Twisters wrangles up everything needed to show its audience what the big screen was made for. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but what it lacks in originality, it makes up in sheer spectacle. It’s big, loud, and most importantly, a hell of a lot of fun.
Whether you call it a reboot or a legacy sequel, this movie captures the spirit of what made the original special. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? This shares a lot structurally with Twister (‘96), but does it all just a little bit better. On one hand, the movie plays things a bit too comfortable in banking on viewers’ nostalgia for the first film, but on the other, that familiarity gives it an old fashioned feeling that works in its favour. It offers a fresh enough take to feel like its own thing, while leaving audiences reminiscent of what they loved about the original.
It’s always a gamble when a director makes the jump from indie darlings to big budget event movies, but Lee Isaac Chung handles the transition quite well. I have to hand it to him - the man knows how to make a field look pretty. The push from both Chung and star Glen Powell to shoot much of the film on location in Oklahoma gives it a more grounded, earthy feel that puts you right there in the action. The visual effects are mighty impressive, expertly blending practical set pieces with terrifying VFX tornadoes.
The characters, as they were in the original, aren’t all that deep, but it’s okay because once again this cast has strong screen presence. The effortlessly charismatic Glen Powell brings a balance of smugness and charm to his twister wrangling cowboy. This is Daisy Edgar Jones’ first big blockbuster, and while it might not be her best work, she proves she’s got what it takes to lead a movie of this calibre. The chemistry amongst the leads - Jones, Powell and Ramos - gives this movie a lot of heart. The supporting players round out the cast with a collection of fun performances.
If you feel it, chase it. Let me tell you something - Twisters sure had me feeling it. This big budget disaster movie is far from disastrous, and a more than worthy successor to the ‘96 classic.
3.5/5