Twisters (2024) - Nostalgia With a New Twist

Twisters (2024), directed by Lee Isaac Chung, is a gripping return to the world of tornadoes and storm chasers, offering a blend of action, nostalgia, and pretty outstanding visual effects. As a standalone sequel to the 1996’s Twister, it manages to honor its predecessor while carving its own identity with a more modern approach to storytelling and attempt at character development.

SPOILER ALERT: This review will talk openly about plot points of the film. If you want to be totally spoiler free skip this review until you’ve watched it. You’ve been warned.

Twisters – Plot and Characters

Twisters introduces us to a new generation of storm chasers, led by Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate, a character with a personal vendetta against the storms due to a tragic past. Similar to Helen Hunt’s character in the first film, Kate loses someone close to her when they are killed by a tornado. (Let’s put a pin in the Helen Hunt character… we’ll come back to that)

The supporting cast, particularly Glen Powell, provides much-needed levity and charm. Tyler’s a brash and reckless YouTuber storm-chaser whose viral antics add both tension and humor to the screen. His reckless approach to storm chasing contrasts sharply with Kate’s more measured, scientific methods, setting up a natural tension between the two. Their dynamic evolves throughout the film, with the romantic subplot serving as a backdrop rather than a central focus (thank goodness). Unlike the original film’s more traditional romance between Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton’s characters, Kate and Tyler’s relationship is rooted in mutual respect for each other’s skills.

However some characters, such as Javi and the majority of the storm-chasing team, feel underdeveloped and just sort of there. Anthony Ramos’ performance as Javi lacks the depth needed to fully bring his character to life. Additionally, a love triangle subplot feels unnecessary and detracts from the main story.

Visuals, Action, Criticisms and Pacing

One of Twisters‘ strongest aspects is its action sequences, which are nothing short of breathtaking. The tornado scenes are intense, delivering a terrifying depiction of what Mother Nature can do. The audience is taken directly into the heart of the storm and the film doesn’t shy away from showing the aftermath of these natural disasters which I appreciate. They do spend some time focusing on community, loss, and the hope of recovery. They try to shoehorn in a subplot involving corporate greed but it feels undercooked and ends up detracting from the main story about storm chasing. I’m guessing there was a lot on the cutting room floor here.

At two hours, the movie feels long, but I only checked my watch once. Not because I was bored, but I recognized that we’d been there a while. Some subplots, like the conflict with a corporate investor who seeks to profit from storm research and the fact that Tyler and his crew are actually do gooders, feel tacked on and undercooked.

The biggest miss here in my mind is the fact that this entire movie was CLEARLY written to have more connection to the first movie. You simply can’t convince me that Kate wasn’t supposed to be the daughter of Jo and Bill from the first film. There’s references to the DORTHY project they were working on and while I love Maura Tierney it was a MASSIVE miss to not have Helen Hunt in that role… even as a cameo.

Twisters (2024) – Final Thoughts and Recommendation

Twisters successfully rides the line between homage and innovation, delivering a cinematic experience that’s both a thrilling ride and a heartfelt journey. It’s a testament to what blockbuster filmmaking can be and I hope Hollywood takes notice. Its story falters a bit and some subplots feel underdeveloped (or in one case is completely missing) but for those who are just looking for a fun summer popcorn flick, those flaws can be overlooked. This movie isn’t just about chasing storms; it’s about hopefully bringing back the joy of seeing a movie in the cinema. Go see this one.

Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Maura Tierney, Brandon Perea, Daryl McCormack, Sasha Lane, Kiernan Shipka, Nik Dodani
Screenplay by: Mark L. Smith
Producers: Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley