Twisters

Twisters
Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung

Steven Spielberg invented the summer blockbuster with his iconic 1975 film "Jaws," and since then cinemas have showcased countless films during the summer to draw people in from the summertime heat. A summer blockbuster is different than other films in that they're big budget popcorn movies released from May to August that have wide appeal and are generally financially successful. Back in May 10, 1996, a summer blockbuster called "Twister" was released, earning over $240 million dollars. News of a sequel ran rampant since then, but it wasn't until 2024 that we got "Twisters" - a film that's a sequel in the fact that it centers on a group of tornado chasers with no relation to anyone in the original film. The result is another summer blockbuster hit filled with modern day effects, a strong young A-list talent, and exciting set pieces that make you feel like you're in the middle of a tornado yourself.

Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is a college student in Oklahoma who is testing an idea she has to disrupt a tornado's intensity when tragedy strikes. Five years later, Kate is now living in New York City and has isolated herself from her friends and family, until her fellow storm chaser Javi (Anthony Ramos) contacts her with help: to return to Oklahoma to help him and his team conduct new scanning systems to find tornadoes and help people in their path. Kate reluctantly agrees and runs into Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) and his ragtag crew of tornado chasers who seem to be all show and fame, and the two immediately butt heads. Yet as the chases intensify and Tyler and his team's true motives come into play, Kate is drawn to him and his crew who want to help people, trusting in him to try her experiment again in hopes of saving lives.

It's no secret that tornadoes have become more active and more powerful in recent years, and "Twisters" comes at the perfect time, showcasing their raw power but also their ability to be terrifyingly beautiful in the process. They're forces of nature that seemingly can't be stopped, but that doesn't stop Kate from trying - for an altruistic purpose of saving lives. Yet, more than an action blockbuster, it's also a romantic comedy as Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell electrify the screen with their chemistry and gives a lovely story thrown into the mix.

The romantic comedy part comes when opposites attract, as Kate - an intellectual who is dealing with the trauma of what happened five years earlier - runs into Tyler - the cowboy tornado chaser who seemingly doesn't have a care in the world. You've seen this story before countless times, but what helps in this case is Edgar-Jones and Powell's performances, as they brilliantly work off one another perfectly. You sense the sexual tension between the two, but also the comradere and sincere friendship that blossoms from their first heated outing. Both actors excel in their roles and more than their romantic chemistry both give deeply personal performances. Kate is haunted by her past and it affects her present, and we get a very emotional moment where Daisy Edgar-Jones lets loose and lets the emotions fly. Equally, Glen Powell's Tyler comes off as a cocky, arrogant, fearless person but we slowly peel the layers away and find a man who genuinely wants to help others, care for the downtrodden, and is actually a standout guy.

If there's one flaw in the film it's in Anthony Ramos's Javi, who seems to perpetually be caught in the friendzone. He's integral to Kate's return, but often takes a backseat (or disappears entirely from the film for long stretches of time) and it seems like they didn't know what to do with his character. Not to mention he finds himself working for an obviously shady man (never trust a Texan with one of those outfits with the skull necktie thingy), and you've got an almost stereotypical character that doesn't really fully get a chance to develop.

While the romance and the comedy is there, there's only one reason people go to the movie: to see tornadoes. To that end, director Lee Isaac Chung blows the doors down with the special effects. The tornadoes are equal parts terrifying and mesmerizing, and this is a film that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible, as during the most intense moments I felt my chair shake from the sound. It's unforgettable images (especially the fire tornado) and fills the movie with intense action that is the hallmark of any successful summer blockbuster - no surprise that Steven Spielberg helped produced it. There's even a nod to cinema itself in the movie which I won't spoil, but when it happened I was in awe at how amazing it turned out.

Mixing A-list talent with A-list effects, "Twisters" is an amazing summer blockbuster that needs to be seen on the big screen, and often.

The Score: A+