1996’s Twister, starring Bill Paxton (Near Dark; Weird Science) and Helen Hunt (As Good As It Gets), holds a place of nostalgia for many. That film has resonated with viewers, making it something they have continuously returned to years later. Such resonance meant it would only be a matter of time before a return to this world. Now, audiences enter Twisters, a “legacy sequel” set within the same universe. While set in the same world as the original film, this story follows an entirely new batch of characters.
Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate in TWISTERS, directed by Lee Isaac Chung. Photo Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures; & Amblin Entertainment. © Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.
Twisters follows Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a former college storm chaser haunted by a tragedy. Now a meteorologist, Kate is brought back into her former life by her old friend and fellow storm chaser, Javi (Anthony Ramos). Calling Kate back into the world of storm chasing reintroduces her to a life she thought she had left behind. This puts Kate into the crosshairs of Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a storm chaser and social media superstar. The film follows them in an adrenaline-fueled race tracking storm systems across Oklahoma.
Full disclosure: the original Twister was something I had just recently seen in preparation for this film. While understanding its cultural importance for many, it did not resonate with me in that same way. That lack of emotional connection made me go into Twisters with a blank slate. In turn, it helped me get more enjoyment out of the film than I expected. That enjoyment can be attributed to a few key factors. The first is the spectacle, showcased beautifully via AMC’s Dolby Cinema. With the intensified score and sound design, the film immediately sucks you into this world.
L-R: Sasha Lane as Lily and Glen Powell as Tyler in TWISTERS, directed by Lee Isaac Chung. © Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.
Director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) clearly understands what viewers want to see on screen: the storm sequences. Those sequences’ brutal, in-your-face nature remains constantly tense and highly entertaining. At 117 minutes, Twisters delivers the thrills that will make those looking for pure fast-paced entertainment appropriately entertained. Boredom could arise when the storm chasing and heightened action sequences die down. In Twisters quiet moments, the general sense of fun grinds to a halt. That is to no fault of Edgar-Jones (Normal People; Fresh) as Kate, but it stems from her character’s motivation from the opening scene.
Twisters’s opening set piece plagues the character with copious amounts of grief. Audiences clearly understand this, making Kate’s eventual explanation of her pain repetitive. It bogs the film with bland emotionality, particularly in her relationship with Javi. Once Tyler arrives on screen, the film becomes injected with a real sense of fun. Powell (Hit Man; Top Gun: Maverick) embodies the essence of an old-school Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike). His charm and infectious charisma make for an overall entertaining and engaging performance, which adds some needed depth to Edgar-Jones’s role, creating a fun dynamic between the two which, while predictable, has an almost buoyant-like energy with rapid-fire rapport which helped me forgive some of the film’s more predictable moments. Such a dynamic even helps the mind-numbing scientific jargon feel more palatable. By the time the third act rolled around, that dynamic kept me engaged, no matter the over-the-top action. Those looking for pure dumb and fun summer thrills should look no further.
L-R: Tunde Adebimpe as Dexter, Sasha Lane as Lily, Harry Hadden-Paton as Ben, Brandon Perea as Boone, Katy O’Brian as Dani, Anthony Ramos as Javi, Glen Powell as Tyler, and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate in TWISTERS, directed by Lee Isaac Chung. Photo Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures; & Amblin Entertainment. © Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.
Twisters clearly understands what it wants to accomplish and that is to deliver pure entertainment and a general sense of fun. In that way, audiences should be perfectly content with the results. While nothing particularly revolutionary, the mere scope is worth a trip to the cinema. Besides a dynamic performance by Glen Powell, the set pieces maintain a consistently exciting atmosphere. The fans of Twister could be left sorely disappointed with the lack of connective tissue and general ‘90s charm of the original. Regardless, Twisters has plenty to offer on its own fun and dumb merits.
In theaters July 19th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Universal Pictures Twisters website.
Final Score: 3 out of 5.
Share this:
Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
Leave a Reply