TORNADO Review

I often forget that AMC+ is its own whole streaming service.

You see, we access Shudder through AMC+, so the vast majority of the time, when I am turning on AMC+, it's to immediately scroll down several bars and get to the Shudder button. In our household, we live or die with Shudder, and it's one of our most used streaming services on our televisions. Access to a vast array of horror movies, both new and old? What more could two horror aficionados want?!

But yes, every so often there is something on the actual AMC+ part of the app that catches our attention. This last happened not too long ago with the Jack Quaid and Jeffrey Dean Morgan vehicle Neighborhood Watch, and that was well worth my time.

(And now that I link to that article, I realize I have talked there about my love for Shudder, as well. What can I say? It's a great service!)

One of the nicer aspects of AMC+ is that it gives a "Coming Soon" bar where you can see what movies and shows will be debuting on the streamer over the course of the next two months or so. And so it was that I saw Tornado was coming out on August 22nd, and I started counting down the days.

Tornado was a movie I had recalled seeing a single trailer for a few months back. It certainly looked interesting, as I have not yet managed to get too tired of the John Wick formula or the various plays on it. I've reviewed, as I search through my records, several movies to this point that have followed the Wickian ideals of a highly skilled protagonist who is out for revenge against an army of ne'er-do-wells who have wronged him or her. They are generally pretty enjoyable for what they are. So I was definitely up for what appeared to be a Western/Samurai mash-up that gave us more heartache and vengeance.

Tornado--which co-stars Tim Roth, so that was another plus!--is the story of a traveling entertainer and his daughter in eighteenth century Scotland. They earn their meager living by putting on shows that blend puppet work with live action fight scenes, and it's clear that the father, at least, has actual samurai fighting skill that he is trying to pass down to his daughter, whose name is Tornado. She seems resentful of their life, however, and is typically unappreciative of their lot in it.

The duo find themselves caught up in a local gang's robbery score when the villains stops to watch their show and a boy in the audience robs them of their gold. After the antagonists kill Tornado's father in their hunt to return their treasure, we get the movie opening with her and the boy on the run (we find out everything else through a second act flashback).

The gang is not done with their acts of violence, however, and it's not long before Tornado realizes that she can't run, she can only fight back. And it's at that point that we find out exactly how much her father has taught her.

TWO UPS AND TWO DOWNS

+ Koki does a great job as the titular character. She is powerful and emotive and has a solid and believable character arc. In a movie where there are some strange acting choices--more on those momentarily--she really gets a chance to shine.

It's quite impressive, as Koki is mostly known internationally as a model and a songwriter. She has only just begun to get into the acting field, and in this movie, she shows she clearly has a knack for it. I'm definitely on board to see what else she can add to her resume going forward.

+ The score is powerful and really highlights a lot of the moments of the film. I'm always a fan of a big, imposing score, and Tornado definitely has that in its favor, as the musical notes carry all of the biggest moments and really help you feel what director John Maclean was shooting for.

- Aside from Koki, a lot of the rest of the acting is strangely subdued, and it doesn't feel always appropriate for the moment. I am sure this was a directorial decision and not an acting one, and I'm not sure I agreed with it. Tim Roth doesn't seem like he is fully engaged in what is going on, but I never got the sense that was the actor's fault; I think he was doing what Maclean wanted. The gang just often feels... almost bored with the proceedings, and many of them don't have much in the way of dialogue. I think I'd have liked it more if they came across as the being more afflicted by the goings-on. 

- The way the action sequences are edited/cut together is choppy and not particularly impressive. It detracts from the moments. I'm always going to be the person who complains about quick editing in action scenes; I think there is a great deal to be said about leaving a camera on one shot and letting the actors or stunt performers control the moment. Tornado, however, flashes through some of its big scenes in a flurry of cuts, and I think that was to its detriment.

I'd say that Tornado is another solid entry in the realm of John Wick inspired action movies. Now, to be fair, if you are expecting Wickian levels of wall-to-wall action, you might be disappointed, as this outing holds off on most of its big beats until the third act and spends the first two building the drama. But if you have the patience for the ride, Tornado is a rewarding movie.

🍿 SCORE = 65 / 100