Dear Watchers,Welcome to another Genre Movie Wednesday, where you’ll find characters wielding samurai swords in one moment and handguns in the next. Our expert on action, Robert Daniels, selects a period revenge drama with lush cinematography. He pairs that with a buddy thriller that finds its main duo ducking a very persistent sniper. Check out what Robert thinks about each film below, then head here for three more of his picks. Happy Watching. ‘Tornado’
Where to watch: Stream “Tornado” on Hulu. Set on the British Isles in 1790, this movie from the writer-director John Maclean is an agile, genre-bending western-samurai film. It follows Tornado (Koki), a circus performer who angers a gang led by Sugarman (Tim Roth) and Little Sugar (Jack Lowden) by stealing their gold. In retaliation, the posse murders her adoptive father, Fujin (Takehiro Hira), and pursues her. Rather than flee, Tornado decides to hold her ground in the woods. What follows is a blood bath that would make Rambo blush. The carnage is given eloquence by Jed Kurzel’s expressionistic score and by Robbie Ryan’s gorgeous golden hour photography. And Maclean and Ryan’s use of silhouettes adds a mythical flair to the swift choreography of Tornado’s slashing movements. ‘Under Fire’
Where to watch: Stream “Under Fire” on Hulu. Two drug smugglers, the easygoing Griff (Dylan Sprouse) and the professional Abbott (Mason Gooding), are pinned down by a sniper. The shooter has already taken out Griff’s and Abbott’s intended business partners, a cartel promising cocaine, when each man realizes the other is an undercover federal agent — Griff with the F.B.I., Abbott with the D.E.A. Together they must outmaneuver this deadly accurate sniper before they’re caught in his sights. Directed by Steven C. Miller, “Under Fire” plays like a smaller-scale Michael Bay film, relying on crash zooms, whip pans and slow-motion violence to render the vicious shootouts. Miller also isn’t afraid to get dirty. With every hour these characters spend evading the sniper, the dust builds on their clothes, grounding the movie’s outlandish style. Sprouse and Gooding are an endearing double act, imbuing this intensely staged work with moments of well-timed levity.
|
