Unforgiven: Overrated Morality Play or Something More Sinister?

Alright, alright, I'm gonna say it: "Unforgiven." Yeah, Eastwood directed it, blah blah blah. Everyone fawns over it like it's the second coming of John Ford. I'm just not seeing it, people. I think we're all being played. This movie isn't some profound meditation on violence; it's a cynical justification of violence disguised as remorse. Hear me out. We're supposed to sympathize with Munny, right? The reformed killer who's just trying to provide for his kids. But let's be real, he's still a stone-cold bastard. The whole movie hinges on this idea that he's haunted by his past and trying to be a better man, but the moment he gets a whiff of money – and a little goading from Ned, I might add – he's right back at it. It's like, one bad word from Little Bill and suddenly all that 'forgiveness' goes out the window. The way he mows down those guys at the end? It's not justice; it's a tantrum. A beautifully shot tantrum, sure, but a tantrum nonetheless. I'm willing to bet that if Clint were to get his hands on the time turner, he'd do it all again given the chance. All the sad hog-farming in the world won't change that. Hell, he even threatens to come back and kill more people if they mess with the whores or whatever. Hardly a message of restraint, is it? And Little Bill Daggett? Gene Hackman's great, no doubt, but the film frames him as the corrupt, power-hungry sheriff, deserving of Munny's wrath. But isn't he just trying to keep the peace in his own way? Tough methods, sure, but someone's gotta do it. What did the sheriff of Nottingham do (besides the taxes), anyway? And the cowboys had it coming, even if it's a bit extreme? Honestly, I found myself rooting for Little Bill more than our supposed 'hero', Munny. There, I said it. Hackman stole the show and made damn sure you would be second-guessing who the real bad guy was. Maybe I'm just too cynical, but "Unforgiven" feels manipulative, not insightful. It preaches about the consequences of violence while simultaneously glorifying it. The ending is supposed to be this triumphant moment of catharsis, but I just felt a little empty. Like I'd been conned into cheering for a monster. I think Eastwood pulls the wool over everyone's eyes. Prove me wrong.