Rating: 4.5/5
Synopsis:
Twenty Eight years after the original, we finally get a sequel to “Twister”. This standalone story follows Kate, a retired meteorologist who used to chase tornados with her team. But when an old coworker entices her to join them for one last ride, Kate must face her fears and chase once again. But Kate and her new team encounter Tyler Owens, a youtuber who lives for the thrill of reckless storm chasing. The two teams compete to disrupt the path of a tornado. Who will come out on top? And will they make it out alive?
Positives:
I am a massive fan of the original “Twister”. I watched it on repeat as a kid, marveling at the spectacle (and terror) tornados can bring. It inspired a brief passion to become a meteorologist, but I soon realized science wasn’t my strongest subject, ha! When the studios announced a sequel was coming all these years later, I could hardly contain my excitement. I’m happy to report “Twisters” more than lived up to my expectations. I absolutely loved it! Summer blockbusters don’t get better than this. I am very impressed at the story Lee Isaac Chung and his team were able to craft. It pays homage to the original with nods here and there, but doesn’t forget to craft a fresh story. Sure, the template is similar to the first film…but an energetic new cast makes for a fun adventure.
Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones are excellent leads. They ooze charisma and have great chemistry, raising their connection in the story to surprising depths. Anthony Ramos also gives a nice performance as Kate’s old friend. We even get to see the new Superman himself (David Corenswet) play the jerk. Seems he studied Cary Elwes’ performance in the original and mirrored him nicely. “Twister” had an amazing cast of its own but I’m happy that they put so much care into making good characters for this one. The special effects are also a massive improvement from the original. The way the crew combined VFX into real world shots was impressive. The tornadoes were pretty seamless, developing the appropriate amount of intimidating while maintaining their realism. Much like the original, the action is top notch too. There is an extra level of intensity woven into the story due to the outstanding visuals and sound design. I saw the film in a Dolby format, so the rumbling of the seats and immersive nature of the story really made for a wild experience. I’d argue it was the most intense, realistic Dolby experience I’ve ever had. This is the definition of a big screen experience that has to be seen in the most premium format available.
It’s clear that the team studied tornados and how to make an audience feel like a part of this movie. Director Lee Isaac Chung and actor Glen Powell both grew up in the region where the film takes place, and hearing them describe off camera how they maneuvered their real world experience into the film really paid off. It’s clear Chung knows the terrain and culture of Oklahoma so his attention to detail here is great. But most importantly, the movie is a lot of fun. It doesn’t try to overstep its boundaries or outsmart the audience. Instead, it crafts large scale disaster action combined with state of the art special effects. A strong cast also anchors a surprisingly thoughtful story, highlighting the devastation middle America faces when such destruction hits them. The story has a lot of heart and kept me on the edge of my seat. Not much more I’d ask out of a summer blockbuster!
Negatives:
There’s not much that took away from my experience with “Twisters”. A lot will depend on an audience member’s ability to suspend disbelief and embrace the ridiculousness. Many of the characters have some over the top behavior and feature strong personalities, much like the original. I believe this works well in the nature of chasing storms but I could see some audience members feeling like the cast comes secondary to the spectacle. There are also some sequences that are borderline ridiculous. Since I expected this from a ‘Twisters” story, it didn’t bother me. Just something to keep in mind if logic and realism are important.
Conclusion:
“Twisters” did everything I needed it to. From its devastating opening scene to the pulse pounding conclusion, it never misses a beat. The cast delivers enough charm to satisfy fans of the original while forging a fun new path. Check out “Twisters” on the biggest screen possible and in a Dolby format. Movies this fun are meant to be experienced in a theater with a packed house. As a fan of the original, this one gets my seal of approval in spades. An excellent summer blockbuster!