This samurai western isn’t as glorious as it should have been.
As I begin to watch “Tornado,” I see the title Japanese girl running away from a diverse group of men and it’s so blustery out, that she struggles to hide out into a mansion. And this mansion is so old, that one of the bad guys has to slip through the ceiling and land on a piano. He then tells the others: “She’s not in the piano.”
“Tornado” is the new western in the independent circuit, which has better intentions than what was displayed last month in “Rust.” It wants to look great and possess some passion, but it ends up selling itself short and doesn’t have the kind of development it should have. It’s basically all by the numbers.
Tornado (Koki) seems like the quiet young heroine, but as revealed in a flashback, she’s sort of a bratty type who dislikes her swordsman-turned-puppeteer father’s (Takehiro Hira) shows and words of inspiration. In fact, she’s has to say “It’s boring” or “I hate you.” I think his puppet shows have entertaining special effects in such a time period, and they do have more value than the movie’s storyline, which has to do with stolen gold. You bet it does.
The leader of the thieves is a father named Sugarman (Tim Roth, back to playing thieves again with his filmography including “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction”) and his son Little Sugar (Jack Lowden). The old man tolerates no setbacks, while the boy says he’s not little anymore. And even he tries to prove to his father by coming face to face with Tornado. But the young man’s plot has to end like a fly swat, instead of really confronting the material.
The second half of “Tornado” is beautifully photographed by Robbie Ryan with the cloudy and foggy skies and dried up fields the title girl runs through. She has a better attitude here, especially when she quotes “For those who wish to survive in battle, there is only death.” Dangerous situations can change a person’s outlook on life, which is typical, but it is usually true.
The film likes to share its passion for both westerns and samurai movies, especially how the special effects are presented for certain slicing and how Tornado walks into the sunset. This is writer/director John Maclean’s first film in literally a decade since “Slow West,” and while he seems to appreciate both genres, he doesn’t deeply deal with the subject matters presented here.
I admire the performances from Roth and Hira, because on respective terms, they possess certain emotions that display their characteristics. But I also find the young actors to be cut and paste. I prefer Koki in the second act with how she transcends from a bratty teen to a samurai heroine, while Lowden deserves more than what his character is given credit for. “Tornado” also tries to go for the genre of father-son and father-daughter issues, but there’s very little substance to be presented, and it’s more exhausting than truthful.
There are moments of “Tornado” that look and feel great, and it should feel great because of the genre it enters itself in. But it should also be less gimmicky and more poetic and passionate, especially if this is partly a samurai movie.
Now Playing in Select Theaters
