Twisters (2024), directed by Lee Isaac Chung, stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glenn Powell, Anthony Ramos, David Corenswet, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Harry Hadden-Paton, Maura Tierney, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O’Brian, Kiernan Shipka, Daryl McCormack, and Nik Dodani. The film is a modern remake/sequel (not sure) of/to Twister (1996) and follows Kate (Edgar-Jones), a former storm-chaser who quit after a traumatic experience. Persuaded to return by Javi (Ramos), one of her former colleagues, Kate is thrust back into the now heavily monetized (corporate or otherwise) world of tornado chasing. With the help of Tyler Owens (Powell), a Youtube-famous, self-proclaimed “tornado wrangler,” Kate and Javi set out to help citizens of rural Oklahoma survive/recover from a string of deadly tornados decimating the area.

Much like its predecessor, Twisters is pillared by some strong central performances. Glenn Powell finds palpable romantic chemistry with his female co-star, again solidifying him as the current king of romantic action comedies. Edgar-Jones on the other hand is more than capable of leading the cast, easily giving a performance ripe with energy and emotion. Knowing she’s from London originally, I was impressed by her spot-on US accent. Usually, if I know the person is faking it, it’s easy to see the cracks in their impression. That just wasn’t the case here, and it’s quite rare. Ramos likewise provides an emotionally resonant performance due to a script that gives his character some decent struggle/nuance as the film’s third lead. The dynamic between the three leads thankfully goes in a different direction than the first film, trading a love triangle element for something that has more to do with each character’s general morality. This is the film’s strongest element simply because it feels new compared to its predecessor. Unfortunately, this is where Twisters’ ability to tread new ground begins and ends. 

The overall formula here is dangerously similar to the first film, only differentiating itself with improved special effects (as they should be after almost 30 years) and more twisters to artificially amplify tension. It oftentimes adopts the sequel attitude of “more, more, more” in the worst possible ways – thinking that bigger definitely means better. The action doesn’t particularly go in any creative directions, and although the original film’s sense of fun remains, it still feels like a step-down. In fact, that’s essentially the film’s biggest issue. Everything still feels entertaining and there’s a general sense of quality to the production, but there isn’t a single thing that feels improved (besides things that SHOULD be improved such as CGI). 

On the one hand, this makes the film feel slightly unnecessary; but on the other hand, it’s somewhat refreshing to see a modern blockbuster of this magnitude where the threat/villain steps away from the typical comic-book super-villains and horror movie serial killers. There’s something that’s just so pure about this kind of throwback action movie. In terms of picking the right genre, this is a total win. However, it struggles to feel like it connects to the Twister IP in any meaningful way. It’s not a sequel and it’s not exactly a remake, so what is it? Although not as bad, I find this similarly frustrating to how I felt about Mean Girls (2024). What is this installment’s purpose in relation to the other films in the franchise? It’s just not a question I should have as a viewer walking out. 

Overall, this is a competent sequel/remake to/of Twister but struggles to tread any new ground. The updates here are mostly technical, which are admittedly a visual treat, but I’d still rather just watch the original. That being said, there is a certain novelty to seeing this kind of blockbuster on the big screen once again. C’mon Hollywood. It’s not that hard. Action that we can relate to as well as characters that we can connect to. Less-picky viewers will surely find this to be a treat while those like myself may struggle with the lack of originality. One thing is for sure; if you’re a fan of the original, give it a shot at least once. B-