Title: Twisters Director: Lee Isaac Chung Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glenn Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Harry Hadden-Paton, David Corenswet Where: In theatres near you Rating: **1/2 This film faces the challenge of living up to the 1996 classic Twister, which set the bar high for disaster films. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, this stand-alone sequel takes us back to Tornado Alley with a fresh cast and modern special effects, yet it struggles to capture the same magic as its predecessor. The film follows Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a storm chaser with a bold mission to stop tornadoes by using a novel formula.
However, an experiment gone wrong results in tragedy, leading Kate to abandon storm chasing and work for the National Weather Service. Her former colleague Javi (Anthony Ramos) convinces her to return to the field with new technology and a team, including the charismatic YouTube sensation Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), to confront a once-in-a-generation storm. The film boasts advanced special effects that detail tornadoes with close-up precision.
Yet, despite these technological feats, the tornadoes lack the visceral, terrifying presence of those in the original film or the real-life storm footage readily available online. Chung’s direction brings a nuanced visual style, capturing the Oklahoma landscape with rich detail through Dan Mindel’s 35mm cinematography. His approach highlights the beauty and danger of nature, but the screenplay.
