"Twisters 2024: A Stormy Sequel That Misses the Magic"

Twisters is the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 blockbuster hit, which starred Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. The sequel stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos. Much like the original, it follows a team of storm chasers in Oklahoma who are trying to find a way to gain more information about tornadoes and, more importantly, figure out how to stop them from terrorizing the people of Tornado Valley.

Twisters Movie Poster
Courtesy Universal Pictures

This was one of my most anticipated films of the summer. The original film is one of my all-time favorite storm disaster movies. My parents literally watched this movie on repeat; it was one of our comfort movies growing up. There are so many quotable lines that I remember to this day from that original movie.

Okay, you had Philip Seymour Hoffman in that movie, you had Cary Elwes, Lois Smith, Alan Ruck—so many memorable moments--"We got cows! "Aunt Meg, where did you get all this beef from? Have you seen my cows out in the yard?" "Nope."--Just so many memorable moments, and the chemistry of that cast was absolutely phenomenal.

Twisters tries hard to hit all of the original plot beats. You have a storm chaser who gives up the profession to have a safer existence as a big city meteorologist. They are brought back to Oklahoma for one last storm chase to help rescue and save the people of Oklahoma. In doing so, they reignite their passion for chasing storms, reunite with their community, and save the day. There's comedy and romance thrown in too.

More specifically, this movie follows Daisy Edgar-Jones's character, Kate, who loses loved ones to the storms, much like Helen Hunt's character in the original. Kate returns home to Oklahoma, reunites with her storm-chasing pal (played by Anthony Ramos), and gets entangled with the lead, Tyler (played by Glen Powell). This is the year of Glen Powell—he is in everything this year.

Daisy Edgar Jones and Glen Powell in Twisters (2024)
Courtesy Universal Pictures

The movie has good bones, and the special effects were great. Many people think the 1996 effects look a little cheesy, but I still think they stand the test of time. The effects here are much improved, and the storms are bigger. But because I'm familiar with the original, I was waiting for that "wow" moment, and I didn't get it. The chemistry between the actors didn't feel as authentic as in the original movie.

The original movie had Helen Hunt reuniting with Bill Paxton, and their on-screen chemistry was phenomenal. Even as a fourteen-year-old girl at the time, I could feel it. The lore around that movie, like the fact that there was a showing at a drive-in theater when it was hit by a tornado, added to its mystique. It was such a blockbuster hit.

Do I think this one can capture the awe and attention the original did? No, because it doesn't do anything original. Helen Hunt was already a well-established actress when she starred in the original Twister, and Bill Paxton had just come off of Independence Day. Glen Powell certainly has star power, and if this movie had come closer to last year's Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, it could have capitalized on Anthony Ramos's popularity more. But I don't think enough people are familiar with Daisy Edgar-Jones. She's likable, but there wasn't enough appeal or draw.

The romance in this movie feels weird. They try to recreate the love triangle from the original, but it doesn't feel authentic. They don't flesh out the characters enough, and it's a little problematic. I'll talk more about that in the spoiler portion of the video. It didn't feel as emotionally connected as the one in the original movie. I felt bad for the characters in the first movie because none of them meant harm, and it was sad to see one relationship dissolve and another reconnect. It felt authentic to the characters.

Daisy Edgar Jones and Anthony Ramos in Twisters (2024)
Courtesy Universal Pictures

David Corenswet is also in this movie, playing a minor villainous character. There's no clear villain like Cary Elwes was in the original. They fold character traits from the original into different characters here, making it unclear who is supposed to be who. It's a bit tangled and convoluted.

The film is directed by Lee Issac Chung, best known for his critically-acclaimed 2020 film Minari. Most of his films explore human relationships in deeply impactful ways. I think its wonderful that he had the opportunity to helm a big budget action flick. But the story and character development just doesn't live up to the standard of what we're use to seeing with his work. 

Director Lee Issac Chung on set of Twisters (2024)
Courtesy Universal Pictures

While I appreciated the opportunity to see it in the theater, and I saw it in Dolby, I could have waited to watch it at home. That said, there are several moments in the movie where seeing it in 4D (if you can afford the 4D experience) would probably be phenomenal with the rain, wind, and movement of the chairs. But in a normal theater, it's up to whether you really love this genre of movies. I don't see it being a great experience for a large family with diverse tastes.

Walking out of the theater, I immediately felt like it was a decent experience but nothing super thrilling. If you love storm disaster movies, you might enjoy it. But it just didn't have the same magic as the original.

Shaquanna Stevens is a public school educator, film critic, and mother of three. When she's not in the classroom, she’s diving into the world of cinema, offering insightful reviews with a personal touch.