Tornado had its world premiere on the 26 February at the opening Gala of Glasgow Film Festival.
Set in the 18th century British Isles, the film follows a young girl called ‘Tornado’ (Kōki), who is desperate for a new life. Performing a travelling Samurai puppet show from the trailer she lives in with her dad (Takehiro Hira), Tornado sees the opportunity for change and steals two bags of gold from a local gang watching the show. The group of thugs, led by Sugar (Tim Roth) and his son, Little Sugar (Jack Lowden), discover Tornado has the money, and stop at no length to get their gold back, murdering anyone in their path…including their own.
The film will take you on a gory, action-packed ride with lots of violent and tension filled highs, but plenty of unfulfilling lows.
The use of sound was one of the film’s biggest strengths. The breathwork, leaves crunching underfoot, and wind howling against the branches create a sense of panic as Tornado is chased through the woods, and the uneasiness of the strings feels reminiscent of the shark approaching in Jaws.
The film is not dialogue heavy, allowing the story to be told through the stellar acting from the phenomenal cast. Kōki and Hira delivered a compelling and heartfelt father-daughter duo that gave the film warmth, that served as a welcome break from the violence and bloodshed. The driving force of the film was Roth, however – without him, the tension the film so desperately needed would be lost.
Despite a strong opening, Tornado started to fall apart in its second and third acts. The dialogue felt forced and clunky, and the supporting characters were underdeveloped and one-dimensional. Lowden’s character in particular felt rushed – although he brought an unpredictable energy to first half, he was sloppily murdered before his character could make any real contribution.
The film’s biggest flaws are in the fight scenes. Although the choreography of the samurai fighting was impressive, the moments such as the archer in the tree not noticing Tornado or the man who got his neck sliced by a sword that was wedged into a tree are careless and extremely unrealistic. The deaths also lacked the emotional impact due to the undercooked backstories.
While the film has its faults, it makes up for them with captivating performances, gorgeous cinematography, and a score that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story of greed, determination and sacrifice is not new, but this film reveals a fresh new take, breaking free of the conventional narrative.
2.5 Stars.
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