‘Twisters’ Is A Fun Crowd-Pleaser – Review

“You don’t face your fears…you ride ‘em.” –Tyler Owens

In 1996, the disaster thriller Twister graced the big screen. With an ensemble cast that included Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Jami Gertz, Cary Elwes, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Twister was a box-office hit and a fan favourite. Now, the standalone sequel Twisters, with its unique blend of action, drama, and suspense, is set to captivate audiences once again.

Twisters begins with university student Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her fellow student storm chasers Jeb (Daryl McCormack), Addy (Kiernan Shipka), Praveen (Nik Dodani) and Javi (Anthony Ramos). Their research on storms, specifically tornadoes, in Oklahoma leads to a daring experiment that could potentially save lives. However, a miscalculation during the experiment leads to dire consequences, testing their resolve.

Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate Carter and Glen Powell as Tyler Owens in *Twisters*. (Courtesy of Universal Pictures)

Five years later, Kate, now working at a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) office in New York City, is far from the memories of Oklahoma. However, when Javi visits her and convinces her to rejoin him for one week of tornado chasing in Oklahoma, she is initially hesitant. But when she witnesses the latest devastation in her home state, she is inspired to take action. The dream of saving lives from the destruction of these storms is still alive in her, and she joins Javi and his team, meeting with the internet-famous storm chaser Tyler Owens (Glen Powell). Owens and his team, including Boone (Brandon Perea), Lily (Sasha Lane), Dexter (Tunde Adebimpe), and Dani (Katy O’Brien), bring a new level to the storm-chasing world, with their internet fame and memorabilia selling.

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung (Minari), Twisters is an action-packed crowd-pleaser (like its predecessor). Chung, screenwriter Mark L. Smith and story writer Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) come together to make a fun film with heart – even though there are some missteps along the way. Twisters opens well but loses its way momentarily after the opening sequence of events. Thankfully, Glen Powell’s Owens and teammates’ introduction infuse much-needed life into the movie before you’re entirely pulled out of it again.

The rivalry between Javi’s Storm Par team and Owens’s “tornado wrangling” team is a source of fun and entertainment throughout the film. This is primarily due to the charm and fun-loving nature of Glen Powell’s character, Tyler Owens. His interactions with the other characters and the playful competition between the two teams provide light-hearted moments that entertain the audience and keep them amused. Like in other roles, Powell is a charisma magnet, and it’s hard to take your eyes off him. Ultimately, it is Powell who holds the film together.

Glen Powell as Tyler Owens in *Twisters*. (Courtesy of Universal Pictures)

Another standout is Maura Tierney as Cathy Carter, Kate’s mother. While she doesn’t have as much screen time as some castmates, she makes the most of it. Tierney is warm, hilarious, and no-nonsense as Cathy, and I wish we could have spent more time with her. This was probably the biggest downfall of Twisters. With an exceptional ensemble cast, the audience doesn’t get enough time to spend with the characters, which is something that the original film did much better. For the most part, they are comedic relief or antagonists, but aside from that, you do not learn much about them – certainly not enough to care whether or not they get sucked into the rapid winds of the tornadoes.

However, what the movie lacked in memorable characters (save for a few), it made up for with fun scenes, excellent entertainment value, and wonderful VFX by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). It’s clear that Chung, Powell and the rest of the cast had a great time making the movie. What more could you ask for? If you’re looking for a fun escape at your local theatre this weekend, consider giving Twisters a whirl.