GRAN TORINO

The establishing scene is in a Church and Walt’s wife is going on. I like the introduction of Walt’s family. While Al is giving is condolences, they appear from behind the frame entering the Church, they are a little blurred and it seems like a gang entering the Church and then there is the way they say the sign of the cross.

The whole movie revolves around the character of Walt and I have got to say that he is a very strong character. The first thing noticeable about him is his harden faced. Throughout the movie his face has portrayed very strong emotions, which is mostly of distaste or anger. His language is even stronger. Half the words that come out of his mouth are foul words and as he meets his Asians he starts using Asian abuses also. However these abusives give him the charm he needed as an old man. I also like when on his birthday when he was offered the home for the aged, how Clint refuse to show his reaction of Walt and only the results. I also like when Walt stares at his blood test result sheets, a point of perspective shot. Clint really teases the audience because though the camera passes over the papers, he does not allow anyone to know the results.

After the shoot out and the rape of the Tao’s sister, Clint starts playing heavily with the lighting. Twice Walt meets the Priest and it is in the shadows. Walt in the basement with Toa, there was a lot of times that the shadow fell on half face. When he makes the phone call to the sister to release Tao, he’s in the shadows.

The death of Walt is shot beautifully. The slow play and the tension created, until Walt swiftly pulls out his hand from the jacket and then again slow as various shots of the shooters and the bullets shredding Walt.

Another scene is the reading of the will, where there have been good use of lighting and position of characters. We have Walt granddaughter sitting in the middle of the room and the sunlight glare on her face. . It starts with a bird’s eye view of the room, giving a view of all the character, and Toa is placed insignificantly at the corner. However it was only when Toa’s name is motioned that the camera switches to him and there he is in the shadows.

The movie portrays the gangs on the streets, and how an old hardcore American has to deal with that, knowing that violence will beget violence.