“IF YOU FEEL IT, CHASE IT!”
Back in 1996, moviegoers everywhere were treated to the release of Twister, a disaster film, that garnished plenty of followers throughout the years and received a cult classic praise for its visual presentation. Directed by Jan de Bont, the movie, which starred Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Jami Gertz, and Cary Elwes, follows a group of American storm chases trying to deploy a tornado research device during a severe outbreak of tornadic conditions in Oklahoma. Released at the beginning of the summer movie lineup at 1996 (May 10th), Twisters received generally positive reviews from both critics and moviegoers alike, with many praising the feature for its action scenes, visual effects, and sound design. In addition, the film was a box office success, grossing roughly $495 million worldwide and became the second highest grossing film that year against a production budget of roughly $92 million. Moreover, the movie’s visual presentation received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound (it sadly losing to Independence Day and The English Patient respectfully) as well as gaining quite a following since it release. Now, twenty-eight years since its release, Universal Pictures (as well as Warner Bros. Studios and Amblin Entertainment) and director Lee Isaac Chung present the standalone sequel film to Twister with the feature appropriately named Twisters. Does this movie find its spiritual influence from the belove 1996 classic or is a soulless “cash and grab” remake endeavor from Hollywood?
THE STORY
Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) used to be an ambitious student of understanding science of weather, working on a special project that was capable of being launched into tornadoes, helping to decrease moisture and break it apart altogether. During her first attempt of this project out in the field, Kate, along with her partner Javi (Anthony Ramos), her boyfriend Jeb (Daryl McCormack), and other members of a team, learns of the sudden and destructive forces of nature, with tornadic conditions ruining their chances of opportunity as well as lives lost during the situation. Five years later, Kate, still shaking from the experience years ago, works as an analyst at the National Weather Service in NYC and gets an unexpected visit from Javi, who asks her to join his new storm chasers squad as they try out new scanning technology, aiming to create a three dimensional image of a tornado in order to better understanding such power of nature. Hesitant to return to Oklahoma, Kate reluctantly agrees to follow Javi back to her Midwest home, soon coming into contact to star-showing competitor Tyler Owens (Glenn Powell) and his social media empire known as the “Tornado Wrangler”, with the flashy Texan cowboy looking to ride into such maelstroms funnels for views and clicks. With the two crews on the hunt for tornadoes in the area, Kate finds her confidence again, trying to do something with her original scientific idea, while finding kindred warmth in Tyler and some underlining agenda in Javi.
THE GOOD / THE BAD
Being a movie lover since my younger years, I remember when Twister first came out in theaters, and I was scared to see it. Haha…yes, that was true. Though I’ve never had the experience happen to me in real life, I was always scared of tornadoes…in general. I did like weather when I was in elementary school and learned about tornadoes and it sort of frightened me…. something so destructive and powerful that it could show up within an instant and cause so much devastation in a matter of minutes and easily disappeared as quick as it was formed. So, when Hollywood decided to make an entire film about tornadoes and the destructive power they wield through a visual cinematic lens, I wasn’t too thrilled to see it. So, I didn’t see the movie when it was in theaters and didn’t see the actual film until some years after its initial release. I think it was back in the mid-2000s. I do have to admit that the 1996 movie was really good and, for it was, still manages to be a cult classic for a reason. Yes, the movie still isn’t known for a gripping narrative to be told as the script still remains to a weak component. Yet, all disaster movies are don’t exactly have the strongest narratives, with more attention to detail with the action and visuals being displayed. Thus, Twister gives that “disaster” indulgence the correct way with some impressive and visceral visual effect shots of tornadic conditions that are just as awe-inspiring (for its time) as well as cinematically horrifying to watch. It definitely was the feature’s “bread and butter” and all the more better for it. Plus, I do have admit that the cast for the movie was pretty good. Again, disaster movie characters are usually pretty generic and broad (for the most part), but the film’s characters, while certainly fit that bill to the letter, still managed to be memorable and solid across the board. In the end, while not my personal favorite, I find 1996’s Twister a good piece of blockbuster entertainment and can easily see why it has certainly become a cult classic over the years.
