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Unforgiven

Unforgiven

Some legends will never be forgotten. Some wrongs can never be forgiven.

1992130 minRMidcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Clint Eastwood
Starring
Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Jaimz Woolvett

William Munny is a retired, once-ruthless killer turned gentle widower and hog farmer. To help support his two motherless children, he accepts one last bounty-hunter mission to find the men who brutalized a prostitute. Joined by his former partner and a cocky greenhorn, he takes on a corrupt sheriff.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Unforgiven?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Unforgiven streaming on MGM+ via The Roku Channel.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Unforgiven?

Unforgiven earns 14 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Best Picture winner.

Show 6 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Unforgiven worth watching?

Unforgiven's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 831K ratings across 6 sources. 90% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)98th
Approval (how many liked it)98th

82 /100

98th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 1990s

Critics 85 · Audience 82

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

90% liked it

98th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 1990s
90% rated it 7–1010% rated it 1–6

Critics 96% · Audience 93%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

4 Oscars won · 5 Oscar noms · 50 wins / 47 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Supporting Role
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Director

99th percentile

830K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 26% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$14M
Opening weekend$15M
Domestic gross$101M
Worldwide gross$159M

Returned 11.1× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A revisionist Western that deliberately strips away romanticism to show a grim, morally ambiguous Old West where violence is ugly and consequences are real.

Fans praised

  • dismantles Western myths with moral complexity
  • harsh realism of violence and its psychological cost
  • powerful ensemble performances from Eastwood, Hackman, Freeman, Harris

Detractors panned

  • boring, plodding pace with no excitement
  • overrated, won Oscars undeservedly
  • hypocritical ending glorifies the violence it critiques

What stands out

CharactersDivisive91

morally complex, no heroes or villains, deep psychological portraits

ActingDivisive90

Eastwood, Hackman, Freeman, and Harris all deliver career-defining performances

AtmosphereDivisive89

grim, rain-soaked frontier; immersive world-building of a dying West

CinematographyDivisive87

beautiful, autumnal landscapes; dark, moody interiors

OriginalityDivisive83

groundbreaking revisionist Western that deconstructs genre myths

EndingDivisive80

satisfying but morally ambiguous; some felt it contradicted the film's anti-violence message

Plot and storyDivisive76

simple bounty-hunt premise as vehicle for character study and myth deconstruction

PacingDivisive55

deliberately slow, builds tension; detractors found it boring and overlong

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 17 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is Unforgiven like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material with grave seriousness, never winking at the audience, even while systematically dismantling the romantic myths of the Old West.
The rideThe film sustains a brooding, violent tension from the opening to the climactic shootout, with reflective moments.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward chronological order, following Munny from his farm to the town of Big Whiskey and back.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film stays with you as a meditation on violence and its human cost, leaving both a sense of loss and lingering questions about redemption and justice.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeAn aging former outlaw reluctantly takes on a mission to kill two cowboys for a bounty, a journey that forces him to confront his violent past.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% (this title) · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Redemption · 6% of filmsViolence · 4% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines whether a person can truly leave a violent past behind, and questions the romanticized notions of justice and heroism in the Old West.
StanceThe film presents violence and its moral costs without glorifying or condemning, letting the story speak for itself.

The world

19th centuryRuralWildernessSmall townRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Lennie Niehaus
SettingBig Whiskey, Wyoming, and the surrounding frontier in 1880
MusicThe sparse, mournful score underscores the film's elegiac tone.

Content guide

Is Unforgiven okay for kids?

R

Unforgiven is rated R: “Rated R for language, and violence, and for a scene of sexuality” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (75/100), sexual content at moderate (43/100), language at intense (70/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 50% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 24 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • FranceU
  • Ireland18
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Austria16
  • Belgium18
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia18+
  • SK15
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 70% of all filmsHeavier than 50% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 41%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 36%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 60%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, language, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Unforgiven have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Unforgiven?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Clint Eastwood
as Bill Munny
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gene Hackman
as Little Bill Daggett
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Morgan Freeman
as Ned Logan
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jaimz Woolvett
as The 'Schofield Kid'
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Richard Harris
as English Bob
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Saul Rubinek
as W.W. Beauchamp
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Frances Fisher
as Strawberry Alice
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Anna Thomson
as Delilah Fitzgerald
David Mucci
as Quick Mike
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rob Campbell
as Davey Bunting
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Unforgiven?

Movies like Unforgiven include Hang 'Em High (1968), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) and Wyatt Earp (1994). Of the 12 closest matches, most are westerns, and several are stories about sheriffs.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Clint Eastwood directed 4 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Unforgiven?

563 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: gunslinger. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.