“Twisters,” the standalone sequel of the 1996 box office hit “Twister,” has been making waves since its release. After watching it, I can confirm that it is a delightfully chaotic film that concisely portrays the destructive tendencies of natural disasters.
The commercial success of “Twister” almost 30 years ago is largely attributed to the timing of its release — the 1990s were arguably the heyday of original blockbusters, and the film’s no-nonsense approach to storytelling that steers clear from unnecessary back stories is a supporting factor, as well.
Widely considered a box office juggernaut, “Twister” went on to earn $494.5 million globally, which is equivalent to a whopping $992.08 million today. The primal concept of man versus nature coupled with director Jan de Bont’s groundbreaking use of visual effects managed to captivate audiences of the 90s, something that “Twisters” attempts to replicate in 2024.
“Twisters” stars Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones as storm chasers with starkly different approaches to the profession. While Kate Carter (Edgar-Jones) works with storm chasers to further her research in tornado intensity-reduction, popular YouTuber Tyler Owens (Powell) seeks to capitalize on the thrill behind chasing tornadoes for his channel. Kate’s initial disdain for Tyler stems from her perception of him and his team as glory hunters.
The film follows Kate working at a NOAA office in New York five years after a traumatic tornado incident claimed the lives of her boyfriend and fellow storm chasers. When Javi (Anthony Ramos), an old friend and storm chaser colleague of Kate’s, invites her to test a new tornado scanning system, Kate joins his team in Oklahoma as representatives of Storm Par, a mobile tornado radar company. Tyler’s crew arrives in Oklahoma, as well, where the pair converge and begin tracking tornados together.
As far as our protagonists go, Powell and Edgar-Jones deliver great performances that truly reflect well-written characters. Tyler’s character development shifted my perception of him from an overconfident jerk to a magnanimous figure that supports tornado victims. Additionally, Kate’s relationship with Tyler is dynamic and encourages teamwork between the two, with well-handled romantic undertones that shine primarily in the latter half of the film.
With a budget of $155 million, the film’s domestic opening grossed $81 million — the fourth-highest domestic opening of 2024 and the highest-ever opening for a natural disaster movie. Since its release, “Twisters” has grossed $231 million domestically and $88 million globally.
Characters aside, the visuals are gorgeous and are clearly something that director Lee Isaac Chung placed special emphasis on. Grayscale skies, panoramic shots of dusty roads and weathered, rolling plains made for a visually rich background. I specifically loved the attention to detail on Oklahoma’s uniform landscape, a setting that perfectly complements the grandiosity of the tornados. Speaking of which, production on the film’s 10 total tornados integrated reference footage of supercell clouds as well as real tornados shot by technical consultants. But that’s not all. Practical effects on set included wind fans operating at 70 miles per hour, high-pressure pneumatic water cannons, polyacrylamide for hail and even a pair of jet engines running between 170 and 180 miles per hour.
Chung’s inspiration for tornado shots and watches built off footage from the original “Twister,” his upbringing in tornado alley (Colorado) and his own semi-autobiographical indie film, “Minari.” “Minari,” Chung’s last film, revolves around a Korean immigrant family and has virtually nothing in common with “Twisters” except the experience of living through natural disasters. The solemn atmosphere that Chung creates in “Minari” perfectly captures the essence of paranoia that superstorms induce, and his work on “Twisters” reflects this. His work on “Minari” also earned the film six Oscar nominations.
“Twisters” is a unique representation of how the human psyche reacts when confronted with unfathomable danger. The film's ensemble cast harnesses science to combat the erratic ferocity of the phenomena they track — a relentless pursuit of knowledge that only comes to fruition by entering the belly of the beast.
The film’s metaphorical richness lies in its representation of a modern-day David versus Goliath, and its subliminal message of climate change awareness is the perfect finishing touch. “Twisters” exemplifies futility in the face of adversity and is one of 2024’s cinematic gems.
