In the movie “Twisters,” every tornado behaves like a conscious entity, targeting individuals much like the shark in “Jaws” or the alien in “Nope.” One moment you’re safe, and the next, you’re swept away by the menacing cyclone. Director Lee Isaac Chung delivers a fantastically entertaining yet utterly ridiculous disaster film filled with technical jargon from meteorologists, storm chasers, and experts from NASA and FEMA.
The film plunges us into a wild, old-school disaster movie during a massive tornado outbreak in the Plains. It pays homage to Jan de Bont’s 1996 “Twister” but stands alone as a sequel, aptly named “Twisters” because it features more tornadoes and plot twists.
British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Kate Cooper, a talented meteorologist who left storm chasing after a tragic incident. Her former colleague Javi (Anthony Ramos) lures her back with new technology that promises to revolutionize storm science and save lives. Together, they head to Tornado Alley in Oklahoma, where various storm chasers, from sophisticated teams to freelancers, have gathered.
Among them is Tyler Owens, played by Glen Powell, a charismatic YouTube star known as “The Tornado Wrangler.” He and his team of rebels add a wild, energetic dynamic to the mix, contrasting sharply with Kate’s scientific approach. Despite their differences, sparks fly as they learn more about each other.
The film takes a brief interlude when Kate visits her mother (Maura Tierney), who runs a family farm and prepares a charming dinner when Tyler visits. But the main focus remains on the tornadoes, with impressive visual effects and action-packed sequences. The film’s fictional universe humorously depicts a lack of preparedness among the residents of Tornado Alley until the movie stars arrive.
Director Chung, working from a script by Mark L. Smith and a story by Joseph Kosinski, utilizes a larger canvas than his previous work, “Minari.” He incorporates Americana elements with tornadoes striking during a baseball game, a rodeo, and a revival movie house showing of “Frankenstein.” “Twisters” may be hokey and nonsensical, but it delivers spectacular fun.
