Movie: Twisters
Production Company: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Producers: Pete Chiappetta, Patrick Crowley, Thomas Hayslip
Scriptwriters: Mark L. Smith, Joseph Kosinski
Main Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos
Release Date: 17th July 2024
Running Time: 117 minutes
Certificate: 12A
Introduction: The sequel to the 1996 disaster flick is not as outrageously silly as it’s predecessor, but it is still a solidly entertaining summer rollercoaster ride.
Synopsis: Daisy Edgar-Jones is ‘Kate Carter’, a retired tornado-chaser who is convinced by her former colleague ‘Javi’ (Anthony Ramos) to return to Oklahoma with new technology and a new team in order to prevent more tornadoes. Here, they encounter Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) a cocky, lone wolf who has the same intentions
Analysis: Revitalizing 80/90s properties that have not been touched or thought about since their release is always a risk (good God, I have been sounding like a stuck record recently) as it is virtually a guarantee that no one cares or even remembers anymore. Yet, it was all thanks to a little film called ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ that proved that, not only it could be done, but create a whole new generation of cinematic experience and could perhaps even surpass what came before. Whilst this is nowhere near Maverick (which was truly a once in a lifetime event which very few will ever be again), it is a worthy enough successor and a reminder of what good old-school disasters can be like. As far as most mainstream blockbusters are going, it does feel like a breath of fresh air that we haven’t had in a while.
Back in the summer of ’96, having already wowed and exhilarated audiences with ‘Speed’ (one of the best action films ever made and one of my favourites), director Jan de Bont decided to yet again give audiences a blockbuster the likes of which they had not seen before in the form of ‘Twister’; a stripped down, brainless and ridiculously enjoyable disaster-movie that had no right to be as good as it was. This time around, Lee Isaac Chung has taken over. Twenty-eight years later, it seems that same sense of leave your brains at the door and succumb to the stupidity is still very much alive with a sequel that, whilst not as hilariously silly as before, still offers some excellently handled spectacle and likeable characters. ‘CHASE. RIDE. SURVIVE.’ could not have been more of a fitting tagline and they know it.
This also happens to be rather fitting of the experience of watching it too. As far as this kind of genre goes, often times the humans can feel rather expendable and not as developed as they should be; by the time someone inevitably bites the dust, you don’t feel much as you should. This time, however, you do want everyone to make it out alright which is more than I can say for most. Every performance on screen is as engaging as they can make it with what they’ve got. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell make for a watchable on-screen pair, and I do admit that I’m happy for the stratospheric rise both seem to be on. Hopefully, much more continues to follow.
‘Twisters’ plays things far safer, more serious and straight faced yet ups the action significantly. For example, we (sadly) don’t get any flying cows (yet the film very clearly replaces them with chickens which doesn’t work as well -yet it did get a loud laugh in my screen) or houses falling from the sky this time, yet we are introduced to whirly fire clouds and the implementation of fireworks. So, there is still plenty bang for your buck. Cinematic development is the reason behind all of this as it was for Maverick. Technology such IMAX and 4DX did not exist back in the day. Now, audiences are able to experience a whole new level of storm chasing that they couldn’t the first time. Whilst ‘Twister’ would have been rather revolutionary the first time (it did earn an Oscar nomination for visual effects), there was always going to be the question of just different this would be and look. Of course, it is all still very impressive.
Having been produced by Amblin Entrainment (founded by Steven Spielberg), this does make way for some moments to have a sprinkle of Spielbergian touch which I welcomed entirely and which fitted perfectly well. Whilst it’s plot feels weaker and some ideas are re-hashed (which I did not mind), it does make for some pretty breathtaking entertainment. If you want the most out of your admission, I do thoroughly recommend 4DX for this one, one of only two experiences I’ve had where the film feels tailor-made for it which no other environment can give you (not even the grand scale of IMAX). If any reluctance, hesitation or trepidation were to be had over an old summer hit being revisited once more, they are gone now. If they could all be like this (and that is a big if), I may even be up for more like it, we shall see.
In cinemas now.
Overall Rating: 8/10 – Very Good
Target Audience: 12+
Content Warning: moderate threat, injury detail
Recommendation: Yes
