Shadows on the Wall

Tornado

dir-scr John Maclean
prd Leonora Darby, James Harris, Mark Lane
with Koki, Tim Roth, Jack Lowden, Takehiro Hira, Nathan Malone, Joanne Whalley, Rory McCann, Raphael Thiery, Jack Morris, Dennis Okwera, Douglas Russell, Bryan Michael Mills, Alex Macqueen
release US 30.May.25,
UK 13.Jun.25
25/UK 1h31

GLASGOW FILM FEST

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Scottish filmmaker John Maclean cleverly sets this Western and samurai mashup in the Highlands. Strikingly shot by Robbie Ryan, this dramatic thriller pulls us in because the characters so intriguingly break the usual stereotypes. While the storytelling is somewhat elusive, it forces us to lean into each scene to understand the sharp-edged feelings and offbeat connections. This is a slow, gripping and ultimately complex exploration of identity and revenge.

In 1790, teen Tornado (Koki) and her father Fujin (Hira) are performing their travelling samurai marionette show when a group of thugs turn up. Led by the fearsome Sugarman (Roth) and his conniving son Little Sugar (Lowden), this gang has just robbed a stash of gold. When it goes missing, they chase Tornado and a nameless young boy (Malone) across the moors into a forest, to a grand house and then to a carnival encampment. None of these ruthless men think twice about killing someone in their way. Or each other, for that matter.

Maclean lets scenes unfold at a natural pace, never rushed, which adds layers to each character. Koki plays Tornado as a typically rebellious adolescent who won't admit that she's learned serious skills from her father. And the carnies are the only family she knows. So when these men uproot everyone's life, Tornado sets out to get even. Her rampage is outrageously violent, but also far more nuanced than most movies allow.

Leading his pack of colourful goons, Roth is skilfully understated, a growling bear of a man who lashes out quietly with vicious violence even as he is suffering from his own wounds. Lowdon is superb as his duplicitous son, prowling around the periphery as he sets in motion his own plan to steal the gold. Each member of their gang has a specific skill, as of course do the carnival workers. So the surrounding figures are colourful and powerfully engaging.

As the story unfolds, the film becomes a fascinating look at legacy, as Tornado must take lessons she has learned for her show and bring them into the real world. She also begins to understand that her background makes her a force of nature in this rainswept foreign land. It's unusual for a film to allow its hero to make mistakes, learn from them and move forward, avoiding the scorched-earth approach of her foes (and of so many movie protagonists). So in the end, it's unlikely that anyone will forget her name.

themes, language, violence 29.Apr.25

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