Twisters: An airless sequel

When it was announced that Twisters was being released, I had very low expectations. As a 90s kid, I remember watching Twister (1996) during a family movie night. It was a thrilling experience for all, and the feature was destined to be a cult classic. Plus, I practically grew up watching Helen Hunt and Philip Seymour Hoffman stars in the original Twister. Need I say more? I also have a huge attachment to 90s films, which are near and dear to my heart and steeped in nostalgia.

Sequels seem to be on the rise as of late, which is no surprise given the dedicated fanbases these films bring from their predecessors. Twisters' opening weekend success at the box office just proves that even decades after original movies have been released, sequels appeal to the masses. They expand on storytelling, build thriving franchises, and lure audiences to cinema seats.

Twisters is a sequel to the original film and follows Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who, in the feature’s opening sequence, is a tornado chaser. Our leading lady has created a formula she hopes will stop tornadoes in their tracks and weaken their effect to save lives. However, when attempting to test her theory with a group of friends and her boyfriend, danger strikes, and the plan goes horribly wrong. This results in tragic deaths, with Kate being the sole survivor of the incident. Years later, she is called back to the field once again after an old friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos), gets in touch with her. He believes he holds the key to destroying tornadoes once and for all and can achieve this with Kate's help.

Considering Kate’s traumatic past and the survivor’s guilt she is facing, none of that emotion is outwardly displayed through the character in an effective way. Kate also has an extremely bland, flat personality that isn’t developed enough to carry the film. She is devoid of any compelling qualities that build a connection with the audience and is incredibly one-dimensional, existing simply as the tornado expert.

Then we have Glen Powell playing insufferable internet personality Tyler, who is a pretty detestable character. Though Powell’s ability to seamlessly portray an unlikable guy showcases his undeniable talent as an actor, I found Tyler’s larger-than-life demeanor too big for Twisters' lackluster script. This is particularly noticeable when comparing him to other characters in the narrative who are uninteresting, lacking in depth, and given very little to work with.

Powell and Edgar-Jones are both fantastic actors. However, I found the chemistry between Kate and Tyler to be non-existent. The interactions between the pair are tedious to watch, with their romance lacking any excitement or believability. As the end of the film drew near, I honestly didn’t care whether they ended up together or not. Their romance also falls victim to the overused enemies-to-lovers' trope; only their back-and-forth bickering fails to evoke tension and intrigue.

I also found the townsfolk in Twisters, who were living in areas where the tornadoes hit, incredibly frustrating. As someone who lives in Texas, a state that experiences a vast number of tornadoes per year, I can confidently say that the way the locals act in Twisters is infuriatingly unrealistic. In this movie, people have no idea how to prepare for such an extreme weather event. At one point, one character even states that these warnings rarely amount to actual tornadoes. When we are given a warning in Texas, I can assure you that we are hiding in closets far away from windows instead of brushing them off as a minor inconvenience.

Twisters’ biggest strength is its special effects, which, to give the film credit, get the job done. They entertain and fully immerse you in the experience. If you love adrenaline-inducing action sequences, mindless fun, and can forgive a weak storyline and characters that lack depth, then Lee Isaac Chung's feature will be sure to satisfy on spectacle alone. However, overall, Twisters is an unforgettable disaster movie that fails to live up to the quality of its significantly superior predecessor.

Rating: 2.5/5