As an interesting sidenote, I do remember seeing 1996’s Twister being promoted a lot when DVDs were first coming out. I recall first hearing about DVDs when I went to Disney World (I think around 1997 or 1998) at Epcot as they were showing off latest tech samples, which included the latest of physical home media releases (aka DVDS) and they showed a preview clip from Twister. As I said, it was one of the first films to be released on DVD. Now, my family did get a DVD player when the format came out as we got several of the movies that were initial released (i.e. GoldenEye, The Pelican Brief, and Michael), but not Twister strangely. Also, remember my local Best Buy (a few months later) showcasing their DVD / surround systems and they usually play demos from action / blockbuster movies, including Twister. Just a fun fact I thought I would share.
This, of course, brings me back around to talking about Twisters, a 2024 American disaster movie and the spiritual cinematic successor to 1996’s Twister. I can’t exactly remember when I first heard about this movie, but I was a little hesitant when I finally reached me. True enough, it’s no big secret that Hollywood studios (at least the major ones) are always looking into the catalogue past and reinventing and / or reimagining their older IPs for box office consumption with today’s moviegoers. Yet, to approach 1996’s Twister in remaining it? To me, it didn’t seem like a very enticing endeavor to make. Moreover, it sounded like it was going to be like those mediocre “B-level” movies one might see as a TV movie or even a DTV (direct-to-video) releases. That being said, I do remember when the cast was announced and that actress Daisy Edgar Jones as well as actors Glenn Powell and Anthony Ramos, which did great me more interested in seeing the movie. After that, I really didn’t hear much about the upcoming film until the movie’s trailers and promo marketing began to appear both online and in-theaters. From the previews shown, the movie did look good, but I still had some reservations about this project. So, I did decide to check out Twisters two weeks or so after its theatrical release, especially since I began to hear a lot of positive “word of mouth” about this particular movie. Still, my expectations for this film were a bit on the low side of things. With that in my mind….what did I think of the movie? Well, to be honest, I liked it. Despite some conventional plot pointing moments and a bit too much broadness within its undertaking, Twisters is a surprisingly fun and wild blockbuster ride of a cinematic experience that’s makes for some great popcorn entertainment from start to finish. While the debate if it surpasses the original 1996 feature is up in the air, this movie does come across as a solid spiritual successor to the beloved disaster picture….and that’s a good thing.
Twisters is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, whose previous directorial works includes such movies like Minari, Abigail Horn, and Lucky Life. Given his background on several lesser known / artistic feature films, Chung winning the director’s chair for such an endeavor like Twisters is kind of a bit of a headscratcher, especially since he hasn’t done much in the way of blockbuster variety. Surprisingly, however, Chung does manage to tackle this movie the correct way and succeeds in producing a cinematic endeavor that has plenty to offer in the ways of popcorn entertainment. Indeed, Chung approaches the material with a sense of respect and honors what came before in the 1996 film, updating some of the formats and visual flair of what made that feature film well-liked. Of course, the one particular aspect that worried me going into this movie was the simple fact the Twisters was (most likely) going to be a carbon copy of Twister, following similar paths and trying to connect the two features in a sort of sequel duology presentation. Thankfully, Chung makes this movie a standalone sequel to its predecessor and acts more like a modern-day spiritual successor to Twister. Thus, one can definitely see such similarities between the two films, but Chung does his own thing by keeping the feature of Kate and Tyler’s journey cohesive and at the forefront of the narrative, while also providing plenty of destructive nature events of such devastating cyclone attacks. Again, it was something that I was quite surprised with and enjoy the tale being told from start to finish; something that caught me off-guard in how it was all presented.
