John Maclean’s Tornado: A Samurai Western That Falls Flat
A Decade in the Making
It’s been ten long years since John Maclean dazzled us with Slow West, a clever spin on the Western genre that turned heads and raised expectations. Now, with Tornado, he aims to blend the iconic stylistic flourishes of Sergio Leone and Akira Kurosawa into an 18th-century Scottish setting. Unfortunately, this venture feels more like a rough draft than a polished masterpiece, leaving audiences with a sense of “What could have been?”
Plot Overview: What’s Happening?
Tornado follows a father-daughter duo navigating rural Scotland in the late 1700s. Tornado (Kōki) and her father (Takehiro Hira) earn their keep through a samurai-themed puppet show, which sounds quirky and intriguing—until it doesn’t. Tornado is less than enthused about her life, while her father revels in his craft. But when Tornado seizes a fleeting opportunity to nab gold from a gang of miscreants led by Tim Roth’s Sugarman, chaos ensues.
Sugarman’s clash with his son, Little Sugar (Jack Lowden), adds a side dish of family drama to the mix. But instead of savoring a rich, layered narrative, we get a hurried script that often sacrifices character depth for contrived drama.
Weak Sauce or Flavorful Feast?
While Maclean’s vision is ambitious, it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The film feels like a jumbled mix of ideas that never quite gel. The heist-and-chase sequences have their moments, yet they’re burdened by formulaic storytelling and twists that feel more like lazy plot devices than compelling hooks.
Visually, however, Tornado does shine. Robbie Ryan’s cinematography paints a stunning picture of the Scottish landscape, enveloped in a dreamy autumnal haze. The rustic production design, particularly the mobile encampment of traveling performers, adds a delightful texture that complements the film’s eccentric premise. Sadly, these captivating visuals do little to enrich the overall story.
Characterization: One-Dimensional Woes
The film’s primary setback? Its characters. Tornado, the supposed feisty heroine, is disappointingly one-dimensional, lacking the depth needed to engage the audience. The only palpable tension arises from the strained father-son dynamic between Roth and Lowden, but even that fizzles out in a climax that feels more anticlimactic than satisfying.
Final Thoughts: A Missed Opportunity
Maclean’s endeavor to rejuvenate “B” material is commendable, yet the idiosyncratic elements overshadow the foundational drama. Rather than crafting a gripping tale steeped in robust noir principles, we’re left with a visually stunning film that leaves a lingering sense of mediocrity. Tornado may look good on the surface, but it ultimately packs a shallow punch, leaving viewers with little more than a fleeting impression.
So, if you’re curious about this quirky samurai western, proceed with caution—it might just blow you away… in the wrong direction.
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