Twisters

Twisters (2024)

A Spectacle-Heavy Spin Through Disaster Tropes

★★½☆☆

Impressive action set pieces trapped in a storm of scientific mumbo-jumbo.

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, Twisters has the distinction of being a film featuring a combination of my two least favorite genres: the natural disaster movie and the remake. Despite the presence of charismatic leads like Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, it becomes clear early on that the real stars of the film are the special effects. While Powell brings his signature affability, the story eventually swings back into dense "science" attempts to add gravitas to an otherwise thin narrative.

"The characters are just slightly more fleshed out than standard cardboard cutouts and the writing was just not sufficient enough to enhance the weak story."

— Ray Manukay

🎬 Cast & Crew

• Director: Lee Isaac Chung
• Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos
• Supporting: Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane
• Cinematography: Dan Mindel

The Vision

Chung attempts to balance the ridiculousness of the plot with large-scale spectacle. There is a lot of scientific jargon spouted about to justify the storm-chasing, but the filmmakers eventually throw most of it out in favor of humor and high-octane set pieces. While the stakes feel slim and the characters aren't particularly sympathetic, the action sequences—especially a standout rodeo tornado—demonstrate a clear mastery of blockbuster visuals.

🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts

• Spiritual Successor: Rather than a direct remake, the film is considered a "standalone sequel" to the 1996 original, featuring no returning characters.
• Director Switch: Lee Isaac Chung, known for the intimate indie drama Minari, made a massive jump in scale for this project, citing his childhood growing up in Arkansas as inspiration.
• Real Storms: The production was filmed in Oklahoma during actual tornado season, leading to several weather delays that mirrored the film's plot.

✅ Pros

• Genuinely impressive and visceral action set pieces.
• Glen Powell's effortless charisma as Tyler Owens.
• The rodeo sequence is a masterclass in disaster suspense.

❌ Cons

• Underdeveloped characters that feel like cardboard cutouts.
• Excessive and unconvincing scientific "mumbo-jumbo."
• Slim stakes that fail to make the characters sympathetic.

🏆 Final Verdict

If you like the spectacle of natural disaster films and want to kill a couple of hours, Twisters settles the bill. It’s a loud, visual feast that unfortunately lacks the narrative wind to sustain its leads' charms.

View original review on Letterboxd