A surprisingly twisted and emotional action sequel

The biggest twist in Twisters is not one that spins around on the screen. It is that the film takes a surprising step beyond what you expect. Yes, Twisters delivers plenty of fast-paced, dramatic action scenes with tornadoes destroying all sorts of houses, hotels and occasionally people. But it also prioritizes life in a way that the 1996 original did not. We care more about who lives and who dies, and that deep humanity at its core elevates Twisters in all possible ways.

However, given the director, that was probably to be expected. Twisters Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who also directed the Oscar-winning Minari. Minari was a celebration of life and family and so it is Twistersjust from a different perspective. Here we meet several unconventional families who all share a love of tornado chasing with different, sometimes conflicting goals. For some, it’s the science. For others, it’s the thrill. And for the real scumbags, it’s money. But the script for Twisterswritten by Mark L. Smith, doesn’t just adhere to these general classifications and expectations. There’s some interesting and sometimes shocking cross-pollination about who’s in the tornado game for what reasons, and that keeps the story fresh and exciting.

This story centers on Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a New York City meteorologist still trying to forget an unspeakable tragedy that occurred on her last tornado chase. But when her good friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) calls and offers her the chance to make a difference one more time, she reluctantly goes hunting again. Kate then meets Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a self-proclaimed “tornado wrangler” and YouTube vlogger with over a million subscribers. Tyler is sassy and annoying, but also absolutely charming, and immediately gets into a slur with Kate about who is better at finding tornadoes.

For the first act Twisters is mostly by the book. Kate and Javi’s team are chasing tornadoes for scientific reasons, Tyler is chasing them for fame, and the two teams are battling it out. There’s a lot of flirting, there are a lot of big tornadoes to drive around or through, and it’s generally just entertaining. But soon certain truths come to light and eventually Kate and Tyler team up, and then the film shifts into another gear.

Once Tyler and Kate team up, it’s not just a semi-steamy romance that’s about whether or not they’re going to end up together, but everyone opens up, becomes more dynamic and vulnerable. We care about them, we want to see them together, and that makes what they’re up to even more exciting. Kate has always believed she could stop a tornado, and Tyler believes he’s found the final piece of the puzzle. It also helps immensely that Powell is as charismatic and lovable as ever, and Edgar-Jones finds a nice balance in a character who is smart and confident in her own right but carries serious trauma.

That’s all well and good, but the best thing about Twisters is that these (sometimes over-stated) scientific goals, while there, are thrown out the window whenever they conflict with the idea that people might die. Kate, Tyler, and the others move heaven and earth, sometimes literally, to save lives. Several times throughout the film, perhaps too many, characters set out to do something but then have to stop to help people in danger. The repetition sheds light on what Chung clearly feels is the film’s bigger message. No matter what these characters want, no matter how exciting it is to see a tornado on screen, tornadoes are dangerous, destructive killers and should be respected and feared.

This is helped in large part by a colorful cast of supporting characters that add even more spice to the film. Plus, as in the 1996 original, there are several big names and familiar faces in the cast. There’s Brandon Perea, who you know from NoKiernan Shipka from MadMen and Long legsHarry Hadden-Paton from Downton Abbey And The crownSasha Lane from American Honey And LokiDaryl McCormack from Peaky BlindersTunde Adebimpe from the band TV on the Radio and more. But the most famous are Katy O’Brien from Love lies bleeding And The Mandalorianand Superman himself, David Corenswet, in the most un-Superman-like role ever. All of the characters are quirky, strange and engaging, but Corenswet is perhaps the most memorable of all, simply because he is so hateable.

A dynamic, exciting supporting cast alongside the two loyal main actors is the main thing Twisters has in common with its predecessor. Which, to be honest, was my biggest disappointment with the new film. As a diehard superfan of TwistersI was a little frustrated that there was only the slightest connection to the first one. (There is a direct connection, but it’s never explained.) Most people who don’t bow down at the shrine of Jan de Bont, Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt will probably see this as a positive, though.

This is the mood Twisters But that’s what it’s about. It’s its own thing. The first film had classic rock, this one has country rock. That film was mostly straightforward, and this one takes you on a slightly more emotional and ethical journey. And while that film was obviously about saving lives, Twisters really focuses on this theme and leads to a finale that surprises you in the best way possible, with real tension that will keep you on the edge of your seat and an extremely satisfying conclusion.

Nothing about Twisters is overly unique, but it does everything right. You go into the series hoping to be entertained, and you get that and then some. Thanks to the solid story and character development, we are left in awe, not of this franchise, but of these characters. I really want to know what happens next with Tyler, Kate, and the crew, which I was not expecting at all. It’s quite a twist, in fact.

Twisters will be in cinemas on Friday

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