Tornado – Review

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 31 minutes, Director – John Maclean

Caught up in a hunt for stolen gold, a young woman (Kōki) finds herself fleeing from, and facing off against, an angered criminal (Tim Roth) and his gang, none of whom can wield a samurai sword like she can.

Tornado has somewhat been sold as a bloody, action-packed samurai flick. And while it certainly has some good action sequences they feel more subdued, as does the film as a whole. Much of the 91-minute run-time is spent in quieter scenes of upfront threat, largely from Tim Roth’s gang leader Sugarman, focusing on the dialogue of character’s processing events.

The titular Tornado (Kōki) finds herself caught up in Sugarman’s hunt for gold when fortunes that he obtained in a heist are subsequently stolen from him. While uninvolved, tracks lead back to Tornado and her puppeteer father (Takehiro Hira), leading to them being followed by Roth and co across the 1790s Scottish landscape, with the action eventually following; mostly in a well-executed, and effectively timed finale which really builds up its stages.

The cat-and-mouse journey which plays out for some of the film calls back to a number of classic western genre influences. Throughout the short 91-minute run-time we see the central character build up and realise her confidence and skills with a sword, even amongst the non-linear narrative. Writer-director John Maclean is just as interested in the drama, perhaps even more so, as he is with the swift bursts of action. He certainly frames them in much the same way in terms of Tornado’s development, with Kōki bringing a compelling nature to the different examples of quietness she carries herself with from the start.

Both quietly engaging and entertaining there’s a confidence in Tornado from the very start, but as that becomes more evident in the character of the same name that comes through with more style as things progress. Things are kept fairly simple, but there’s an effect to be found from there considering the time period things are set in and just how Maclean captures things; and indeed the threat that Roth poses.

He gives an enjoyable performance which captures the antagonist’s sneering greed and contempt; while acknowledging this is a supporting role and not upstaging Kōki. Sugarman and his gang help to bring in a tension when hot on Torando’s tail, or in the duels of the climactic stages. As a whole this is an effectively considered and restrained film that uses both of those elements to push character, confidence and engagement factor.

Slowly-paced yet short, Torando is a subdued samurai western featuring likable bursts of action which fit right into the tone and pacing, as tension is quietly built up throughout the central character’s battles and escapes.