'Twisters' Movie Review
- Details
- Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
- Published: Friday, 19 July 2024 11:04
- Written by Lupe R Haas
Lee Isaac Chung's TWISTERS is Hollywood's typical run-of-the-mill disaster flick, but the CGI tornadoes are much more frightening than the original 1996 blockbuster, TWISTER. Glen Powell's charisma spices up the action along with Daisy Edgar-Jones. Those familiar with the original 1996 blockbuster, will recognize some familiar elements, but the film is mostly unrelated to the original movie starring Helen Hunt and the late Bill Paxton.
Storm chasers, played by Powell, Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos, relish in hunting down tornadoes to learn more about the weather phenomena. Kate Cooper (Edgar-Jones) returns to tornado country in central Oklahoma at the behest of her former friend Javi (Ramos) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. She crosses paths with a rag-tag group led by YouTube influencer Tyler Owens (Powell) who documents his adventures for social media. The competing groups outsmart each other to capture the next big one.
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar-nominated writer-director of MINARI, delivers the adrenaline-pumping action with realistic tornadoes that make you appreciate big city life. The action is intense and frightening.
Glen Powell carries the film with his electric personality and charm. While he's playing a narcissist much like Cary Elwes' character in the 1996 film, Powell's Tyler is not one-dimensional like Elwes' portrayal. At the onset, he seems to be, but as the story progresses, the character wins you over the more we learn about him. The chemistry between Powell and Edgar-Jones is palpable, and their interaction makes for entertaining banter. The two play mind games in a flirtatious way which makes it fun.
While TWISTERS has no relation to the original events, there are familiar elements. For one, the data balls that Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton successfully tested in the original film are still in use. Tyler's group are hippie-type adventurers like in the original while Kate and Ramos' characters represent the more polished, corporate side of storm chasing. The screenplay by Mark L. Smith, writer of the Best Picture nominee THE REVENANT, cleverly twists the roles in this modern iteration which fans of the original will appreciate.
TWISTERS forges its own path and doesn't rely on nostalgia, avoiding cameos from actors in the original movie. While a Helen Hunt cameo might have been appreciated, it would have felt too clichéd.
The film also stars David Corenswet, the next Superman in James Gunn's upcoming SUPERMAN: LEGACY, NOPE'S Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane (American Honey), Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders), Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and Nik Dodani (Atypical).
TWISTERS is now playing in movie theaters.