Much like what I said in my review for Only the Brave in regard to wild forest fires, tornadoes (like all natural disasters) can affect everyone in every social status or pollical party viewpoints. It strikes without remorse or concern for others, and anyone can in its way may face life or death results when swept up in such violent acts of truly awesome power. I’m not turning into an eco-person or anything like that, but Chung does in Twisters helps reinforces the fact that such power forces shouldn’t be taking lightly or underestimated. This (of course) brings up the film’s action scenes, which Chung has a keen eye for detail and heightened such scenes with dramatic flair. It’s quite an immersive experience (most likely intended to be one) as Chung stages and executes such intense moments of being caught up in tornado strike with terrifying and exact effect. Several scenes are quite intense and are a little bit nerve racking to view. Yes, the film’s action sequences do get a little bit “over-the-top” in a few parts, but that’s usually the sort of “name of the game” when it comes to this subgenre, for disaster movies want to shed a cinematic representation light on such destructive and devastating forces in spectacle that’s fit for a big screen production. Chung does that quite well in Twisters and encapsulates the true maelstrom chaos of being caught in the path of a towering cyclone and the sheer force of nature that it comes with it.
It’s not all blistering nature of wind and rain for pure cinematic nuances as Chung and his team do display the qualities of showcasing the aftermath of tornado strike and dealing with the ruined mess that follows. It may be a little part of the main narrative, but I do like how the film depict such events, adding heart and emotional substance to the narrative for the characters, especially the main leads, to see and develop. As I said, like all natural disasters, the movie shows the random and dispassionate nature of such a titular force and how all are affected….regardless of race, sex, or social class. Building upon that notion, the movie isn’t all encompassing a disaster movie, with Chung rising above most of the cheesy “B-rated” vibe that usually accompany disaster features and manages to find a “common ground” betwixt spectacle destruction and human heart. As stated, I didn’t expect a whole lot of dramatic flair, but there is a good dose of emotional substance in the movie to help build a connection within the various characters, with the most apparent deriving from Kate, who acts as the central focal point for most of the movie. On the other hand, the film does offer some cheesy moments within its comedy, but it never feels campy or out of place, with many of the jokes and angst servicing a purpose and don’t feel outlandish within storm chasers motley crew vibes. It definitely works and I enjoy the picture’s comedy and didn’t overstay its welcome, swiftly coming and going (when needed) and never outshining the drama or action pieces of the plot. Overall, I felt that Chung did a great job in producing a film that caught many somewhat “off-guard” in a very pleasing way, finding Twisters to be a solid popcorn film that has plenty of emotional drama as well-represented both visual and visceral within its depictions of powerful tornadoes that are showcased throughout the feature.
For its presentation, Twisters is kind of really good in how it tells its visual background setting and within its effects to render such monstrous temporal storms of tornadic wind and rain. With the feature’s setting taking place in the US’s Midwest region, the aesthetics and nuances do have that real world feel of life out there, with vastness of open fields and flat lands as well as that “small town” vibe within a lot of the backdrop of the film, which is done in the proper and correct way. So, the film’s “behind the scenes” filmmaking team, including Patrick M. Sullivan Jr. (production design), Missy Parker (set decorations), Eunice Jera Lee (costume designs), and the entire art direction team, should be praised for their efforts made on the film, which helps bolster the rural Midwest setting throughout much of the feature’s narrative. Of course, I must also talk about the film’s visual effects and how they help enhance many of the movie’s action and tense-filled sequences. Much like the 1996 film of which this project takes cues and spiritual influence from, Twisters main draw / attraction comes from the feature’s visual effect shots of the seeing cinematic representation of various tornadoes throughout the picture….and it doesn’t disappoint. As mentioned above to the tension and suspenseful moments that Chung and his team capture in the movie, the rendering of such titanic and destructive cyclones is (as I said before) awe-inspiring and terrifying at the same time. The visuals for such forces of nature are quite visually compelling to watch within this movie and computer “behind the scenes” artist, who brought these images to life, should be praised, which helps Twisters have that large-scale blockbuster production quality to the proceedings. Very well done, indeed.
Coinciding with the visual effects, the cinematography work by Dan Mindel does come up with some clever and dramatic shots throughout the feature’s story and builds quite a catalogue of various cinematic scenes that help build the thrills (and chills) of variety of characters encounter such destructive cyclones of nature. Various camera angles and usage of lightening and shadowing as well as showcasing the massive scale of the film’s tornadoes helps generate plenty of excitement and amazing shots for the feature. The same can also be said with the sound design for the movie, which is greatly enriched with such blockbuster flair and cues that help heighten the film’s visuals. The roaring of the wind, the thunderous clap of thunder, the sound of wood and metal being ripped apart, and even the crying screams of people fleeing for their lives…are all quite boisterous and at the forefront of the feature’s attention, bringing with it a sense of heightened awareness during the feature’s more action-packed moments. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch, does some great work within the musical composition provide for the movie, which helps embellish the more dramatic parts in both its bombardment of cinematic action as well as quieter dialogue driven scenes, while the picture’s soundtrack album boasts a good amount of easygoing country music that fits the Midwest flavoring setting.
