19 Ultimate Final Shoot-Outs Of Cinema History

Clint Eastwood has had more than his share of final showdowns throughout his career. It would take him delivering this dark and reflective movie - with him well into his elder years - to create his best third act shoot-out.

Eastwood plays a reformed gunslinger transformed into a loving father and (less skilled) farmer. Things change though when his best mate (Morgan Freeman) is tortured to death by a tough Sheriff (Gene Hackman) and suddenly the gentleness of the character evaporates into a cold killer.

As Eastwood bursts into a bar on a dark and stormy night, he’s surrounded by enemies and only armed with a double barrel shotgun. This still doesn’t stop him from immediately executing the unarmed bartender he had a grudge against. It soon escalates into quick gunfire as Clint takes the entire room out, then slow it down to finish his business with Hackman at point-blank range.

It's not popcorn stuff. In fact, it's grimly violent yet satisfying as the entire film has built to Eastwood being back in full-blown badass mode. Still, its tinged with an air of tragedy; as a man who can’t escape the evil inside himself and leaves hell in his wake as a result.