War changes men. When it comes to sacrificing oneself for a country, it is assumed that surviving combat can make one appreciate life, aspire to great things and value effort and determination. In short, it could lead a man to take advantage of the great second chance he has been given and work to find ways, large and small, to contribute to the public good. Yet, despite this assumption, the horror of death had marked the lives of many war veterans, preventing them from the joy of living. Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (2008) explores this idea of ​​returned war veterans and presents it through the character of Walt Kowalski, a racist retired factory worker, Korean War veteran, and future film hero of his multiracial Detroit neighborhood. patriotism, it is indisputable that men in combat fight for the love of their country. War veterans, in particular, tend to remain faithful to their patriotic values ​​even after the battle is over. As a returned war veteran, Walt Kowalski is built to be patriotic and have a strong love for America throughout the film. This is established through the film's incorporation of the American flag into the setting of Walt's house. Hanging solidly on its square patch of lawn, the flag symbolizes Walt's display of patriotism and his loyalty to his country, as well as his enduring traditional American beliefs. Viewers are constantly reminded of his patriotic sentiment through the consistent use of long pans of the American flag outside his home. This reinforces the idea that war veterans still have an irresistible loyalty to their country by expressing it through the simple display of their national flag. However, for all the value of strong patriotic opinions, war... middle of paper... ao, the film suggests its inclusion, reveals that he regrets his actions and has failed to redeem himself from his past. Therefore, through interactions with the Hmong shaman and the symbolic lighter, the film encourages the response with which war veterans still cling to the memory of the war. Gran Torino, directed, produced and starring Clint Eastwood, has current ideas about the lives of war veterans who had been marked by the horrors of death. Through Clint Eastwood's outstanding performance, portraying Walt Kowalski as a war veteran, the returned war veterans are constructed to be patriotic, racist, and haunted by their violent past. They face the difficulty of finding a balance between the residual memories of past wars and the ever-changing modern society. Therefore, surviving the war simply emphasized the cruelty and randomness of life and death.