Although this is a dark western film, the one who wrote the "book" on the moody hero, Clint Eastwood, also directed this movie and he gives s superb direction as well as his best performance as an actor. Morgan Freeman is his usual great self as a supporting actor (have you seen him in "The Shawshank Redemption") although his fate is disappointing to me. But the supporting actor that really shined through this film was Gene Hackman! He is really one of the best at playing the "bad" guy and he is most memorable as the villain in this film. William Munny is a truly great character because the underpinning of the role is the way love can change anyone, even as bad a sort as Munny. But it also shows the way a man can get desperate in life enough to save his children, even going back to the former, evil life. He definitely doesn't like killing, and I think there is a hint that he NEVER liked what he did before he married his wife. However, when revenge becomes the obsession of his life, he shows how easily killing is to him as he kills those responsible for the death of his friend. One of the best westerns ever made!Read full review
Absolutely outstanding DVD! "Unforgiven" is generally considered Clint Eastwood's definitive work. An excellent story and acting by all. Morgan Freeman has gained a lot of respect over the last few years and this film highlights this. I got the feeling that Gene Hackman stumbled into this movie and had his own vision of his role - he's really capable of better but it seems that he didn't apply himself 100%. This is one of those movies you'll remember for years. You need to review this film before letting non-adults watch it due to subject matter. This version is in the North American DVD Format and was issued in 1997.
Ebay just asked me to write a review for a purchase that never made it to my door. So I'll do the best I can: I've always been a big Clint Eastwood fan, and thought this was one of his best movies as both a director/actor. The Academy of Motion Picture Sciences agreed with me, and gave it a best picture and best director award. For a figure who has made his reputation playing characters like "The Man with No Name" and "Dirty Harry," I found this movie to be surprisingly anti-gun, anti-violence. Sure there's a gunfight in the end - what Western doesn't have that - but it was more somber and shocking than "rootin' tootin'" The motivations were more stark and there was a feeling of letting the Genie out of the Bottle by the time Clint finally downed his bottle and went in to take care of business. That's my take based on memories of the last time seeing this film about 5 or 6 years ago. Maybe it'll make it into my DVD collection someday, but probably not from Ebay/Half.com. (even if I do get another coupon)Read full review
There were some sparkles early on but soon it settled down and even though there were a bit more here and there (minor), I had little problem enjoying the entire movie. Thanks!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
this is my second favorite movie of all time. and like all classics it will stand the test of time. that's because it doesn't rely on gimmicks or magic tricks to involve the viewer. it relies on a great story told in stark fashion. in a nutshell, it's about a cowboy avenging the honor of a woman by killing the bad guys and then riding off into the sunset. typical western, right? but unlike most westerns which tend to romanticize the time, this one is much deeper than it seems. all the characters are flawed, and that's what makes this movie great. the heroes are criminals who attempt to avenge the honor of the woman because of a reward. the woman victim is a prostitute. the bad guys are just kids who made a mistake and now must pay with their lives. the local sherriff is sadistic and egomaniacal. there is no black and white, only grays. this version of the dvd has limited features. subsequent releases, i'm sure, offer more.Read full review
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