HOLLYWOOD—If you were to ask me about the 1996 flick “Twister” I would NOT be able to tell you much. All I can remember is that it starred Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton and it was about people chasing tornadoes. Yes, I still find that beyond baffling, but there are people out there who are fascinated by the weather phenomenon and they try to learn and understand the development and intensity of tornadoes in the country.
So who would have expected almost 30 years later we would have a sequel to that film, “Twisters,” (get it)? That is Hollywood people, you have to have a twist on titles because let’s face it “Twisters 2” just sounds terrible and do we really want the same title for a movie that came out in 1996?
With that said, “Twisters” has a very compelling opening that hooks the audience immediately and forces you to become invested in our protagonist Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones). I don’t want to spoil things, but an event traumatizes Kate where her desire to chase tornadoes becomes a thing of the past until her pal Javi (Anthony Ramos) returns to her life and is hoping to get her to assist him with a project to gain funding for more research.
While hesitant, Kate leaves New York to return to Oklahoma with Javi, where they meet social media phenom Tyler Owens (Glen Powell). Powell was indeed a breakout in “Top Gun: Maverick” and his starring role here proves he is Hollywood’s new ‘It’ guy. He has that charisma and charm, and it just shines on the screen. His chemistry with Kate is just as vital as the audience becomes invested in both characters.
As the narrative moves forward we learn things about Tyler that opens Kate’s eyes to a character that she deems egotistical, but there is more than meets the eye. “Twisters” truly works because the story is captivating and the characters are well-developed. We care about them and they are integral to propelling where the story heads.
The action is helmed by director Lee Issac Chung, who does careful staging of the twisters that wreck havoc and threaten our protagonists. Yes, if you have seen the teasers and it is obvious some of the madness and catastrophic damage witnessed like the oil refinery that explodes and the audience gets to witness a ‘fire tornado.’
We see things eaten alive by the tornado like cars, trees, signs, and a bevy of other things, but it is the restraint of the twisters that makes it so compelling. Not doing too much serves an important purpose. The visual effects of 2024 are way advanced compared to 1996, so I’m certain we could have seen special effects more explosive, but that restraint from Chung strengthens the impact of the film.
Tornadoes or twisters, the term can be interchangeable, but long story short they are dangerous and they have become more prevalent over time. This movie gives the audience an inside look at various weather patterns and research being down to try to explain and explore on a bigger scale as to why and what can be done to stop it. “Twisters” is an exciting, perfect, summer blockbuster that delivers a great time for all watching, kids, teens, adults, and the elderly. I had one hell of a ride with this movie and so will you.
