From Joe Peltzer

In the pantheon of movie quotes that have gone on to persist in my vernacular, 1996’s Twister holds a special place in my heart with “Cow… another cow… actually, I think that’s the same one.” Helen Hunt and the late Bill Paxton memorably headlined one of the best films of the ‘90s, which has now inspired a sequel (of sorts) in Twisters, directed by Minari’s Lee Isaac Chung. Though this could fall into the category of “follow up films that nobody asked for,” Twisters is a wild romp through the Oklahoman heartland with a mostly-satisfying premise and even better performances, by the actors and weather catastrophes alike. 2024’s first big summer blockbuster has arrived.

Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a storm chaser and meteorologist who steps away from the chase after a devastating experience, but is roped back in by an old friend (Anthony Ramos as Javi). While back in her home state of Oklahoma and on the storm hunt, she meets social media star Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), his bombastic personality soon giving way to more than meets the eye. Together, they end up facing a massive convergence of storm systems that threaten the state, its people, and their lives.

Twisters’ secret sauce is its lively and committed top-three outstanding trio of Edgar-Jones, Powell, and Ramos. The former is particularly engaging and charming with a character who carries torment, but shows glimpses of unbridled excitement and energy. Powell for his part has cemented himself as the leading man of our time, his charisma and good ol’ American boy looks lighting up any scene he is involved in and complimenting any and all scene partners. He’s definitely filling the gap left by Armie Hammer’s… “separation” from Hollywood… through capitalizing more than Hammer likely ever could. Ramos, for his part, has more to his role than I expected heading in and continues to be a humorous, empathetic presence no matter what project he pops up in (okay, maybe not Dumb Money). Elsewhere we have Superman himself David Corenswet, Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack), and Nope’s Brandon Perea, along with Sasha Lane, Kieran Shipka, Nik Domain, and Maura Tierney. I mention the vast cast to draw attention to the fact that it is absolutely stacked with many more not named here. While each character was unique enough to stand out, the conglomeration of them together was somewhat exhausting with many of the characters downright annoying. A third act redemption for a few (mostly in Powell’s crew) notwithstanding, I found myself wanting more time with the central figures of the story without the noise of the others.

Said story, it turns out, is not terrible and, while the film is technically a sequel, the DNA only goes so far as to involve storm chasing and new technologies to better understand (and questionably combat) the tornados. Oh, and Dorothy makes a momentary appearance. Whereas the first film really made you grow attached to the characters, I could didn’t give two hoots about anyone but Edgar-Jones and Ramos. Sure, Powell is great, but his character is a social media likes chaser with an annoying band of misfits who conveniently have an altruistic side when necessary for the plot, countering their otherwise selfish and obnoxious existences. But what drove Twister was the excitement around the technology being used to better understand the storms and save lives in the end, something carried on by Edgar-Jones and partly by Ramos, but half-baked and lost in the bombastic exploitation of the CGI naders (slang for tornadoes… LOOK IT UP!).

To clarify, each and every scene involving a twister was fierce and exciting, the type of scenes you want to see on the biggest screens with the best sound systems. The action was aplenty and definitely ratcheted up from the first installment, but that almost works against the film in a way where the thrill level is gone and we’re just seeing things (and people) fly around in a different setting. That said, I ate it all up and had a blast. Chung’s direction is lively, enveloping, and focused on what the audience truly came to see. The final encounter with an F5 is intense, heart-pounding, and a satisfying conclusion to the limited through line of plot from the opening scene. Plus, its setting is like a cinematic inception of sorts and excited this nerdy critic.

Enhanced by a rocking country-edged soundtrack and top-notch visual effects, Twisters works as fun theatrical experience best enjoyed when you don’t think too hard about the plot. We didn’t need this film, but I am glad that it exists as a showcase of the talent of the three main stars and a damn good time at the movies. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Twisters hits theaters on July 19th, 2024.

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