Unforgiven CJ N

Unforgiven is everything the revisionist film defines. It breaks the traditional mold of the Western in every sense, from the role of the African American to the harsh realism portrayed through its violence. There is no longer a clearly defined and singular alpha male, nor a romantic twist to the commonplace shootouts and deaths. Instead, the violence is brutally real and Munny is morally ambiguous; he does not live by his moral compass. While his aim is initially to avenge a disfigured prostitute, he is doing so for the money and eventually reverts back to his former, despicable self. He continuously commits cold blooded murder and blurs the line between the alpha male, villain, and anti-hero. Add this to the fact that an African American cowboy is in the lead role as a partner, not a lower, subservient position, and we no longer have a traditional Western. This movie, released in 1992, is a reflection of the change society has experienced since the time of the traditional Western.