Unfortunately, there are a few moments in Twisters that stall this blockbuster several times that, while not derailing the movie, does draw a bit of criticism towards the feature’s storm chasing / disaster nuances. How so? Well, for starters, perhaps the biggest problem comes in the form of the feature being a bit too predictable. If you’ve seeing the original film or any other variation disaster type movie, then the plot of such events can be easily mapped out without little to no surprises being added. In essence, it’s a predictable yarn to spin, one that has played out many times before, with the feature’s narrative lacking originality. Yes, there is no denying that there were some intense and exciting visual moments that the movie can rope of viewer’s attention on, especially one of those nostalgia over the first film, but that still can’t change the fact that there is a formulaic touch to the plot, which results in the overall predictable nature of it all.
Coinciding with that, the story script for the movie is a bit conventional, especially (again) that it derives from the subgenre of a disaster flick. Of course, I wasn’t expecting any type of Oscar dramatic type plot or Golden Globe written dialogue moments, but the movie’s script, which was penned by Joesph Kosinski (the man who helmed Top Gun: Maverick) covers a lot of the bases of what would expect to see in such an endeavor like Twisters. Thus, certain characters are a little bit broad and thin, the story elements are commonplace (with little sudden twists or surprises), and everything has a familiar trajectory before the time the film reaches its conclusion. Again, this was something I knew that was going to happen, so it didn’t bother me as much. Still, it would’ve been somewhat more interesting to see to take a bit more unconventional manner and creates a little bit more surprises in the movie. This is a bit noticeable in some of the secondary / supportive characters, who are underutilized the correct way and makes them rather limp and one-dimensional. This results in the script not showcasing the talent involved the slightly as well as being a bit bloated in its side characters. Additionally, some of the meteorologist terminology / jargon gets a little bit too much for the uninitiated to following weather patterns and the science behind it. I would never say “dumb it down” for viewers, it just needed a little bit informative rather than throwing a lot of technobabble stuff that seems a bit clunkily handled.
Lastly, from a director’s standpoint, the movie does have a few pacing problems that are scattered throughout the movie. Naturally, the action sequences help entice and keep up the suspenseful momentum of the feature, but they are a few times, including towards the end of the second act, where the film slows down the progression of the story for a very elongated interlude moment that feels sluggish at times. Of course, this is to help build up the two main characters of Tyler and Katie, but it feels a bit too long and overstays its welcome a tad. Who’s to blame? Well, probably Lee Isaac Chung and that’s probably the only thing I felt that was underwhelming in how he staged out the feature. It’s not a complete deal breaker, but a better execution of the film (as well as editing process) would’ve benefited Twisters a lot more.
The cast in Twisters helps the feature rise above some conventional moments, with the cast a mixture of familiar leads and relatively unknown actors and actresses attached to the project to help bring the movie’s characters to life. I believe that all of the talent involved are solid across the board, but (as mentioned above) could’ve been a little bit better handled in their substance beyond a few not really expanding much beyond their initial persona setups. Still, this is a disaster type movie, and “broad” characters are the name of the game for the genre, so I sort of knew this going into the movie. Thus, it’s not a complete deal breaker for me. Leading the charge for the movie is the two main leads in Katie Carter and Tyler Owens, who are played by actress Daisy Edgar Jones and actor Glen Powell. Jones, known for her roles in Cold Feet, Under the Banner of Heaven, and Where the Crawdads Sing, isn’t quite the household name amongst familiar acting talents, but she certainly made a “splash” on the big screen in 2022 as Kya Clark in Where the Crawdads Sing. So, to see Jones once again take centerstage in Twisters was kind of good thing and something that was greatly interested in seeing her handle herself in a more blockbuster-ish type feature. To her credit, I think she did a great job in the movie, finding an emotional connection with Kate as she returns to working in the field as a storm chaser and slowly overcoming her past trauma as well as getting caught up in the terrifying destructive power of nature throughout the movie’s presentation. As such, her character is easily the most drawn out and given a lot of the feature’s heavy lifting in carrying the story’s drama throughout, which Jones does quite well in Kate. Yes, it may come across as a bit conventional, but (again) character development for disaster-esque films is usually a bit formulaic and commonplace for the subgenre. Thus, in the end, Jones is great in the role as Kate and definitely holds her own.
