Glen Powell is the Eye of the Storm in ‘Twisters’

There’s nothing like a summer epic to sweep you off of your feet, literally. Twisters storms through with a blockbuster filled with natural tension that reminds us that some of the scariest things we have to face is Mother Nature herself. 

Disaster films are always scary because they aren’t based on some ancient lore, they’re real-life situations that millions face each year depending on where they live. That’s why the original Twister remains such a classic. Outside of the relationship between Dr. Jo Harding (Helen Hunt; Blindspotting) and Bill Harding (Bill Paxton; Frailty), these were a group of people trying to figure out how they can use their smarts to cut down on the devastation that tornadoes cause each year. It’s that human element that anchors the thrill and fun of these films, and that continues in Twisters. 

Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones; Where the Crawdads Sing) is a storm chaser, one of the best. She has an unnatural intuition that allows her to sense when a tornado is coming and predict how it will act. After a devastating tornado claims the life of her friends, country mouse turns city girl in New York. When old pal Javi (Anthony Ramos; Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), the only other survivor of the incident, comes to New York and enlists Kate’s help on a groundbreaking new tracking system, Kate returns to her hometown roots where she comes face to face with twisters, her past trauma, her failures, and a rowdy group of storm chaser influencers led by the charismatic Tyler Owens (Glen Powell; Hitman). 

Edgar-Jones is perfect as Kate, though it would’ve been nice for her to at least attempt a Dust Bowl accent. Her meek demeanor makes Powell’s Tyler stand out even more once he enters the scene. The entire levity of the film improves once Tyler and his team roll through. Yes, they’re meant to be the party but the night and day of tone is a testament to Powell’s natural charm. Powell has made a significant impact in the industry through multiple projects, and his Southern allure is reminiscent of the Matthew McConaughey era. Powell’s casting as Tyler might be one of the best casting choices to date. While someone else could have played his character, the impact on the story would not have been the same.

Twisters’ greatest strength lies in not trying to accommodate fans of the original with unnecessary callbacks and other fan-service details. By choosing their own story and focusing on telling it, they created a film that can stand on its own outside the shadow of Twister, preserving the legacy of the classic.

I was hoping the film would touch on climate change in a meaningful way. Films like these can be great for education and activism, introducing information that enlightens rather than preaches and invites the audience to act. Though we didn’t get that, we did get commentary on the profit of disaster. Javi works for a company funded by a developer who takes advantage of people at the height of their pain to acquire their land for a fraction of its worth. This made for a compelling, though short-lived, story about how people prioritize profit over the well-being and recovery of affected communities.

Tornadoes are majestic and somewhat beautiful. These cyclones rip through towns destroying everything in their path. But the size of the tornado isn’t as important as the destruction they leave behind. That is the measure of true devastation that these tempests cause beyond mere physical damage. Twisters brings a thrilling disaster film to a new generation. Fans of the original Twister will enjoy this new story while new fans will rush to watch the original. All will leave with one common belief — if you feel it, chase it. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars