Movie Review: Twisters

Nothing about Lee Isaac Chung’s last movie, Minari, suggests that he would be a top choice to helm a reboot of a hit 90s disaster movie. Minari is a beautiful, slow paced, and personal story, whereas Twisters is full of CGI spectacle and chaos. He winds up proving to have been the best director for the job though, as he and writers Mark L. Smith and Joseph Kosinski inject the action with a surprising amount of genuine emotion and cinematographer Dan Mindel helps him to capture some truly beautiful images of the Oklahoma countryside.

Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) in New York City, having moved there from Oklahoma to avoid her feelings of guilt following a tragic accident. She is surprised one day when her old friend from back home Javi (Anthony Ramos) pops in to try and convince her to help him test a new tornado scanning system he helped develop with his company Storm Par. They had both worked together conducting field research on tornados before the incident and Kate has a well-earned reputation for being preternaturally good at tracking storms. She is reluctant to take the offer but winds up relenting and so heads back west to help out.

Once there, the team encounters a popular YouTube storm chaser named Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), who refers to himself as a “tornado wrangler”. His over-the-top personality and brash attitude rub Kate the wrong way, but something about her intrigues him, and so he begins keeping an eye on her. Her first day back in the field starts out well enough, though she is still struggling to move on from her past and makes a critical error. She gradually becomes more confident and relaxed again though as she continues to encounter Tyler and begins to get to know him better, finding him to be surprisingly likable.

There is plenty of tornado action spread throughout the film, including some truly stunning set pieces. The special effects are spectacular and will very likely hold up every bit as well as or better than most of those in the 1996 movie. Speaking of which, while the original Twister is a lot of fun and definitely worth a watch, it is not necessary to see it to enjoy Twisters, as no direct connection exists between the two films. That being said if you liked that movie, you’ll love this one. Actually, most people should enjoy this, as it has at least a little of something for everyone: action, comedy, drama, and even a fully convincing enemies-to-lovers romance story.

Edgar-Jones and Powell have genuine chemistry with each other, with Powell in particular exuding classic movie-star charisma. Ramos is good as always and his character’s arc is compelling. As he did in Nope, Brandon Perea stands out every time he’s on screen, leaving a big impression with the relatively small role of Boone, a member of Tyler’s team. Likewise, Harry Hadden-Paton does a good job playing the in-over-his-head British reporter sent to profile Tyler and provides a lot of the movie’s humor. Others aren’t given quite as much to do, but there aren’t any weak links in the cast.

There is a lot of science here, some of which may or may not be possible, but it all feels plausible enough to believe in the moment. Some of the explanations can feel a little bit shoehorned in and the main plot points are easy enough to see coming, but the ride is more than enjoyable enough to compensate. Chung also smartly remembers that there is a human cost to these disasters and makes sure to show it while avoiding feeling exploitative. Twisters is a prime example of blockbuster filmmaking at its finest, pummeling the viewer with spectacle while still maintaining the story’s humanity. From the harrowing opening moments through to the grand scale climax, audiences will be blown away. ★★★★