Director Lee Isaac Chung transitions from directing family dramas to helming a summer blockbuster in his latest film, "Twisters," produced by Universal Pictures. Mark L. Smith is credited with writing the screenplay for this standalone sequel to the original 1996 box office hit.
The film "Twisters" draws inspiration from its predecessor as it introduces Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her companion, Javi (Anthony Ramos), who form part of a team dedicated to storm chasing. They are engaged in testing a hypothesis that proposes that by deploying an absorbent material into the center of a tornado, it may be feasible to mitigate its destructive force and thereby safeguard lives. Naturally, disaster strikes, and Kate retreats to the Big Apple for a cushy desk job.
Time passes, and the persuasive Javi lures Kate into a storm, chasing her back to the open plains by her friend, Javi, to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. The duo eventually crosses paths with the smooth but rash Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures. As storm season intensifies, Kate, Tyler, and their competing teams fight for their lives as multiple systems converge over the Sooner State.
One significant memory of the summer of 1996 is that "Twister" revived interest in disaster films and officially marked the start of the summer movie season in May. The creative team behind "Twisters" could have taken the easy route for the movie by making a sequel focused on the daughter of Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton's characters from the previous film, setting it in a big city, with the hook being that the daughter had no interest in storm chasing. Thankfully, the writer of "Twisters" chooses to set the film in the original universe, initially paying homage while allowing the film to find its voice.
"Twisters" kicks things off with an intense tornado sequence, which sets up our film's narrative. One of the first things I credit the movie with is the balance of the casting. Daisy Edgar-Jones first caught my attention with the horror flick "Fresh." Jones brings a likable charm to carry the film and organically balances the narrative with her male counterparts, who have a bit more star power.
Glen Powell continues his rise to the forefront of the next generation of Hollywood's leading men. As he has done in the past, Powell eschews everyman charm. Kudos to the creative team for adding some layers to Tyler's character. Additionally, Anthony Ramos entirely sells his role as a scientist. The script gives Ramos a strong arc and backstory that should speak to black and brown kids interested in metrology.
While I generally enjoyed "Twisters," the film isn't without its faults. The second act could've tightened up the pacing with some sharper editing. Furthermore, without spoiling the details, revealing a particular character's motives in the third act came off as forced.
Nevertheless, with impressive special effects and enjoyable performances from its leads, "Twisters" is a pleasant summer blockbuster.
Final Grade: B
"Twisters" opens in theaters tomorrow.
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