Being a 90s kid, I never believed that films from our era would have sequels. These singular baubles that rolled through the multiplex back then seemed too unique to the time. The disaster films of the 70s were the template, for sure. But it was the advent of CGI that made updating those concepts possible. After the arrival of Jurassic Park (from a novel by Michael Crichton), studios aimed to capitalize on the fledgling technology. Post-9/11, the want for disaster fell off completely. It was almost as if something was rumbling in the air at the turn of the Millennium; we could sense it.
That what makes this summerâs Twisters so baffling. Why make a sequel to a film that lacks all nostalgia? With the exception of the main conceit, no ties present themselves. Apart from some minor plot beats and the use of the Dorothy doppler pod, you wouldnât mistake this for the original. This, in fact, is the filmâs key strength.
The 1997 film was a scrappy little blockbuster with only a small name cast. It wasnât until years later that many of the actors went on to bigger and better things. A real cult hit that made a huge profit, just not designed for franchise.
When Twisters opens in a harrowing sequence, Kate Carter is working in New York City for NOAA. Having seemingly put the past behind her, she still has trouble moving on as seen in her waking nightmares. When her former colleague Javi visits and asks her to join his team of storm chasers, she is hesitant. Finally convinced, she joins him in Oklahoma in order to use new radar monitoring on tornados. But along the way, they are disrupted by a group of YouTube âamateursâ trying to steal their thunder. Forgive me for the puns, they write themselves.
The entire cast has charisma to spare, not unlike the original movie. Thankfully, the over-acting is toned down in the second act where Twisters really kicks in. Daisy Edgar-Jones brings naturalism to Kate, shedding any pretense. Glen Powell has had a stellar year between Hit Man earlier and this now. Hopefully Hollywood would take note of these two. They certainly have more chemistry than his pairing with Sydney Sweeney.
Rounding out the supporting cast, we are given a group of mostly indie actors that mix well. There is no clear scenery chewer like Hoffman was. However, it was fun as a movie fan to go âthat guyâ a lot. He is from NOPE, she is from American Honey and so on. Each one is given moments to shine, only making it harder to watch them in peril down the line.
Directors of smaller fare sometimes work in blockbusters and others not. Lee-Issac Chung, having grown up in Arkansas, has a feel for this landscape. The visuals match the drama unfolding amongst our characters. Whereas someone would get bogged down in spectacle, Chung carefully threads the needle giving us a truly special experience.
Country music makes the perfect backdrop to the setting as well. The first movie used existing music and original score to propel the action. Music producer Kevin Weaver, who successfully brought us the Barbie soundtrack, extends his magic from what I would call the soundtrack of the summer. Along with a modest score, these complement the feel and environment of the film greatly.
This should be the hit of the 2024 summer box office. No other movie this year has screamed IMAX more than this one. Go out, if you havenât already, and see it. Even if you have, go see it again. The new guy on the block, dressed in red, can be spared a second viewing. But thatâs a story for next time.
