“Twisters” — the sequel to “Twister” (1996) — follows Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a tornado expert who returns to the field of storm chasing years after a traumatic tornado encounter. The film was released 28-years after the original on July 19.
Although disaster movies have been few and far between in recent years, they were once a fixture of the movie industry. Disaster films of the 1970s, such as “Airport” and “The Towering Inferno,” were massive financial successes. The genre surged again in the ‘90s with films like “Independence Day” and “Twister.” In the years since, the box office has been dominated by franchise filmmaking, leaving little room for these kinds of movies to succeed. The release of “Twisters” begs the question: How does this 2024 iteration of the “disaster movie” stack up to its ‘90s predecessor?
Although the plot of the “Twister” films is relatively incidental to the spectacle of tornado-induced destruction, it does exist in some form. The 1996 film follows a group of storm chasers whose goal is to release a large quantity of weather sensors into a tornado. With this information, storm-warning systems could issue tornado warnings much further in advance. “Twisters” adopts a similar formula, though this time the goal is to release a chemical solution capable of dissipating a tornado.
The tornadoes are the main draw for these movies, but that can only take them so far. Great characters can elevate a disaster movie, grounding it in reality and investing the audience in its stakes.
The characters in the original “Twister” are very entertaining and a big reason why the movie works so well. Though Jo (Helen Hunt) and Bill Harding (Bill Paxton) are the main focus of the film, the entire supporting cast is prominently featured. Every performance is incredibly charismatic and instantly endearing. The cast has great chemistry, bringing writers Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin’s erratic and witty dialogue to life.
“Twisters” differentiates itself by honing in on its leads. Kate Carter, Javi (Anthony Ramos) and Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) sit firmly at the center of the movie, with the supporting characters relegated to minor roles. Though each actor gives a great performance, characters Kate and Javi are simply not that interesting. They’re fairly conventional protagonists who don’t quite mesh with the wild energy of the franchise. Fortunately, Tyler Owens is much more in line with the original characters, providing many moments of unhinged entertainment.
In terms of emotional depth, both films are a bit lacking. In each, a main character is motivated to storm-chase after losing a loved one to a tornado. The characters have an almost personal vendetta against tornadoes, making it their life mission to prevent tornadoes from harming others. The effort is appreciated, but it never quite resonates in a profound way.
The tornado sequences are by far the most important aspect of these two films. The “Twister” movies are at their best when they embrace the ridiculous possibilities enabled by their premise. The ‘96 film certainly understands this. Whether it’s hurling a semi-truck at its protagonists or literally driving them through a house, there are many moments of outrageous spectacle.
“Twisters” delivers in this element as well. In a notable sequence, Tyler Owens recklessly maneuvers his tricked-out pickup truck, dodging a collapsing wind turbine as he attempts to launch fireworks into a tornado.
Unfortunately, “Twisters” lacks the sense of danger and visceral intensity that “Twister” had.
In the original film, the tornadoes felt like a true threat to the characters’ safety. The combination of digital and practical effects melded in a harmonious way that grounded the tornado encounters in reality. Apart from a few select sequences, this feature is relatively absent from the new movie. The CGI tornadoes feel more like backgrounds than a real part of the environment, preventing the film from achieving true immersion.
Though not quite as good, “Twisters” is a worthy successor to “Twister.” It manages to carry over many of the best qualities of the original movie, even mirroring its box office success.
At the time of its release, “Twister” was a cultural phenomenon. It made $41.1 million worldwide in its opening weekend, the sixth-largest ever at the time. Adjusted for inflation, this equates to $82.2 million. “Twisters” opened with an impressive $124 million worldwide and $81.2 million domestically, the best-ever domestic opening weekend for a natural disaster movie.
The director of “Twisters,” Lee Isaac Chung, and the main cast have expressed interest in returning for a sequel, and given the film’s box office success, this seems like a likely possibility.
“Twisters” proves audiences are still hungry for films of its kind. Hopefully, it marks a return not just for disaster movies but for all genres forgotten by 21st-century Hollywood.
Drew Askeland is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the summer 2024 quarter. He can be reached at daskelan@uci.edu.
Edited by Alaina Retodo and Jaheem Conley