Likewise, Powell, who is known for his roles in Top Gun: Maverick, Hidden Figures, and Anyone But You, is a great and perfect for the character of Tyler Owens, with the actor showcasing the right amount of headstrong and cocky attitude to make him likeable and easy to root for throughout the story. He’s definitely brash and sometimes a bit arrogant (much like his Hangman character from Top Gun: Maverick), but Powell plays this particular persona quite well, which makes for a good foil to Jones’s more remorseful and more reserved Kate. There is a little bit of backstory to the character of Tyler, but, due to the fact that the role isn’t the true main lead (more like a co-star lead), it isn’t fully developed and is more in the “here now” rather than learning about some tragic past events like Kate. This, of course, was the way the film’s script was design and (for me, at least) it was perfectly fine. Plus, I did like on the screen chemistry that both Jones and Clark to be well-matched, which does help us (as the viewers) to be buy into the relationship that Kate and Tyler have with each other. In short, while not the most original character to be drawn upon, Powell’s Tyler is a solid fit for the movie’s narrative being told and certainly drums up the classic cowboy wrangler swagger of which the story calls upon.
Looking beyond the feature’s two main leads, Twisters does shine a light on one of its large supporting characters in the movie, Javi, Kate’s former Storm Chaser team member and who ropes her back into chasing down tornadoes in the film, and who is played by actor Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and In the Heights). The character of Javi is a step below the two primary leads in the overall narrative of the movie, but does have its moments for self-reflection and character growth, which does make him compelling to a certain degree. This is also aided by the fact that Ramos’s performance does make Javi likeable and sympathetic through the sum parts of his efforts.
Beyond those three characters, there is a highlighted moments of certain characters that are a part of Tyler’s storm chasing crew. This includes actor Brandon Perea (Nope and The OA) as videographer Boone, actress Sasha Lane (Conversations with Friends and Hellboy) as drone operator Lily, actor Tunde Adebimpe (Rachel Getting Married and Strange Planet) as scientist Dexter, and actress Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) as mechanic Dani. These characters are almost stock-like and help build around Tyler’s persona and give context to the story / situation every now and again, which was almost by design, so I’m quite as critical as examining these particular individuals in manner that I would with Kate or Tyler or even Javi. Yes, it would’ve been a bit interesting to see more of them develop beyond their initial persona set-ups, but they are supporting characters in the movie and they do just that….and it’s fine for the narrative being told.
Other acting talents, including actor Harry Hadden-Paton (The Crown and Downton Abbey) as London journalist profiling Tyler and his crew Ben, actress Maura Tierney (ER and Liar Liar) as Kate’s mother as Cathy Carter, actor David Corenswet (The Politician and We Own the City) as Javi’s business partner Scott, actor Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters and The Woman in the Wall) as part of Kate’s old storm chasing crew / her boyfriend Jeb, actress Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men and Longlegs) as part of Kate’s old storm chasing crew Addy, actor Nik Dodani (Atypical and Murphy Brown) as part of Kate’s old storm chasing crew Praveen, and actor David Born (The Highwaymen and Friday Night Lights) as the man who helps fund Javi’s Storm Par team Marshall Riggs, are delegated to other secondary characters in the film. Much like Tyler’s crew, these particular individuals don’t have much to do beyond bring continuity to particular scenes as well as furthering the plot along. It would’ve been nice to see some of these characters have a little bit more substance and depth. Still, the talents of the people were strong enough to make them memorable in their respective parts to play in the feature.
