The closest I’ve witnessed any recent film get to the sheer decadence and relentless entertainment of the 90’s blockbuster was a movie I almost completely passed by, thanks to all the nostalgic cash-ins littering the multiplex recently. After crafting his critical and award darling, Minari, director Lee Isaac Chung went for a followup no one could have guessed, by directing the long in gestation sequel to 1996’s iconic disaster epic Twister, titled aptly enough Twisters. What most didn’t know is that, like his previous semi-autobiographical film, the director also spent a good chunk of his life in Arkansas, which gets about 39 tornadoes a month. So he brought not only the character work he was known for, but a fear and respect for the elements as well. Word of mouth actually got me in the theater for this sleeper hit that proved itself much more than a simple IP cash in.
Like the first film, we start with the trauma origin story of our protagonist, as we see the majority of Kate’s Oklahoma (Daisy Edgar-Jones) friend circle, including her boyfriend, are wiped out while chasing a tornado. The bright eyed highschooler was hoping to test a hypothesis and diffuse the twister using a chemical compound she was workshopping. We then jump sometime later, where Kate has left chasing storms and is now a meteorologist in New York. Thanks to her gift to “feel” the weather, she is called back to Oklahoma by her final surviving friend to attempt to 3D map a twister, using a new technology to hopefully prevent or predict them. This trip home not only of course reinvigorates her love of storm chasing, but she also meets Tyler (Glen Powell), a charismatic adrenaline junkie and social media “tornado wrangler”, who helps her in her quest.
The smartest and biggest gamble Chung made was the fact that Twisters literally has almost nothing to do with its predecessor, but it feels very much cut from the same cloth. The film’s wholesome midwestern vibe doesn’t just manifest itself in its toe tappin’ boot scootin’ country soundtrack, but the romance at the heart of the film between Kate and Tyler that is played more realistically than expected. While there’s a palpable chemistry between the pair, Chung is very conservative in its development and to be honest that works very much in the film’s favor. It’s not just about the raw chemistry either, but how that relationship culminates on screen as trust is forged and feelings are conjured, along with the over the top action you’d expect from a Twister film. The action was probably what surprised me the most with its kinetic nearly non-stop momentum, which was totally on par with the original.
The casting here is damn near perfect, while Daisy Edgar-Jones perfectly embodies this troubled woman struggling to overcome her past a la Helen Hunt from the original, it’s Glen Powell who steals the film right from under his co-star whenever he’s onscreen. This film made me a downright fan of the man who fills the frame with an unwavering swagger that made it hard to deny this guy was a movie star plain and simple. While he starts out the film as this rather obnoxious hyper masculine narcissist cowboy you’d expect after seeing his turn in Maverick, it’s how he slowly wins over both Kate, and the audience that showed some impressive chops turning the character completely around about halfway through the film. Daisy not only manages to hold her own against Powell, surprising enough throughout the film, but manages to destroy expectations, by subverting them in their take of what a relationship in a film has to be.
Twisters was a film I saw twice in theaters, in Dolby and 4DX, which was hands down my favorite theatrical experience of the year. Think a two hour amusement park ride where you’re mercilessly thrown around like a rag doll in tandem with the film. That was the reason its 4DX screenings became a phenomenon this summer selling out for months at a time. That being said, the film actually stands firmly on its own and just moves. Just like the original, Twisters just sprints at a frantic momentum from one set piece to the next, as we have them first trying to map a tornado and then getting pulled into helping a small town out that’s currently being besieged by a twister. While the film does hit that two hour mark, it earns every minute and keep in mind the original film clocked in at an hour and fifty three minutes.
Warner was kind enough to send over a 4k UHD of the film for review and first and foremost the transfer here is very filmic. Twisters was indeed shot on 35mm and the presentation here perfectly captures the grain and warmth you’d want from film with little to no DNR. The film feels very much a pair with the original that was also just released on UHD with both the look and sound. Paired with the film presentation, you have a Dolby Atmos track that is a little more reserved than the Twister remaster, but as aggressive on those lows as you’d expect. There are also actual honest to goodness extras on this disc. Along with deleted scenes (Sorry no kiss here) and a blooper reel, you get featurettes on the making of, the special effects and a look at the vehicles in the film. There is also a day in the life of piece on star Glen Powell, that I can confirm features his pup Brisket, who makes more than a few appearances on the extras.
Full list of Bonus Features:
- GAG REEL
- DELETED SCENES
- TRACKING THE FRONTS: THE PATH OF TWISTERS – Trace the trajectory of TWISTERS from its earliest inception to production and get to know the cast as they lead this look into creating their characters, using science to add authenticity, and working through extreme weather wreaking havoc on set.
- INTO THE EYE OF THE STORM – Discover how TWISTERS blends practical and visual effects to turn nature’s most destructive forces into entertaining thrills.
- GLEN POWELL: ALL ACCESS – Glen Powell provides a private tour of a day in his life on the TWISTERS set.
- FRONT SEAT TO A CHASE – Strap in with the cast and professional storm chasers as they brave the elements to track tornados in Oklahoma.
- VOICE OF A VILLAIN* – Hear the creation of the film’s deafening howls with a seat in the studio where the audio team mixes unexpected sounds to give the storms a new dimension of depth.
- TRICKED-OUT TRUCKS – Buckle up for a wild ride in the film’s custom vehicles fitted with unique features ranging from rocket launchers to advanced radar tech.
- FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR LEE ISAAC CHUNG
Twisters decimated my expectations and was a perfect popcorn film. It’s got thrills, it’s got romance, it’s got heart and it’s a ton of fun to watch and even revisit. It’s a summer blockbuster in the purest sense and that’s not easy to do and Twisters makes it seem almost effortless, even the third time around. The presentation here is also pretty stellar, not only is the film presented in a gorgeous transfer, but there are even extras and a director’s commentary, in the year of our lord 2024 – how rare is that on a big studio release? That says it all about Twisters, it’s not just a sequel made to bank on nostalgia, but a new story that the director legitimately wanted to tell and that’s why this film feels like it does, because it was done for all the right reasons and when that happens you get Twisters.
