Tornado fuses aspects of the western and samurai-style action in atmospheric 18th-century Scotland. Critics have praised the performances of Tim Roth, Jack Lowden and newcomer Kôki who plays the titular Tornado.
Director John Maclean’s appreciation of both westerns and samurai films is undeniable in Tornado, a stylistic tale of revenge, violence and stolen gold. Any filmmaker’s visual flair and storytelling choices stand out against these conventions. This was also the case with Maclean’s excellent revisionist take on the western genre, Slow West, which was released in 2015.
The western and the samurai film are not as popular as they once were, especially in the 1960s and 70s. But their characteristics are still hugely influential, as Tornado demonstrates. The film highlights specific parallels between the two genres. In particular, tales of lone warriors, gangs of greedy bandits, violent revenge and stolen treasure, are recurring motifs in both cinematic traditions.
