TWISTERS: Decent Popcorn Flick That Ignores Its Own Message

After leaving her life in Oklahoma behind, a brilliant meteorologist finds herself back in her old storm-chasing ways in an attempt to understand the increasingly unpredictable storm patterns. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, Twisters (a pseudo-sequel to the iconic 1996 film Twister) certainly delivers in the heart-pounding cyclone arena but falls short in some story-building areas as well as being too afraid to call out its biggest message.

Kate (Edgar-Jones) is exceptional in her field. With an intuitive mindset, she can predict tornado patterns unlike anyone else. But tragedy struck during one of her many storm chases, which led her to escape her country roots for big-city life.

Five years later, an old friend named Javi (Ramos) convinces her to return for storm season to assist on a project. She begins to butt heads with a fellow chaser named Tyler (Powell), who seems to only be there for fame and thrills. But as the destruction intensifies by these twisters, Kate delves back into her old research in hopes of saving lives.

Twisters begins with a tense opening, which certainly helps the disaster flick open with a bang. It’s also the most emotionally impactful scene of the film and helps set the groundwork for the character of Kate. But that emotional aspect we get in the beginning is something I think the film lacks overall with its characters.

The opening also gives us our first experience of the film’s intense sound design, which is one of its highlights. The sound is incredible in a theater setting and amplifies the heart-pounding nature of the action sequences. These storm moments satiate your thirst for a fun summertime popcorn film, but I don’t know if any deliver those memorable scenes that are so ingrained in our culture from the first film.

Another weak area was with some of its characters, which feel very shallow or forgotten. There are great casting choices for supporting characters, including Sasha Lane, David Corenswet (the upcoming Superman), and Brandon Perea, among a few others; but no one receives a worthy introduction nor do stakes ever feel high enough that you truly root for these people.

When you think back to how memorable characters were outside of Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt’s in the ’96 film, it just feels like it’s missing something. I feel like everyone can remember Alan Ruck and Philip Seymour Hoffman so vividly as side characters, but maybe not so much these new characters.

As for leads, Edgar-Jones does a nice job and her character gets the most material to build a connection with the audience. For her counterpart, Powell portrays an insufferable character, in an attempt to take aim at internet culture. So much about him, especially in his introduction, feels overly satirical. The film’s intention behind that feels more clear by a certain point of the film to subvert audience expectations. But I did struggle to find this shift believable, or truly like his character.

Perhaps my biggest issue with the film is the message that it is trying to articulate, but is so fearful of calling out directly: climate change.

Twisters partially takes its structure from the original film, of finding a resolution for those in the path of tornados, but it doesn’t do much to modernize the story and call attention to a very real and current issue. It teeters on discussing the impact of climate change by highlighting on several occasions the increasing ferocity and frequency of these storms, but stops short of directly saying “climate change”.

It’s not to say popcorn movies can’t do this while also giving viewers a fun thrill ride. Or that the film would suffer under a blanket of lectures. But when you think of how films even 20 years ago like The Day After Tomorrow weren’t afraid to be upfront with their messaging, it’s bizarre you wouldn’t be so direct when the stakes are highest.

And even beyond that the film focuses on the morality of helping others in a crisis and I certainly appreciate the intent. But it feels empty and with a lot of forgotten resolutions that make the film lack impact.

Is Twisters a decently fun disaster film? Yes. I wouldn’t say anything about it is overly memorable, but despite some issues I have, it is enjoyable as a theatrical experience due to its technical qualities. Director Lee Isaac Chung does a nice job and elevates the visuals, but it often feels like the film is trying to distract you with a tornado instead of continuing to develop its story. Even in its final scene, there’s something that just left me wanting more from its script.

Twisters is now in theaters