In the wake of a tumultuous year marked by widespread cinema closures and box office anxieties, could the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 phenomenon, Twisters, finally roar into cinemas and become the summer’s cinematic saviour?
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung – the critically acclaimed filmmaker behind the 2020 indie darling Minari – Twisters boasts a stellar cast. Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, Where the Crawdads Sing) brings depth and resilience to Kate Cooper, a weather scientist who is still haunted by a harrowing tornado encounter five years prior. Joining her are Glenn Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You, Hit Man) as Tyler Owens, a charismatic but reckless storm chaser, and Anthony Ramos (Hamilton, In The Heights) as Javi, a fellow scientist brimming with enthusiasm for a revolutionary new weather tracking system.
Drawn back to the sprawling plains of her native American Midwest by Javi’s latest ambitious project, Kate finds herself entangled in a complex fight against time with a circus of fellow tornado chasers in-toe. Javi’s seemingly noble pursuit of scientific advancement is apparently being funded by an unscrupulous venture capitalist with questionable intentions and motives. Forced to confront her past trauma, Kate must reluctantly partner with the enigmatic Tyler, whose daring approach to storm chasing clashes with her own.
This fresh take on Jan de Bont’s iconic 1996 disaster film promises to be more than just thrilling spectacle. Lee Isaac Chung injects the narrative with surprising emotional depth and moral compass, exploring themes of resilience and the complex relationship between humanity and the raw power of nature.
Twisters delivers a hugely entertaining and engaging white-knuckle ride unlike no other and I would honestly be surprised to see a better action movie this side of Christmas. This is a cinematic experience with a soul, which blends adrenaline-fuelled excitement with classic romcom storytelling.
There some great performances from Edgar-Jones, Powell and Ramos throughout, but props must first and foremost go to the formidable CGI team for creating such visually stunning and terrifyingly realistic tornado sequences. Equally impressive is the cinematography – courtesy of Dan Mindel – who captures the raw power and beauty of nature with breathtaking clarity, by managing to immerse viewers in the heart of the storm.
Chung’s indie sensibilities shine through, infusing the blockbuster spectacle with a nuanced exploration of human resilience and the intricate relationship between people and nature. Impressive indeed.
