Twisters
Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sasha Lane, Daryl McCormack, Kernan Shipka, Nik Dodari, David Corenswet, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O'Brian, Paul Scheer
Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Thriller
2024

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A gifted meteorologist (Daisy Edgar-Jones) returns home to Oklahoma to help a college firend (Anthony Ramos) with his new tornado-scanning technology, but to test it requires them to chase tornadoes across the state.

Review:

Tim: Twister remains one of my all-time favorite movies. I love it so much and it gets so close to perfection. So, I was overjoyed to see the film finally get a sequel, 28 years later. Now, there were some questions about what Lee Isaac Chung could do here- most films like this (decades-long wait after a beloved movie) can hope only for a good film, one that at least does the original justice. I wasn't prepared for Twisters to emerge as a great film in its own right. Sure, it's not as powerful as the original, but I loved the movie. It pays homage to the original while charting its own course. This is an entertaining thrill ride and undoubtedly, one of my favorite films of 2024.

My biggest question coming into the film was how they could ever replace characters played brilliantly by Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt- that duo made the first movie fantastic. Well, the casting department deserves immense accolades, because Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell achieve that. I've been so impressed with Edgar-Jones and it's felt like she was close to a breakthrough role. She makes a fantastic lead in this film. Her performance feels authentic- she's intelligent, brave yet wounded. Putting her as the lead of this film was a brilliant move and she more than carries the film. Her Kate Carter is a tremendous character and the script did her all kinds of favors. We see her early on, as she experiences a tragedy. That event hangs over her the entire film and it drives her actions. We establish early rapport with Kate (Edgar-Jones crushes the performance out of the gate) and she's a wildly easy character to root for. Anthony Ramos provides a nice supporting performance with a few unexpected moments. The film is excellent at establishing these two characters early and powerfully and sets up this beautiful redemption story, against the backdrop of dangerous Oklahoma twisters.

So then, when Glen Powell shows up, he ratchets the film to a whole other level. Powell's meteoric rise has been so much fun to watch. He tackles every role with so much energy and charisma. He's obviously going to be one of the biggest movie stars in the world and it's films like this that will get him there. Powell's Tyler is everything Kate isn't- he's brash, cocksure, always the center of attention. The contrast between their characters sets up terrific drama as the film progresses. And yet, first appearances aren't always what they seem. Tyler's journey in this film and the slow mining of his character's heart is what truly makes this movie work. The building friendship between these two characters obviously mirrors the Paxton-Hunt relationship in the original, but it works beautifully. This might not be original, but it's executed to perfection. We love these two characters and so everything else that follows works.

Now, I'm how many paragraphs in and I haven't really even talked about the tornadoes. Strange, right? That's why Twisters is a great film. Oh sure, it's a thrill ride- but it starts with great characters who are well-written and excellently acted. The human drama is the most important part, and Chung ensures we care about these characters. That's how you make great films like this. The tornadoes might be the main attraction, but they're really secondary. It's about characters first. Now, the visual effects of bringing these weather monstrosities to life is shockingly good. The twisters here are intense, awe-inspiring. The visuals are so important, and this film puts us at ground zero at these destructive forces. The movie is intense, thrilling, memorable. There's something so beautiful and exciting about watching small, vulnerable people confront nature's most powerful storms. I loved those visual sequences and there's plenty of them- you are absolutely on the edge of your seat throughout the film.

Outside of the leads and the visuals, the supporting cast is good. Maura Tierney is fantastic in her supporting role. It was nice seeing Kernan Shipka for a few minutes, as well as Daryl McCormack. David Corenswet is going to be a much more recognizable name soon, so it was great having him here (although I wish he had a bit more to do). I enjoyed Tunde Adebimpe, and Nik Dodari has some tremendous moments. Harry Hadden-Paton adds terrific humor to the film. Like the first movie, this isn't about the secondary cast, but they are essential in making the film work.

I know 2024 produced some truly great films, several authentically Oscar-worthy. However, Twisters is a lot better movie than some of the critical darlings out there. Sure, it's easy to dismiss it as a tornado sequel, but this is a blockbuster film that establishes great characters and has heart. That is not easy to do. I give the writers immense credit (including Joseph Kosinski) and Chung emerges as a director we absolutely have to watch. To direct Minari and then this great film? The guy has serious talent. Speaking of talent, I expect to see continued huge success for Edgar-Jones and Powell- I feel so appreciative of their work for making this film a worthy sequel and one of the most fun movies of 2024.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Twister, Hit Man, Where the Crawdads Sing, Minari