Plenty of people could have done without the immersive marketing but Twisters is storming its way into theaters for a thrilling time.

Twisters is being described as a “current-day chapter” of the original 1996 classic. While there are no returning characters, filmmakers do find some ways to place a few Easter eggs for fans of the earlier film. For instance, we still see them using a version of Dororthy. Characters are at a movie theater when a tornado hits, trying to find safety. There’s also a nice cameo that makes a way of paying tribute to the late Bill Paxton. This time around, we have a character wanting to tame tornadoes using science and another wishing to wrangle them live on social media. It’s truly amazing what films can do with the advances in modern-day technology. Obviously, they do their best to stay true to the earlier look and visual effects. Regardless, Michael Crichton would be proud of a new chapter staying within the realm of science fact rather than fiction.

Depending on who you are, tornadoes can be a thing of beauty or the worst nightmare. Nobody wants to be there when the sirens start going off, least of all me. I know from experience, too, having attended the 2004 Senior PGA Championship at Valhalla when they had to evacuate the course because of a tornado touching down. And yet, sirens were going off in the Chicagoland area for two consecutive days prior to my screening of Twisters. It’s not the immersive marketing that anyone would like prior to watching a film about tornadoes.

Behind the camera, Lee Isaac Chung may seem like an unusual choice to direct. After all, he comes from the world of independent films. Twisters is the first major blockbuster film with him at the helm. He did direct an episode of The Mandalorian, leading to Kathleen Kennedy’s directorial endorsement. Of course, it’s not different than Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment selecting Colin Trevorrow following his success with Safety Not Guaranteed. But like Marvel films of late, blockbusters have a way of drawing in auteur filmmakers. But also, who wouldn’t want to work with the likes of executive producer Steven Spielberg or producer Frank Marshall. At the end of the day though, Lee Isaac Chung makes the film his own while still keeping it in a world of science fact rather than fiction.

Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) both have an interest in tornadoes but they have different approaches to storms. Kate, now working out of the NWS offices in New York, is still traumatized from an earlier encounter during college. When Javi (Anthony Ramos) comes back into her life to test his new storm tracking system, Kate is initially hesitant. Nobody could blame her for wanting to stay safe with her previous trauma. Bat at the same time, there’s surely going to be some part of oneself that feels the draw to chase storms. It’s not until after landing on the ground in Oklahoma that Kate first encounters Tyler, who is something of a social media star. They are polar opposites of each other and while there’s tension at first, it soon becomes chemistry between them.

There are a few parallels between this film and the earlier one. They really play up Tyler’s superstar status–an otherwise impossible feat in 1996. The real turning point comes when Kate, Javi, and their crew help out a town damaged by the storms. That’s when Kate really learns about the true meaning behind Storm Par. I personally do not blame her but it’s the inciting factor that eventually drives Kate back to her roots. It also allows Tyler to get to know her better. Later on, Paul Scheer gets to show off his comic chops as an airport traffic guard. Even though you know what’s about to happen, it’s such a hysterical sequence!

With the help of former NOAA analyst Kevin Kelleher, they are able to find the right balance between science, entertainment and empathy. That being said, Twisters is not a message movie about climate change but it does make it a point to mention that there are more storms producing tornadoes. This does not change the fact that storms are getting worse as the climate changes. Make no mistake that tornado alley is either moving eastward or growing in size. Case in point: prior to this past Sunday, only six tornadoes had ever touched down in the city of Chicago in the past seventy years. This week saw three tornadoes hit Chicago in two consecutive days. This is on top of other tornadoes hitting the wider metro area, too. All in all, NWS Chicago confirmed 25 tornadoes hitting the area during July 14-15.

Elevated by the standout performances and chemistry of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell, Twisters is not only a solid blockbuster but also serves as a compelling inspiration for a new generation of meteorologists and storm chasers.

DIRECTOR: Lee Isaac Chung
SCREENWRITER: Mark L. Smith
STORY BY: Joseph Kosinski
CAST: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Harry Hadden-Patton, David Corenswet, Daryl McCormack, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O’Brian, Nik Dodani, Kiernan Shipka, Paul Scheer

Universal Pictures releases Twisters in theaters on July 19, 2024. Grade: 4/5

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