• Release year: 2024
• Director: Lee Isaac Chung.
• Producers: Patrick Crowley and Frank Marshall.
• Screenplay by: Mark L. Smith.
• Cinematography by: Dan Mindel.
• Music by: Benjamin Wallfisch.

Shotgun Commentary: tornado season is back with a bang!

Review

Twisters is a remake of Twister (1996), an adaptation of the narrative to modern times, and a fix for natural-disaster movie fans. The feature doesn’t disappoint as long as you know what you’re there for and don’t expect anything else.

Despite the fact that this is a completely different story, the basics are pretty much the same and the references to the original work are aplenty. This reverence for the first instalment translates into both films having a very similar style, albeit still being very representative of the moment in time when they were released. Therein lies the main difference, a key distinction that makes this second instalment worth watching.

The good, the bad, the predictable

First things first, let’s talk about tornados. This feature is best enjoyed in the cinema, where the scale of the disaster is enjoyed in full. The transitions are smooth and the VFX are incredible. They took away any tension from the opening scene with their marketing, but there are still two more tornado sequences that are absolutely glorious.

These moments don’t really make up for the hilariously clichéd script but, to be honest, everything is so stereotypical that it comes across as funny instead of tedious. From the incredibly surreal Rambo-looking “drafting sequence” (Rambo: First Blood Part II, 1985), where Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is psychologically manipulated into going back to help, to the ridiculous amount of times when a tornado is coming to destroy them, and they just keep staring at it instead of rushing out of there, every bit of cliché is reminding you to not take this film too seriously. Much like the first one, you’re not there for a life-changing piece of narrative, so don’t look for it.

America, f*ck yeah

As the “Rambo” scene hints, the American factor is way over the top. There are cowboys, rednecks, rodeos, American flags almost in every frame, lots of “yeehaws”, etc. There is even a video-clip-looking montage with country music of the two main characters. Essentially, everything you need to be coughing up Stars and Stripes for weeks to come. All the film screams American culture except for one glaring inconsistency: a woman living alone in Oklahoma hears noises downstairs in her house in the middle of the night, and she doesn’t come down armed? Doubt.

Nevertheless, leaving guns out of the story is the right choice to keep it light. After all, the tornado is killing enough people as it is. Plus, you are supposed to love the redneck gang whose behaviour is as cringy as I’m sure realistic, so you don’t really want them anywhere near their worst cultural trait.

The banter between the two groups of tornado chasers is quite fun, and the fact that neither leader copy the other, but rather both have enough knowledge to compete without cheating, is a refreshing change of pace that adds a lot of optimism to the film. Why Kate is able to “see” more than the other experts at her office looking at the same amount of data in a computer screen is beyond comprehension, but it does look really cool on site.

Adequate cast

Despite the one-dimensional character she was given, Daisy Edgar-Jones rocks as Kate. She serves one of the best moments for a woman in action-genre history, and brings a level of emotion and depth that felt impossible in a movie like this. If you were still on the fence about her, this is surprisingly the film that will convince you of her incredible talent.

As for Glen Powell, he is essentially playing the same character again. This time, the lovable *sshole’s job is cowboy YouTuber, which, sure, is fun. However, the whole “icky guy with toxic masculinity vibes is discovered to actually be a pretty tolerable and nice human being” is getting quite old. Especially considering that Powell seems to be that guy every time he’s on-screen.

Powell is capable of very decent acting, even in this role he proves it, but his absurd lines make it completely impossible to take him seriously. Also, why does Tyler (Powell’s character) walk like he has a rash in his privates? Is it from driving too much? Cause it sure as hell isn’t from sore riding legs. Yes, you are a country boy, but isn’t the John Wayne walk a bit too much?

The supporting characters are risible but charming. Katy O’Brian is very intense in her portrayal of Dani, a woman so ridiculously motivated despite doing absolutely nothing that it’s hilarious. She’s kinda like the Seymour-Hoffman of the gang (Twister), only trying too hard instead of being slimy. A nice upgrade, really.

Regardless of her intensity, it is Anthony Ramos as Javi that takes the cake when it comes to being too much. Not only does his character have the most inexplicably dumb behaviour, but also, his performance as teenager is very extra, a short, terrible introduction that leaves a lasting negative impression. The “he cut his ponytail so he has his life together now” move is yet another detail that makes Twisters so deliciously formulaic.

Final details

One of the best references to the original Twister is, without a doubt, Kate’s wardrobe. Her evolution from business-casual, to Jo’s style (Twister), to redneck, culminating on Ruby Roundhouse (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017), is fascinating. The way the pieces complement and reference her evolution as a person is an incredibly thought-out detail that one doesn’t expect from a natural-disaster movie.

What you do expect, especially with the whole Yankee vibe, is country music. Startlingly, it doesn’t get too tedious after two hours, although the classic rock soundtrack from the original is still missed. The only song that completely pulls you out of the film is “Too Easy” by Tanner Adell, a song that transports you to a What’s Your Number? (2011) kind of movie, an unwanted change of pace in an otherwise pretty coherent soundtrack.

All in all, Twisters is a great natural-disaster feature: entertaining, intense, and fun. It has the best climax of its genre and a fantastic ending that cleverly laughs at one of the most classic romantic clichés of American cinema.

Advice to take from this movie:

• In the event of a tornado, DON’T GET INTO YOUR CAR.
• Turns out, women can also be useful during an emergency, who would’ve thought, right?
• During a tornado, unlike in life, the lower you get, the better.

What’s your take? Have you watched Twisters? What do you think of the ending? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