“Twisters” proves there is no simple math for defining what makes a good movie. An original story full of depth, innovation, and discovery is of critical importance to a well-made film, right? Well, “Twisters” doesn’t have any of that. How about smart character arcs that are surprising and rewarding for the way the journey is undertaken? Surely, that’s necessary for a great trip to the theater? Again, you won’t find that with “Twisters.” And yet…the late sequel (in concept only) by director Lee Isaac Chung is a genuinely entertaining time that overcomes its numerous shortcomings through charm and chemistry, almost forcing it into being a fun movie through sheer will and charisma. It’s corny and cliched, but it also mostly works thanks to a great cast and a return to what made the 1996 blockbuster so successful.
Kate was a storm chaser who was seeking to figure out a way to lessen the damage of tornadoes when tragedy struck her team. Now, five years later, she’s approached by her former colleague Javi (Anthony Ramos) to come back into the field and help him conduct some new research. Kate is gun-shy but accepts, and soon finds herself amidst a whole crowd of twister-seekers. Among them is the infamous Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a YouTube star with his own crew that loves exploring the storms. The two clash at first, but there is something undeniably there that helps reawaken the passion Kate once felt.
The first 15 minutes of “Twisters” is easily its worst. Fates of characters are telegraphed due to well-worn tropes, the dialogue is clunky, and everyone feels like a completely stock character whose story you already know and, frankly, is already a bit boring. The introduction of Tyler and his team still doesn’t totally shake this feeling of cinematic déjà vu, but it does begin to engage in a bit of misdirection. Not in terms of plotting or character arcs, no—all of that is going exactly where you think it will go with a bare minimum of surprises. The misdirection is using the charm of the actors and the utterly winning chemistry between them to make you absorbed in their story. Yes, your eyes will still roll at certain lines that try to personify the tornados into monsters from a creature feature, or some awkward bits that try to get poetic about life through the tortured metaphors of storm chasing and weather, but then Tyler and Kate will start flirting or some banter will break out amidst the group and it’s easily forgotten.
Director Chung (“Minari”) and screenwriter Mark L. Smith (“The Revenant”) learned the right lessons from Jan de Bont’s original 1996 “Twister.” Nothing in that movie, or even in the script from Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin, is truly earth shattering; it’s a very basic tale about a fairly interesting topic that uses a lot of stock relationships, arcs, and narrative beats to get from opening to closing credits. There’s visual spectacle with some cool CG set pieces, but what is really engrossing is the energy between the characters. In addition to the fun stars of Paxton and Hunt, the 1996 film had Philip Seymour Hoffman, Todd Field, Alan Ruck, and Sean Whalen amongst others in supporting roles, trading jokes and genuinely building up a vibe of a ragtag group of fun thrillseekers. That is replicated here with Owens’ crew (made up of Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O’Brian, and Harry Hadden-Paton) who don’t have a lot of depth but each get a memorable moment to shine and engage in terrific banter that makes it feel like real fun. The leads also do more than their fair share, with Powell especially exuding swagger as he literally moseys across the screen. This isn’t Hepburn & Tracy, but Edgar-Jones and Powell have scintillating chemistry when they are trading barbs or geeking out about the weather.
There’s a refreshing retro quality to “Twisters” that’s found in how the filmmakers value the cast and personalities and leverage them to bolster their spectacle. You enjoy hanging around these people, you like listening to them talk, you have fun watching them, and (perhaps most importantly) you find yourself hoping that they come out of their ordeals okay. That last part is essential to “Twisters” because, as previously mentioned, it’s not hard to predict where the story will go or what will happen. So it’s a feat of casting, acting, and directing that even with the sense that it’s all a foregone conclusion, viewers will still find themselves worried for these people they grow to love in just two hours. Audiences will be invested in “Twisters,” not because of some daring narrative risk taken, or even because of the scale of the threats posed throughout the movie. No, what you will actually care about is the people in the story. Sure, it’s a thrilling ride through a midwestern cyclone hellscape, but most importantly it’s a fun time with some charming characters.
3.5 / 5 Stars
Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O’Brian, Harry Hadden-Paton, Maura Tierney, David Corenswet
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
