When you consider what a tornado is — a horrendously lethal column of air that wreaks havoc on whatever it touches — this film has a lot in common with its namesake natural disaster. Both are appallingly violent, intensely puzzling entities that are so haphazard, calling them anything other than clouded and messy would be wholly inaccurate.
Although brimming with genuine passion and marked care both on and off screen, Scottish filmmaker John Maclean’s tale of gannet-like opportunists in pursuit of a terror-stricken heroine is quite uneven, ultimately relying on a firecracker opening sequence and stand-out performances from Jack Lowden and Tim Roth to keep it afloat.
Set against the backdrop of 1970s Britain, a perpetually stormy and desolate wilderness of bleak marshes, forests and farmland, Maclean drops us straight into the action following the titular Tornado (Mitsuki Kimura, professionally known as Koki) bursting onto the screen mid-chase, desperately trying to escape an unseen threat hot on her heels.
Brilliantly scored in biting, heart pounding drones — the music is the glue that binds the film together — the opening pursuit is an impressively punchy show of Tornado’s best hand; it’s a mysterious, frenetic lead-in to a short film-like sequence that prompts a plethora of questions, ones you’re willing Maclean satisfyingly answer.
Separated from her companion, ‘The Boy’ (an empathic Nathan Malone), Tornado discovers a seemingly deserted Highland estate, a stroke of luck that’s the perfect place to shake off her yet faceless pursuers — their unseen nature is eked out until the last second, only appearing to hunt Tornado in the mansion in a close-quarters, twisted version Home Alone on gory steroids.
It’s a riveting start that showcases Maclean’s skill in shorter narratives; the tight, no-nonsense execution reminded me of his stunning short Pitch Black Heist, though maintaining this level of momentum and zeal proves rather tricky.
After the film outlines its main players, like Roth’s gang leader, Sugar, and his under-the-thumb son, Little Sugar (Lowden, forever leaning against trees) it pulls a Carlito’s Way and rewinds back to the very beginning. Before the chase ensues, we’re shown exactly how everyone ended up at the mansion, and exactly what’s at stake.
There’s something lost in this narrative choice, as the answers we’re drip fed are rarely as interesting as the initial questions. Although, there is some promise in the ragtag, pirate-like gang led by Sugar, who Roth plays with a detached quality about him — heavy is the head that wears the pirate crown.
Like a band of yo-ho buccaneers, the gang are all colourful characters with names like Kitten (Rory McCann), Lazy Legs (Douglas Russell, and Squid Lips (Jack Morris), who are initially gleeful from having robbed a church off-screen and are now in possession of a fortune in gold coins.
That’s our MacGuffin, or the object of desire, that sees the group come unstuck. Little Sugar wants the gold split according to effort (Lazy Legs, for one, isn’t a fan), but his father overrules him in favour of dishing out the goods evenly — their rivalry is cemented here.
That’s when the two worlds converge: as the gang stumble upon a travelling Samurai puppet show, featuring a sword wielding Tornado and her father Fujin (Takehiro Hira), the light fingered The Boy pinches the gold from under their noses, and he, Tornado and Fujin go on the run to make a better life.
On paper, the premise has all the hallmarks of an engrossing, action-packed ride. And the cast, too, is filled with faces who imply a certain level of quality. Although there are undeniable high points, like Little Sugar’s quest to steal the gold for his own gain, Maclean can’t manage to swerve the pitfalls of a sagging middle chapter. To keep us engaged on more than a surface level, we needed to experience Tornado’s suffering and blossoming into a samurai up close, not just at an emotional distance.
Having said that, the finale is a much needed breath of fresh air. Similar to the compelling first act, the climax kicks into a surprisingly high gear, again favouring a mostly self-contained story; it seems that Maclean soars when time is at a minimum.
It’s when Tornado finds courage within herself that, in a move even more reminiscent of Kevin McCallister, she decides to stop running and fight back against her enemies. Here, we’re finally given something with a distinct ‘flavour’, as the story shifts into a Tarantinoesque style in the final chunk – the spewing blood might not be Scorsese red, but it’s close.
Ultimately, it’s the thrilling bookends where Tornado functions best. When we’re in the eye of the storm, or in this case the middling second act, this twister loses all sense of balance and trajectory.
Yet, seeing a razer sharp Katana deliver it’s signature brand of limb-slashing action was worth the trek through slower waters — I never thought I’d get a Samurai version of Kevin McCallister!
– Tornado releases in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from Friday 23 May 2025.
