Westerns have long been a popular genre with film fans. They are often set in the American frontier and usually follow stories of revenge, justice, or redemption. Cowboys, gunslingers and outlaws face off in dusty towns and wide open landscapes, with good and evil not always easy to tell apart.
Over the years, there have been many standout titles. But one film has gone far beyond the rest, with viewers calling it a “timeless masterpiece” and the “best American Western ever made”. That film is Unforgiven.
Released in 1992, it stars Clint Eastwood as a retired gunslinger named William Munny.
Once a feared outlaw, Munny is now a struggling farmer trying to raise his children.
But when a bounty is offered for the men who attacked a young woman, he agrees to take on one last job.
The film also stars Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman and Richard Harris. It quickly earned praise for its powerful story, strong cast, and gritty, realistic take on the Western genre.
Unlike many classic cowboy films, Unforgiven doesn’t paint a clear picture of who is good or bad.
Instead, it shows how violence changes people, and how the past is not always easy to escape.
One person wrote: “Unforgiven is the best western movie ever made, bar none. Fantastic story, acting, directing, cinematography. It’s the kind of film you know is special from the first watch through.”
Another said: “An absolute banger of a movie with a really sad story. I’ve watched it over 10 times now – it’s that good.”
A third added: “Unforgiven is without a doubt one of, if not the best Westerns. Definitely the greatest ‘modern’ cowboy flick. It’s a masterpiece.”
The film was a huge success. It won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Eastwood, Best Supporting Actor for Hackman and Best Editing. It also made over $159 million (£116 million) at the box office.
Even critics who were unsure at first changed their minds. Roger Ebert eventually added it to his list of greatest films of all time. Time magazine called it “Eastwood’s meditation on age, repute, courage, heroism”.
The film was later added to the US National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.
It also inspired a 2013 remake in Japan, starring Ken Watanabe.
For many fans, no other Western comes close. One said: “Good luck finding a better western ever made. The cast is amazing. This film is timeless.”
Another simply wrote: “Extremely well written. The actors were great. It’s the best western I’ve seen.”