a harrowing journey, but well worth taking, and it goes to places we can't suspect, as it sets up a formula and then veers sharply away from it. A beautiful piece of work.
Rated 10 Jul 2007
90
86th
We bet you'd LOVE it! Good call, Criticker. The ending is super-awesome.
Rated 03 Aug 2007
80
51st
I don't like this quite as much as everyone else seems to, but there's no denying it's a powerful, affecting work. My favorite aspects are Hackman's performance as an egotistical bully and the unconventional Northwestern setting in place of the usual desert mesa.
Rated 03 Aug 2007
97
95th
I should have watched this movie long ago. Eastwood at the top of his game.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
89
93rd
Some celebrities do their best work reflecting on their careers, and the persona (accurate or otherwise) consequently assigned to them. This is two-fisted: Eastwood may very well be playing The Man With No Name 25 years later, and Unforgiven stands with Liberty Valance in its simultaneous debunking and exemplification of Western films.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
93
98th
Deeply immersive and extremely well-written, Unforgiven is a film that accepts the term 'Western' merely as its setting, offering up first and foremost a character study with violence as its main theme. Superb performances from just about everyone on board, and beautifully shot.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
93
76th
This western stars Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwoods as cowboys who must once again ride to capture one last bounty before putting up their guns.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
78
79th
I think this is really the movie that establishes Clint Eastwood as a great director in everyone's eyes, which is a long way from the humble beginnings of a Spaghetti Western actor.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
55
16th
It's not a western .. It likes American action movies ..
Rated 14 Aug 2007
96
96th
A terrific anti-violence tale with Clint Eastwood's best performance, and one of his cleanest directing efforts, second only to Million Dollar Baby. The ending is spellbinding.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
85th
Excellent
Rated 14 Aug 2007
98
99th
quite possibly some of the best scenes and characters in film
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
96th
The best contemporary western ever made. One of the best westerns ever made.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
82nd
A good western.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
79
74th
Good stuff, but the end felt anti-climactic and The Kid as a sidekick felt extremely unnecessary. It's a good film, but I don't understand the mighty praise this receives.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
71
40th
It does have some very cinematic moments, but it also drags in spots.

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