I hadn’t planned on watching the 2024 release of “Twisters.” I’ve got to admit, my journey into disaster films was relatively short-lived (ending quite abruptly with “The Day After Tomorrow”), and I couldn’t quite comprehend the need to revisit and remake the original “Twister.”
Yet, I found myself renting the movie with my parents during the holidays, cosying up on the sofa with a rather large glass of Baileys in tow. We were all in much need of an easy watch; you know the kind—a little light action, yet nothing that requires too much brain power having filled ourselves with mince pies and wine. And, dare I say it, colour me surprised.
’90s Reminiscence on Display
“Twisters” is undeniably predictable at times and certainly reminiscent of the original, based on characters created by Michael Crichton (“Jurassic Park”) and Anne-Marie Martin. However, “Twisters” offers the next generation a fast, fun and fresh take on the 1996 classic (yes, 1996—anyone else feel old?!), whilst still managing to capture and communicate the sheer devastation and destruction of these natural events with what comes across as genuine sincerity and respect.
The film introduces a group of tornado hunters in Oklahoma—with meteorology student Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar Jones) at the helm—who are testing a theory that launching sodium polyacrylate beads into a tornado will reduce its intensity. Safe to say things don’t go to plan (*spoiler*) and as a result, Kate quits storm chasing, leaves home, and moves to the big city to work for an NOAA office.
However, she’s soon dragged back to face her past and confront her fears when approached by former friend and storm chaser, Javi (Anthony Ramos). Javi has since been working for mobile tornado radar company, Storm Par, and is desperate to recruit Kate to help track down tornados and test a new tornado scanning system.
An Update for Modern Audiences
Things then kick off when Kate and Storm Par come up against cocky yet charming ‘Tornado Wrangler’ and YouTube star Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) whose team is competing to chase tornadoes and who is seemingly reaping in the glory for the celebrity status. It doesn’t take a genius to work out how things pan out—you can possibly already guess—but I shan’t spoil the fun for y’all.
Despite my initial reservations, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed “Twisters.” Though hardly a challenging watch, it provides a more complex, layered plot compared to its predecessor, that allows its characters room for development and even stirred a little sentiment amongst us (mum apparently had an ‘eyelash in her eye’ but we all knew the truth). Not to mention, if you’re a country music fan like me, you will love the soundtrack.
Sometimes We Need an Easy Watch
And though uncertain about the need for a remake, “Twisters” is a solid example of how you can take an original film and concept, yet give it a new lease of life by bringing it into the present day and rewriting a different story for its characters. And at its core are genuine messages of hope, friendship and courage in moments of adversity; as Tyler advises Kate, “you don’t face your fears, you ride ‘em.”
So, if you need some light action to help you switch off over the holidays, I’d certainly recommend giving “Twisters” a shot. And for those who were a fan of the original, I think it strikes just the right balance between offering something that feels bigger and bolder, whilst still maintaining the original foundations, the essence of the 1996 classic, at its heart.
