Lee Isaac Chung's Twisters, the semi-sequel to 1996’s flying-cow spectacle, Twister, is an adrenaline-pumping, big-screen thrill ride that combines the beauty of meteorological science with the chaos of nature. But at its core, Twisters is a story about people. In fact, Chung has succeeded where so many other disaster movie filmmakers fail miserably: he populates his film with characters we love and love to hate, but most importantly, characters we care about.
The story follows former storm chaser Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Where the Crawdads Sing) who, after a traumatic tornado encounter in her early days as a storm chaser, now studies storm patterns from the safety of her New York City office. Her passion for adventure is rekindled when old friend Javi (Anthony Ramos, Hamilton) lures her back into the game with his revolutionary new tornado tracking system. Together they hit the road with hopes of capturing nature’s fury in its rawest form.
But once back in the heart of “Tornado Alley,” Kate, Javi, and crew cross paths with something far more vivacious than a silly F5 tornado. They Meet Tyler Owens (Glen Powell, Top Gun: Maverick), a reckless and charming social media star – with his own merch line – who wrangles tornadoes for online fame.
Tyler leads a raucous band of “extreme meteorologists,” whose only ambition is to get close enough to a twister to light it up with fireworks while live streaming. Because… ‘Merica. Their adventures in chasing dangerous weather have made them Internet famous.
As storm season begins to intensify, so do the terrifying meteorological phenomena as Kate, Tyler, Javi and their crews find themselves not only facing nature's fury and their own fears, but also the conundrum of doing what’s right for the sake of humanity.
The film's score is nothing short of fantastic, heightening the tension and drama throughout. What makes Twisters particularly unique is its rootedness in reality; the screenplay is steeped in accurate and authentic meteorological science, which adds a layer of credibility often missing in disaster films. Anyone remember the original?
Let’s talk about Glen Powell, who not only steals every scene he’s in, but whose on-screen charisma and pizzazz rival the intensity of the film's tornadoes. Why is he not Hollywood’s go-to leading man? His portrayal adds a much-needed layer of youthful exuberance and recklessness which balances well against Edgar-Jones' softer, intelligent, and courageous Kate. She holds her own, however, as the chemistry between the two is always dynamic, heartfelt, and entertaining. The film is always better when they are on the screen together.
As expected, Ramos also impresses as the once shabby, oft-hungover party animal, who re-enters Kate’s life as an ambitious, straight-edged entrepreneur.
While Twisters may not break any new ground in the disaster/adventure genre, it is just successful enough to be a worthwhile watch as a popcorn-munching summertime diversion that provides a much-needed escape from the scorching outdoor temperatures. Chung and screenwriter Mark L. Smith’s love and attention to their characters sets it apart from most other adventure films.
Equally important to Twisters’ success are its top-notch special effects which do most of the heavy lifting in this spectacular man vs. nature tale. Though about twenty minutes too long, it is worth catching on the big screen if you can.
MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 121 mins
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Writer: Mark l. Smith
Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones; Glen Powell; Anthony Ramos
Genre: Disaster | Adventure
Tagline: In Theaters July 19.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Guys, whatever is in the is big and it's movie fast."
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures and Warner Bros.
Official Site: https://www.facebook.com/twistersmovie
Release Date: July 19, 2024
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies.
