Twisters Review: Where Human Resilience Meets Nature’s Wrath
Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos starring in Twisters
SPOILER WARNING: For the movie ‘Twisters’
In the heart of the storm, heroes are born. Starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos, Twisters is gearing up to be the most anticipated movie of the summer.
Twisters, a follow-up to the 1996 blockbuster, Twister, focuses on skilled meteorologist Kate Carter portrayed by Edgar-Jones, as she is haunted by a devastating tornado that claimed the lives of her friends. After a time skip, Carter is drawn back into storm chasing by her friend, Javi, played by Ramos, to test a groundbreaking tracking system that could revolutionize the field. She soon crosses paths with charismatic tornado wrangler Tyler Owens, played by Powell, as both their teams find themselves in a fight for their lives against the deadly twisters across the open plains of Oklahoma. The film was released on July 19, 2024.
As a first-time viewer of the Twister movies, I had my doubts, but the film truly blew me away with its focus on human resilience and its unique take on the disaster movie genre, capturing audiences in a remarkable way. Twisters is a standalone sequel, independent of the original film as well as suggesting a fresh narrative with the introduction of new characters. However, keen-eyed viewers will spot Easter eggs throughout the movie, such as Dorothy V appearing at the beginning.
In this movie, the acting truly stood out as the actors conveyed a range of emotions, including fear, joy, and hope. Edgar-Jones's portrayal of grief after the traumatic loss of her friends was particularly compelling. She appeared numb, her eyes vacant as she navigated the aftermath of the devastating tornado.
However, she quickly earned a reputation for fearlessness alongside Powell’s character as they attempt to "tame the tornado." Edgar-Jones's portrayal of human resilience shines as she rides into the eye of the storm, hoping to disrupt the tornado that threatens to demolish a town.
Additionally, audiences are captivated by the on-screen romance between Powell and Edgar-Jones' characters. The playful banter and phenomenal chemistry between them intensify the brewing storm both literally and metaphorically.
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell in Twisters. Photo by Universal
The reboot made $80.5 million in ticket sales from 4 thousand theaters in North America, according to AP News. The film has even received high praise from viewers alike, underscoring its potential as a must-watch film. This movie even appeals to meteorologists like professional tornado hunter Greg Johnson.
Johnson has been chasing storms for 15 years and said in his TikTok that Twisters is every bit as good as the original, including fixing the “science errors" from the original movie. Johnson said in Nebraska around April, he came across a tornado as it rolled in front of his team. The scenes he described from real life looked exactly like the frightening storms from the movie.
Twisters emerges as a summer hit that takes a novel approach to the disaster genre, focusing on human stories and the unexpected heroes among us. With its genuine authenticity and deeper understanding of storm chasing, the movie aims to create its own legacy, ushering in a new era of storm chasers.
