Even nearing his seventieth year, Clint Eastwood still isn’t showing signs of hanging up his ten gallon hat just yet. He may well be slowing down the pace, but the quality is still there. This is the follow up to his 2004 Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby, which he once again stars in, produces and directs.

Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) is a grumpy old Korean War vet, who suddenly finds himself widowed. His wife’s dying wish was for her priest Father Janowich (Christopher Carley) to look out for him and listen to his confession. But as the priest soon discovers, Walt isn’t exactly a people person.

He’s the all American hero who found work in a car plant making US cars for a living, until his idea of the American dream began to turn sour on him. He finds himself the last of his kind, living in a neighbourhood of immigrants, whom he refers to as ‘gooks’. He has the offensive qualities of Alf Garnett, Oscar the Grouch and both Bouvier sisters from The Simpsons, all rolled into one.

Go ahead punk, call me Dirty one more time...

Although he keeps himself very much to himself, he soon finds himself embroiled with his community’s affairs when his next door neighbour is forced, as part of a gang initiation, to steal Walt’s classic 1972 Gran Torino car. Although Walt catches him in the act, he not only takes pity on him, but also takes him under his still bulky arm in an attempt to turn the boy into a man. However, the gang are not going to let either of them off the hook that easily.

There are certainly remnants of themes here that Eastwood has covered in the past; vengeance, retaliation, the protection of a community against the odds etc. But more than anything, this is a character study of an old man at odds with his surroundings. Walt is almost the last man standing of a fading generation. It’s not that he’s ill-prepared for the changes around him, he’s simply too stubborn to accept them.

However, the relationships that he develops with his young oriental neighbours gradually soften him up; and it’s during these scenes that the film – and Clint – are at their best. Yes, it feels a little clichéd, but Eastwood appears to be in his element, putting on a real show.

In truth, the elements regarding the gang members are superfluous to the heart of the film, and could have been done without. It creates a tension that doesn’t really need to be created. More of Clint just grunting and chewing the ear off of anyone who will let him, would have been just fine.

That said, it’s difficult to ever take your eyes off of Eastwood, who appears to love every minute of walking in Walt’s shoes. You can tell with every step that he’s in the zone, making him even more compelling. Is it classic Clint? Hell yes, but with a twist.

He gets good performances too from his supporting cast, mostly made up of fresh new talent. Bu then again, you wouldn’t really want to piss Dirty Harry off now, would you?

Gran Torino is yet another fine example of a legend with plenty still left in his tank.