The original 1996 Twister is a prime example of a crowd-pleasing studio blockbuster, filled with groundbreaking special effects, a memorable ensemble cast, and instantly iconic scenes of big-budget disaster up on the big screen. As thrilling as it is silly, Twister has been a formative favorite for an entire generation of movie lovers, which of course makes it an ideal candidate for Hollywood’s reboot / remake / sequel machine.
Coming nearly thirty years after Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton rekindled their love for eachother while chasing down killer tornadoes, Twisters is roaring into theaters as a refreshingly standalone sequel, one that delivers a different kind of movie magic and emotional depth than its predecessor. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung (who made a legitimately perfect film with the Oscar-nominated Minari in 2020), Twisters even improves on the original in some ways, making for a truly worthwhile theatrical experience.
The new film centers on Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a former storm chaser from Oklahoma who has moved on to an office job in New York City after a devastating incident years prior. Similar to Paxton’s leading man Bill Harding, Kate has an almost sixth sense regarding extreme weather; an instinct born out of her love and fascination with the phenomena of tornadoes. That instinct is exactly what her old friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) is looking for, as he reconnects with Kate to recruit her for a storm-chasing job back in their home state in order for his company, Storm Par, to create a perfect scan of a tornado.
Kate reluctantly returns to Oklahoma and realizes that her old hobby has become a source of viral fame for people like Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a popular storm chaser who live streams his adventures with his crew where he drives directly into the heart of the country’s deadliest tornadoes. Despite their conflicting agendas and personalities, Kate and Tyler begin falling for one another as the area begins experiencing an unprecedented wave of tornado outbreaks, and they just may be the only two who can do anything about it.
If you’ve seen Chung’s previous work with the semi-autobiographical Minari, you know the amount of reverence the filmmaker seems to hold for rural America. From gorgeous shots of endless fields of farmland to the way the clouds form or the grass meets the sky, Chung and cinematographer Dan Mindel (Star Trek, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) clearly harbor the same kind of love for the American outdoors. Almost every frame sings with a clear affection for the vast farmlands and wheat fields of America’s heartland, as well as its unpredictable weather patterns.
Twisters is at its best during the actual scenes of storm chasing, capturing the thrill that all of these characters get out of their dangerous work. In a sort of reverse callback to the first film, Tyler’s crew (Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Daryl McCormack, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O’Brian) is a boisterous bunch that have more than earned their reputation as tornado “wranglers”, gleefully going into the cyclones themselves with nothing but grins on their faces. On the other side of the coin is Kate and the Storm Par team, who are far more corporate and square than the rowdy company that Tyler keeps.
The competitive aspect of the storm chasing - being in it for the science versus money or fame - is much more prominent in this movie than the previous one. Storm Par and Tyler’s crew are constantly at odds with one another throughout the film, racing one another for ideal spots and approaching the job in completely different ways. But while everyone involved has an obvious passion for what they do, no one appears more in tune with nature and weather itself than Kate and Tyler. That mutual fascination is what draws them together, and their gradual romance is one that feels rightfully earned by the end.
With lively energy and pacing, a charming cast (Powell steals the show with that classic movie star gravitas of his), a great soundtrack including the likes of Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert and more, and solid effects, Twisters makes for a perfect summer blockbuster. It delivers plenty of seat-gripping thrills as well, most notably in an effective repeat of the first movie’s drive-in sequence now set during a highly crowded rodeo.
Of course, Twisters isn’t immune to the kind of blockbuster disaster movie silliness that usually comes with the territory. There’s a particularly hilarious scene where everyone in the frame is drinking Bud Light and they need you to know it, and another where Tyler gets pinned by debris and the desired effect looks less than spectacular. Most of the film’s issues stem from its action-packed final act - the story feels like it ends emotionally for all intents and purposes, and then suddenly decides to go too big and too silly for its destruction-filled climax.
There's far more to enjoy and have a blast with than dislike when it comes to this impressive sequel. It’s a movie that was clearly made for the big screen experience and it certainly delivers on that (storm)front. Whether you’re an old school fan of the 90s original or brand new to the roaring ride of tornado chasing, Twisters is a fun and exciting time for everyone. Hang on tight.
‘Twisters’ is now playing in theaters.
