Twisters Review: Disaster Movie is a Convenient But Entertaining Affair

Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell in lead roles, Twisters is the remake of the hit 1996 film Twister and showcases the story of a group of storm chases who try to reduce the intensity of tornadoes by releasing sodium polyacrylate solution into it. The movie is based on the screenplay by Mark L. Smith and Joseph Kosinski’s story.

Twisters is what you’d call an “entertainer” – a film that delves deep into insane stunts and some emotions in order to suck you into the story, just like that tornado did to Kate’s friends as the movie starts. The storyline is simple and cliched, with the missing kiss at the end serving up the only twist that no one would be able to see coming. Kate’s love for weather and tornadoes and passion for helping people fuels this story and gives it heart but it is Glen Powell as Tyler Owens who ends up winning in that situation. Their shared love for tornadoes is what brings and binds them together, making viewers root for them after a while.

This is what you’d call a cliched film that is made well because of which it works. They are simply made for entertainment, there’s not much to look into because doing so would destroy the magic of it all. However, for those looking for something that will take your breath away – this isn’t it. The story is mostly monotonous and one-dimensional and the situations aren’t anything unfamiliar. The storyline flows in a way that is expected and thus, for those who want some twists and turns, you are going to be left disappointed.

This is made more apparent when the film, although constantly reminding us about the increase in tornado activity in certain parts of the USA, never mentions anything about climate change. It’s a convenient affair full of fluff and expected ups and downs and doesn’t talk about anything remotely important. The funny thing is that it doesn’t try to be anything more than this and the fact that this is a simple cash-grab attempt can be sniffed out from miles away. There are several moments that would’ve warranted a deeper discussion on certain issues but, much like the tornado, the film rushes towards something else within minutes and leaves the rest forgotten.

I, however, liked the simplicity of it all; there’s something charming about it. And maybe that’s because Powell’s Tyler is so charismatic as the bad-turned-good guy that it is impossible to ignore him. His character is also a typical addition – a cowboy who “wrangles” tornadoes and does insane stunts that I am not sure are possible in reality and has an expected arc that anyone will be able to figure out the moment he comes on-screen. Surprisingly though, Powell plays him with heart which turns him into a sight for sore eyes.

I can’t say the same about Daisy Edgar-Jones, who looks bored and confused throughout the runtime. You don’t see her having fun with her passions like you do with Tyler and neither do you feel her fear and apprehension of being swooped into this mess that took so much from her previously. Beside Powell, she feels like a combination of damsel-in-distress and damsel who is uninterested and it is difficult to get a read on her. As a result, she seems to suck the life out of this movie and you end up waiting for Powell to come back on-screen. Lastly,
Anthony Ramos is Javi – I don’t understand the point of his character other than to bring the city girl back to the Wild West but at least there is some urgency in him that makes you take notice.

Twisters Review: Final Thoughts

In the end, Twisters is fun in pockets and has some great special effects and an infectious Glen Powell to keep you company for its 162-minute runtime. The characters aren’t all that interesting and there isn’t much chemistry but there’s entertainment here that can be enjoyed thoroughly in 4DX theatres. There is very little substance here that sets it apart from other disaster films and considering how convenient it is, viewers might find themselves getting a bit impatient after the first half of the film is over.

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