Twisters won’t be winning any awards for originality. Still, it scratches that blockbuster itch that has been hard to reach through the thick layers of hegemonised superhero media that’s dominated recent blockbuster cinema. Twisters is now playing in cinemas nationwide.
There are many interesting tidbits about the 1996 disaster movie Twister, such as its being the first film to be commercially released on DVD in America; however, the film itself is rather underwhelming. While there’s no denying its ambition or spectacle, despite how poorly the CGI has aged, it’s a hollow movie with paper-thin characters and theatrical drama. It’s bog-standard even by 1990s blockbuster levels. The same can thankfully not be said for its 2024 sequel, Twisters, which proves to be both visually impressive and an engaging drama to boot.
Bearing little connection to its predecessor, minus the subject matter and one instance of a Dorothy doppler being used, our protagonist is ex-storm chaser Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones). Five years ago, she was an adrenaline-charged student enthralled by tornadoes. But, since a science experiment in which her attempt to dispel a tornado went horribly wrong, she has resigned herself to a mundane life as a meteorologist. When her old student friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) approaches her to help test tornado scanning technology, Kate agrees, as the research may help reduce destruction in the local communities. This marks the beginning of a path to personal redemption as Kate must confront her guilt in the face of a deadly tornado outbreak sweeping Oklahoma.
If taken purely as popcorn entertainment, then Twisters certainly delivers. The craft emphasises the size and scale of tornadoes whenever they appear on the screen, basking in their destructive potential through sound design and wide cinematography. Yet the film also recognises the bizarre beauty of such acts of nature, too, whenever it’s not levelling a human settlement anyway. Many of the characters are in awe of the tornadoes’ power and inception, most notably that of a YouTuber storm chaser named Tyler (Glen Powell), who serves as a foil to Kate as the two develop a rivalry in the field. While not downplaying the severity of the environmental impact and people’s living conditions, particularly in the second half when these issues become more prominent, director Lee Isaac Chung nonetheless showcases an epic quality to this force of nature that is both breathtaking and terrifying. His direction is immersive and involved, while the CGI utilised to bring these storms to life blends terrifically with the cinematography and sound, breathing stunning life into the visuals.
Yet, beneath the grandiose audiovisual charms, lies an earnest sense of humanity in its characters and drama. Chung’s last film was the wonderful 2020 picture Minari, which saw an American-Korean family struggling to assimilate into an Arkansas community due to their own internal conflicts. Inner hardship also plagues Twisters heroine’s mind as she struggles to move past the mistakes she made in the film’s prologue. Trauma, the desire to do good, and the rejection of elitism are all themes that the film explores through the characters’ interactions and growth as a result of the story and the increasing threat posed by the tornadoes as they intensify and wreak more havoc. Where it begins with characters divided due to circumstance or objective, the film works towards an endgame that sees its players come together as a community against the destructive forces of nature.
There is a groundedness to these characters that makes them easy to engage with, something bolstered by the dedicated acting. Where the performances of the original Twister were a little awkward, save for the late Bill Paxton and his wealth of charm, Twisters greatly benefits from the charisma of its lead trio. Glen Powell walks that tightrope between smug and sensitive deftly, especially once the film starts to peel back the layers of his initial influencer archetype. Ramos superbly captures the emotional turmoil of his characters’ torn loyalties as he navigates between business deals and moral conscience. All the while, Edgar-Jones demonstrates considerable range in comedy, drama, and even physicality during the more action-heavy scenes, particularly in the climax. In many ways, she’s the soul of this picture.
These are all strong merits that make Twisters an exciting blockbuster feature with a surprising amount of heart at its core. However, it’s a pity that the spectacle occasionally threatens to dissipate due to the overstuffing of the plot. While these three characters are the definitive leads, a large pool of supporting characters feels inconsequential to the story, save for the odd exception. They exist primarily as comic relief or fodder to augment the epicness or greediness of other figures, such as Glen’s storm-chasing team, which includes formidable actors like Katy O’Brian and Sasha Lane. Even the antagonistic figure of a profiteering investor (David Born) is in far too little of the film to leave much of an impression. As such, neither its comedy nor its commentaries, such as human greed in the face of natural tragedy, are incorporated as smoothly as they could’ve been. But when your spectacle is this enchanting and your characters are this fun, such flaws are easy to overlook in favour of the entertainment.
Twisters won’t be winning any awards for originality. Still, it scratches that blockbuster itch that has been hard to reach through the thick layers of hegemonised superhero media that’s dominated recent blockbuster cinema. Elevated by a skilled director and charismatic leads, it engages and immerses viewers through its action and visuals, while simultaneously promoting themes of community and redemption through its character arcs. It far exceeds its predecessor in quality while also standing confidently on its own. Those in the mood for a thrill at the cinema this week will find plenty to enjoy in this grand and exciting feature.
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