Twisters – Film Review
Reviewed by Harris Dang on the 11th of July of 2024
Universal Pictures Australia presents a film by Lee Isaac Chung
Produced by Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley
Written by Joseph Kosinski and Mark L. Smith
Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Daryl McCormack, Kiernan Shipka, David Corenswet, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Katy O’Brian, Nik Dodani, Tunde Adebimpe, Maura Tierney, and Harry Hadden-Paton
Edited by Terilyn A. Shropshire
Running Time: 122 minutes
Rating: M
Release Date: the 11th of July 2024
Twisters tells the story of Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a passionate meteorologist who has an affinity for tornadoes – so much so that she believes she can incapacitate a tornado completely to save lives. Unfortunately, we find her at a time of crippling grief since most of her team have been killed in the line of duty in her hometown of Oklahoma. But with any crisis comes opportunity. In this instance, it is the presence of her best friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos).
He proposes to Kate an advisory role in chasing tornados. With his ample resources and up-to-date technology, they have a real chance in achieving their goal for the good of the lives of Oklahoma. From there, she encounters maverick tornado chaser Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) and the two become adversaries in their pursuit for storm chasing. But the time for fun and games suddenly ends as storms multiply and densely populated areas that people thought were safe are attacked. Will Kate redeem herself and manage to complete her unfulfilled dream for the greater good?
Twisters is a standalone sequel to the 1997 hit Twister, which was directed by filmmaker Jan de Bont. The film was a worldwide smash hit due to its exhilarating pacing, shared camaraderie with its cast and of course, delivering exactly what audiences wanted – rip-roaring set-pieces of grand destruction. For its sequel, we have indie director Lee Isaac Chung handling the reins. Best known for his acclaimed family drama Minari (2020), Twisters is his first step in blockbuster filmmaking. With a vast budget, the goodwill/expectations of marquee value and a hip young cast, will Chung blow people away with Twisters?
Much like life, death and taxes, it is inevitable that Twisters will be compared to the original film. Both have a jam-packed ensemble filled with rising stars, keen commercial aspirations, and a massive scope for showcasing “very bad weather”. On the negative side, Twisters lacks the original’s exhilarating pace. In Twister, exposition was delivered through rapid dialogue delivery and through action. This gave into immense thrills that made it understandable as to why people delved into the profession of meteorology via tornadoes. As for Twisters, the storytelling quite often stops to deliver exposition and it makes the pacing quite haphazard.
However, Twisters compensates by having moments of tranquillity, the calm before the storm, which is reminiscent of Chung’s prior work. What is also refreshing about Twisters is that even with the massive budget on display, Chung still has a strong focus on character. We see characters become in sync with their environment as they either experience an internal crisis of self-doubt or they experience an epiphany. Chung portrays those moments with nuance and vivid clarity – even with formulaic characterisations.
The characterisations are not unique nor noteworthy, but they do have recognisable emotions and motives. Whether it is to conquer their own fears or discover something bigger than their pursuit of greed, the epiphanies and realisations feel earned and satisfying. The cast knows what film they are working on and neither act down to the material nor treat it like a Shakespearean text. There is a lack of self-seriousness and weight of franchise goodwill to them that is innately refreshing.
Having immensely likable leads with Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos helps the film a lot. Edgar-Jones shoulders a lot of the film’s drama. It comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with her work in Normal People that she dives into the many inner conflicts and facades of Cooper convincingly. She is complimented very well by Powell, who is on a roll lately with his mega-watt smile, striking presence, and charismatic attitude as the braggart Owens. And then there is Ramos as Javi, who displays a level of passion in wanting to make a difference but is guarded and apprehensive in how he gets there.
Another refreshing aspect is that unlike most long-awaited blockbuster sequels, Chung and screenwriter Mark L. Smith lend a steady hand in diving into the well of nostalgia. With just a few visual callbacks and no references to legacy characters, Chung resists the urge to jam a heavy-handed reverence down the audience’s throats. Instead, he understands the appeal of the premise is not necessarily the spectacle alone but its reverence in showcasing the passion and camaraderie of the characters as well as in delivering show-stopping spectacle.
The cast of rising stars, including Daryl McCormack, Kiernan Shipka, David Corenswet, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Katy O’Brian, Nik Dodani, and Tunde Adebimpe, all add to the fun with their infectious chemistry. Much like the cast in the original film, they all make it easy to understand why people would gain such an interest in learning about the concepts and processes about tornadoes. Especially when the film amusingly follows the Star Trek formula by spouting verbose amounts of jargon and then rationalising it in the end with one sentence.
But let us address the cow in the storm. Does the film deliver in showcasing destruction and spectacle? Yes, it absolutely does. Although it reaches levels of ridiculousness in terms of data gathering – fireworks, numerous car chases, YouTube livestreams and giant radars – there is a level of practicality on display that conveys the weight of the action and considerably amplifies the suspense. Having the film lensed by veteran cinematographer Dan Mindel, who shoots using 35mm, helps lend a sense of vistas that cannot be conveyed in a green-screen backlot.
Overall, Twisters is a surprisingly satisfying blockbuster that overcomes its restrictions due to its marquee name with keen commercial aspirations, a charming cast, hard-hitting disaster spectacle, a striking sense of character and a refreshing lack of nostalgia pandering.
Recommended.
Summary: A surprisingly satisfying blockbuster that overcomes its restrictions due to its marquee name with keen commercial aspirations, a charming cast, hard-hitting disaster spectacle, a striking sense of character and a refreshing lack of nostalgia pandering.
4
Recommended
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