Twisters – movie review

I have fond memories of Twister (1996), starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. Even though plot points may differ, I felt like I was getting a repeat dose in Twisters. This is a special effects movie, with romance thrown in for good measure. Perhaps it will resonate more strongly with those that haven’t seen the earlier film.

Here we have a young female tornado chaser, Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones) full of life and energy. She’s on the hunt for tornadoes with four colleagues (they’re looking for a government grant) when everything goes awry, with disastrous consequences. Her world implodes. Five years later, she’s in a safe meteorological office job in New York. However, one of her former colleagues, Javi (Anthony Ramos) comes calling. She hasn’t done any tornado chasing since that fateful day and, at first, she dismisses Javi’s new overture. But she’s drawn back in when Javi reveals an exciting new 3D tracking system. The idea is to help save lives; but there’s more at play than meets the eye.

To bring added tension to the situation, tornado chasing is certainly not only the sole domain of Kate, Javi and his crew. Another party with a vested interest is Tyler Owens (Glen Powell).  He’s reckless, a cowboy in the field, who records his exploits. With his posse, he’s become a YouTube sensation. Initially, Kate gives him short shrift, but she discovers that there’s another layer to him. Soon, the lives of many, including Kate, Tyler and Javi are at stake as a massive tornado descends on central Oklahoma.

Twisters and devastation go hand-in-hand and so it is on screen. Buildings, cars and people are dismantled and scattered like confetti, giving the filmmakers plenty of visual latitude.

Kate suffering PTSD and effectively withdrawing from her former life (including from her mother) is an effective enough device. But I didn’t feel the film, written by Mark L. Smith (The Boys in the Boat), gave me anything that I wasn’t expecting. It’s predictable, with director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) also playing it safe.

The performances are fine, but little more than that. Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing) plays a sympathetic character, one with a strong conscience. With a broad grin on his face for much of the film, Powell (Anyone But You) goes for roguish sex appeal, while Ramos (In the Heights), as Javi, is left playing second fiddle.

Featuring a strong score, Twisters is a Hollywood popcorn movie. Those looking to lose themselves in glossy lightweight entertainment should enjoy.

Alex First

Other reviews you might enjoy:

• Fresh – movie review
• Where the Crawdads Sing – film review
• The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – movie review