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The Greatest Revisionist Westerns That Redefined the Genre
Mar 7, 2025
The Western film genre has plenty of subgenres under its belt. From classic Golden Age Westerns to internationally-produced spaghetti Westerns, these films offer their own distinct take on the age-old Western narrative. As many distinct subgenres exist within the Western, however, one stands out among the others: revisionist Western.
Sometimes referred to as “anti-Western” films, revisionist Westerns offer a far more accurate portrayal of the West, complete with morally ambiguous characters, realistic violence, and weightier subject matter than the simplistic Golden Age Westerns of the 1940s. In many cases, these revisionist Westerns also provide a greater focus on marginalized voices in Western stories, featuring more judicious portrayals of female characters, Indigenous American culture, and individuals of various ethnic backgrounds.
From Clint Eastwood-led psychological Westerns to more recent entries in the subgenre (like The Power of the Dog and Killers of the Flower Moon), check out some of the greatest revisionist Westerns of all time.
Unforgiven (1992)
It’s not an exaggeration to call Unforgiven the final Western of its era. Like John Wayne’s The Shootist, the movie acts as an almost meta-fictional take on the dozens of Clint Eastwood-led Westerns the actor had starred in from the 1960s onwards.
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