By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
In 1996, “Twister” became an iconic Hollywood blockbuster that captivated audiences by storm. 28 years later, “Twisters” tries to recapture that same magic but twirls itself down a path of mediocrity with a story that is a regurgitated retread of the original. Described as an in-name-only sequel, it is a modernized version with different characters and enhanced special effects to razzle dazzle audiences, forgetting attention to detail and decent acting along the way.
Five years after a massive tornado left a lingering impression of personal tragedy, Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is lured back into the world of tornado chasing by her old colleague Javi (Anthony Ramos). Still possessing the gift to identify where and when those vicious funnel clouds will be forming, Kate immediately proves to be a valuable asset despite the fresh scars that plague her. When they cross paths with a YouTube star, Tyler (Glen Powell), who is the self-proclaimed tornado wrangler, an adversarial relationship between the two storm chasing teams quickly develops.
As a devastating tornado outbreak surges across Oklahoma, the two teams race to satisfy their self-interests. However, as small towns are ravaged without warning, Kate and Tyler set aside differences to help those people in need. Impressed by her ideals and scientific theories of how to stop tornadoes in their tracks, Tyler finds himself gravitating towards Kate and lending his resources to help her succeed. Unfortunately, time is not on their side as these lethal tornadoes wreak havoc across the state and place the teams squarely in the line of fire.
For those who experienced the original film, it is impossible not to draw comparisons to “Twisters,” because it follows almost the exact same story arc. The movie opens with the same kind of traumatizing event for the main character perpetrated by an EF5 tornado. There are two teams of chasers pitted against each other, an unlikely budding romance, and a slow build-up to have the main character face-off against another EF5 tornado just like in “Twister.” The main difference is that this main character is looking to diffuse tornadoes rather than trying to obtain enough solid data to accurately forecast them, which is a bit more fantasy than science fiction.
Director Lee Isaac Chung makes a concerted effort to pay homage to the original with not-so-subtle references, like a cameo being given to Bill Paxton’s son, James, having the main character wear the same outfit as Helen Hunt’s character, or having the same Dorothy label on the canister of data recorders. Without any kind of originality, however, these references lose their impact. There is also very little attention to detail as evidenced by numerous gaffs in filming, like when one team’s truck speeds ahead of the other only to be suddenly behind it again in the next frame. Lee does do a good job of updating this film with today’s technology, making it a more relevant mimic of the original. The enhanced special effects make this production a jaw-dropping visual spectacle, but the effects from 1996’s “Twister” were no slouch either, earning two Oscar nominations.
The cast of this film is a major downgrade from the original that consisted of extremely talented Helen Hun, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. “Twisters” only has Glen Powell, who supplies his best effort to carry the movie with his undeniable charismatic charm. This does make his character extremely likable and attractive, but it’s not enough to overcome poorly written dialogue and limited character development. Powell does a great job of trying to sell his lines, but it doesn’t much matter when some are non-sensical like “If you feel it, chase it.”
The rest of the cast is largely unrecognizable, and for good reason, they are not very talented. The lead Daisy Edgar-Jones is certainly no Helen Hunt. Her performance was weak and lacked any kind of credibility, exhibiting extremes of the emotional spectrum as if she was doing a stage production. Anthony Ramos is another actor who lacked connectivity with his role, resulting in robotic line delivery and unlikability even when his character redeems himself through action.
While “Twisters” looks the part of a Hollywood blockbuster, its insides are hollow much like a tornado. Whether or not you’ve seen the original, watch/re-watch that one instead, it is exceedingly better in quality. Although, those who haven’t seen or remember the original, you might be entertained enough to visit this updated version in the theater.
This movie earns:
