Reviews are coming in for “Twisters,” filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung’s sort-of sequel to the iconic 1996 blockbuster “Twister,” and the word is good.
With 31 reviews counted, the film sits at an 81% (7.3/10) rating on Rotten Tomatoes with the general consensus being it works, and it meets expectations, but isn’t the classic the original film was.
Daisy Edgar-Jones plays a former storm chaser, haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado years before, who returns to help her friend (Anthony Ramos) test a groundbreaking new tracking system.
She crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew. Both competing teams soon find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma.
Here’s a sampling of review quotes:
“A hugely entertaining and engaging white-knuckle ride. This is a cinematic experience with a soul, which blends adrenaline-fuelled excitement with classic romcom storytelling. The very definition of a must-see summer blockbuster.” – Linda Marric, HeyUGuys
“‘Twisters’ miraculously stands out against the modern blockbuster landscape. Just like ‘Twister’ did back in 1996. It’s the rare legacy sequel done right.” – William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“The scale and speed of it all is terrifying. There is no doubting the inexorable power of one of these disasters. It’s all up on the screen.” – Sandra Hall, SMH
“Twisters is a minor triumph for the aspects you’d expect would get lost in the mix, understanding that a disaster movie only works if you care about the small-scale human drama caught in the middle of it.” – Alistair Ryder, The Film Stage
“Though Twisters’ screenplay is silly, the characterization is played straight. The Kate-Tyler-Javi relationship triangle actually works, and that’s due entirely to the performances. In lesser hands, this all could have slammed straight into the ground” – Jordan Hoffman, EW
“Director Lee Isaac Chung makes the mistake of taking this escapist fare too seriously, which results in a potential blockbuster that looks great on the big screen but rarely exhibits the unbridled gusto of the film’s mighty tempests.” – Tim Grierson, Screen
“‘Twister’ in its time, was bedazzling because we had never seen anything like it on the big screen before. Staring up at the tornadoes in ‘Twisters,’ I felt like I’d already seen something exactly like them — and that when it comes to footage of actual tornadoes, I’d already seen something more incredible.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Gets the job done in terms of whipping up life-threatening tornadoes that leave a trail of wreckage in their wake. But the extent to which all this is conjured with a digital paintbox lessens the pulse-quickening awe of nature at its most destructive.” – David Rooney, THR
The original film by Jan De Bont hit 4K UHD disc this week. “Twisters” will open in cinemas July 19th.