Fascinating. I love Tombstone, but I love it for its silliness, and Doc Holliday. Kilmer is a genius in that role. In my mind, it's a solid 8/10, with Kilmer a 10/10.
Unforgiven is one of my favorite movies ever, and definitely my favorite Western. 10/10.
I just didn't get the motivation for Eastwood's character. Morgan Freeman's either, for that matter. I guess the point the movie could've been trying to make was that Bill Munny never really changed, he was just trying to convince himself that he had changed? If so, the point was awkwardly made. If not, then I don't know what his character was about, which didn't do the film any favors. But the film wanted me to believe that Morgan Freeman just up and left his nice home and wife to go earn some money that he didn't need? While risking his life? I mean.....no. The motivation for Eastwood's Munny is a little more believable, in that he didn't appear to be doing too well financially. But the guy just leaves his kids at home and goes on this nihilistic mission where he clearly doesn't care whether he lives or dies? Father of the year, right there. There needed to be a deeper motivation, and all I can do is guess at it (see above), because all that's clearly presented just rings hollow. And he lacked any conviction in whatever did motivate his actions. I lost count of how many times somebody asked him a question and his answer is "I guess." Maybe it's supposed to be that Munny doesn't know what drives him....he just does things. If that's it, then that's not very satisfying as a character. If that's not it, then I think the movie should've done more to explain him.
That said, I want to clarify that I didn't think they were
bad characters, nor do I think it was a bad movie. I would offer that the star of the show for me was Gene Hackman's Little Bill. That was a fleshed out, believable, character. Complex and nuanced, you understand him and even sympathize with where he's coming from, even if at times he is clearly the villain. I also liked Dumbledore in his brief appearance....can't remember the character's name.
All I mean is that an IMDB rating (which I find generally consistent) of 8.2 is something that usually will blow me away. I'd give the movie like a 7.7, which usually indicates something like "very solid." I'd give
Tombstone an 8.2, and oddly, it only has a 7.8.
My favorite Western is
Open Range, though it's not quite of the same era, coming out probably around ten or so years after
Unforgiven and
Tombstone.
