Mikes Film Talk

John Maclean gives us the 2025 Period Drama/Action film Tornado. It is simply beautiful celluloid. His first feature length film, a splendid western, was done digital due to budgetary constraints. Here, he follows his love of the medium and it shows. Tornado is stunning to look at and, really, one can tell the difference between celluloid and digital films.

The Story

A young woman and her father travel the British Isles with a Samurai puppet show. Sugarman and his band of thieves also travel the Isles. The two parties meet up with deadly consequences for all.

The Tornado Cast

Kôki is Tornado.

Takehiro Hira is Fujin.

Nathan Malone is the boy.

Tim Roth is Sugarman.

Rory McCann is Kitten.

Jack Lowden is Little Sugar.

Joanne Whalley is Vienna Crawford.

Alex Macqueen is the Laird.

Let’s Talk Tornado

This is the second film, that I’ve seen in as many weeks, that feels like a spaghetti western homage. It may well be. Maclean has a feel for westerns, as proven by his offering of Slow West.

Tornado is the reluctant “gunslinger” who, after relieving Sugarman’s gang of their stolen gold, must ultimately fight. She also feels the need to avenge several people; her father and a few other folks.

The film looks stunning. Never have the British Isles looked so panoramic or desolate. The feel of the film is the late 60’s/70’s. *Think The Magnificent Seven, the original, not the remake.* Cinematographer Robbie Ryan (Who also shot Slow West.) makes the most of the setting, the vistas and the lighting to make this film a work of art.

The film’s pace is almost languid. Everyone has to walk to their next destination, ergo the slower pace which matches their transport speed. This does not detract from the story or the action. Violence erupts sporadically and it is vicious in its portrayal of death by sharp objects.

Tornado Works

The depth of the film, its execution and pacing all work perfectly together. Let’s talk casting for a moment. This is an almost serendipitous mix of actors. Roth, always good value for money along with his crew are spot on. It is delightful to see Lowden, McCann and company stretching their acting limbs. The young “Samurai woman” Kôki is brilliant. She is reminiscent of Chaiki Kuriyama who also started as a model.

Tornado is a pure delight to watch from start to finish. It has easily leapt into the top film slot of the year for me. This is, for all intents and purposes a western masquerading as a period piece. *There are, sadly, no horses apart from what looks to be a Suffolk Punch pulling the puppet wagon. There is also only one gun.*

The Verdict

Tornado is another one of those films that I could easily be persuaded to give 6 out of 5 stars. It is that good. Rather oddly, it is streaming on AMC+ at the moment, and you should rush to see it.

The Trailer