Twisters Review: Prepare to Be Swept Up by the Power of Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones

The post Twisters Review: Prepare to Be Swept Up by the Power of Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones appeared first on Consequence .

The Pitch : In 1996, Twister took the world by storm. An all-star cast brought a group of scrappy storm chasers to life, allowing the human drama between the characters to become the real focal point of what could’ve otherwise been a run-of-the-mill disaster flick. Now, nearly 30 years later, legacy sequel Twisters is spinning into theaters.

Kate Carter ( Daisy Edgar-Jones ) is an intrepid scientist; for her, studying tornadoes isn’t enough. Her goal, instead, is to develop a way to “destroy” the spiraling storms that have routinely decimated her home state of Oklahoma — or at least diminish their disastrous effects on vulnerable communities. But when an early trial run goes tragically awry, she steps away from storm chasing in favor of standard meteorology.

She’s called back to the field by her friend Javi ( Anthony Ramos ), who now works for a slick tornado-mapping company funded by an Oklahoma real estate titan with an irritable man named Scott ( David Corenswet ). Reluctantly back on shaky ground in her home state, Kate encounters Tyler Owens ( Glen Powell ), a “celebrity” storm chaser running through the heartland with a chaotic crew of YouTubers. It’s an inverted take on the dueling crews of the original Twister forms, in which Kate is stuck with a corporate team, hoping to shake Owens and his merry band of travelers as she races to give her tech another shot.

We Aren’t in Kanas Anymore : There’s something deeply refreshing about the fact that Twisters stands relatively on its own — too many franchises and sequels in recent years have felt the need to connect their protagonists to a character from a previous installment (side-eyeing you most of all, Rise of Skywalker ).

Thus, there are no family trees to be found here — the only thread between the 1996 film and its 2024 continuation is “Dorothy,” the machine from the original film that was seen in development from Helen Hunt’s Dr. Jo and Bill Paxton’s Bill. In this new entry, the opening sequence confirms that their tech became well-established and widely distributed in the storm-chasing world; it’s now Kate’s turn to take up the task of developing a new invention.

The other notable similarity is in the “found family” energy between the members of the storm-chasing crew. This was one of the most memorable aspects of Twister , thanks to the banter between Paxton, Alan Ruck, Sean Whalen, and the unforgettable Philip Seymour-Hoffman — here, from the moment Glen Powell appears onscreen, we know Kate won’t be able to resist his charms for long, simply because nobody is capable of resisting Glen Powell’s charms for any extended period of time.

Twisters (Universal)

His lovable crew is rounded out by Brandon Perea as Boone the videographer, an effortlessly cool Sasha Lane as drone operator Lilly, Tunde Adebimpe as Dexter, a scientist, and Katy O’Brian as Dani, the mechanic. By comparison, Javi and Scott are unbearably lame, and we quickly get the sense that Kate is meant to be sitting with the cool kids.

If You Feel It : If we’ve learned one thing here in the year 2024, it’s that Glen Powell could have chemistry with a dishrag. The moment he appears onscreen with a grand Movie Star Entrance, the energy shifts; even when he’s at his most showboating and self-centered, there’s something likable about Tyler. The audience sees it, and Kate sees it, too, even before Tyler rescues a puppy .

The attraction between the two characters feels earned: The comparatively logical Kate relies on her sixth sense around weather patterns that’s nearly mystical; Tyler, by contrast, is impulsive, charismatic, and brash, and opposites attract over a shared love of the majesty of Mother Nature. (At one point, I found myself wondering what a meteorologist might think of some of the “science” these two characters discuss, and then I realized real-world implications didn’t matter nearly as much as the fact that it was so fun to simply watch these two trade ideas.)

Twisters (Universal)

Clear Skies : On a technical level, Twisters is a treat. Director Lee Isaac Chung introduced himself to many viewers through the tender, deeply intimate 2020 film Minari . While Twisters is markedly different from the family drama that earned him an Oscar nomination, Chung flexes his more artistic muscles whenever he has the opportunity. Technology has progressed dramatically since Twister , but there are still so many ways that creating a sense of scale or establishing characters within the fray of a screaming storm could go wrong; Chung avoids the pitfalls with ease.

There are some truly incredible set pieces over the two-hour runtime, particularly a heart-pounding sequence teased in the trailer when a sudden storm hits the rodeo and county fair. Throughout the film, there are daring escapes, close calls, and enough risks to make the stakes feel high and real. There’s a constant, visceral sense of danger and excitement, and when Benjamin Wallfisch’s score tilts into full Western territory, it’s hard not to start yelling or cheering right alongside the characters onscreen.

There are a few small stumbles to be found, though. Anthony Ramos proved how terribly charismatic he can be in In the Heights , while David Corenswet exudes old-school Hollywood charm, but both are stuck in sour grapes mode for most of their time onscreen. There’s a half-hearted attempt at a love triangle that never fully materializes, along with a plotline about a journalist profiling Tyler that is mostly played for laughs and could’ve been cut with no impact on the overall success of the film. Thankfully, though, there’s more than enough good old-fashioned, moviemaking excellence to eclipse the less interesting moments.

The Verdict : It’s been said a few times before this year about Dune and Challengers , but it’s worth going to see this movie on the biggest screen you can find. Let the sheer power of cinema shake you to your core — movie stars and summer blockbusters are so back, baby.

Where to Watch : Twisters swirls into theaters on July 19th.

Trailer :

Twisters Review: Prepare to Be Swept Up by the Power of Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones
Mary Siroky