In 2020, director Lee Isaac Chung garnered critical acclaim for his film Minari, a beautiful and tender portrait of a Korean American family trying to achieve the American dream. His follow-up movie as a director could not have been a more radically different film. Twisters is his newest film and serves as a stand-alone sequel to 1996’s Twister. Improving upon the original with an emotional story and endlessly entertaining thrills, this is a classic popcorn flick that’s definitely worth checking out this summer.
Kate is a tornado-chaser who comes out of retirement to come back to Oklahoma to work with her old friend. Here she encounters new threats and a charismatic and cocky influencer named Tyler who also chases storms. Over the course of one week, she aims to collect important data on tornados while also helping those impacted by their destruction. It’s a simple yet effective story that seamlessly blends the disaster and thrills of tornadoes while also being more conscious of the human cost of such events. It’s an improved approach to the original which didn’t have an emotional core as developed as the new one.
Written by Mark L. Smith, the script does what it needs to do and not much else. While he does breathe new life into the franchise, he also doesn’t exceed expectations. He wrote a very solid summer blockbuster without going beyond those parameters. As mentioned before, he does incorporate the human elements a lot better than the first movie, but it still doesn’t’ change the fact that the movie still tries to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Some of the jokes don’t land, and the dialogue can be cheesy at times. However, this is still forgivable due to the sheer enjoyment factor of the movie.
The movie boasts some charismatic performances as well. Daisy Edgar-Jones leads the film as Kate, and she leads the film well. She has some personality that she brings to the character, but she really excels in the film’s moments of drama throughout. Glen Powell co-leads as Tyler, and it’s no secret that Hollywood has all their chips on him as a future leading man, and it’s hard to deny it’s a good bet. He’s a charismatic actor in all of his work, and this is no different. The supporting cast has some big names who all support the story well despite there being no notable standouts.
Those seeking out this movie are most likely seeking some mindless thrills, and this movie does not disappoint. The scenes with the titular phenomenon are always exhilarating with some heart-pounding effects and execution. It’s an exciting and thrilling experience that was made for the big screen. The stakes feel higher, and the tension feels more palpable than the original.
Twisters is a long-awaited sequel that improves upon the original. It has a strong cast, engaging action, and a surprisingly resonant story that benefits greatly from having such a nuanced director behind the camera. It’s the perfect summer blockbuster, and it’s one definitely worth checking out for two hours of thrills.
Twisters is in theaters July 19.
Rating: 4/5
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