Is it a sequel? Is it a reboot? Is it any good? The reviews have started to come in for Twisters and the consensus seems to be… yeah. It is good. The reviews refer to it as a “legacy sequel” too, so let’s go with that.
In Twisters, Daisy Edgar-Jones plays a former storm chaser who is haunted by a deadly encounter with a tornado years before. She returns to help her friend (Anthony Ramos) test a groundbreaking new tornado tracking system.
This leads to her crossing paths with Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a charming but reckless social-media superstar who chases the adrenaline of storm-chasing with his raucous crew for clicks online. Both teams soon find themselves together in the paths of a weather system building over Oklahoma the likes of which has never been seen before.
Lee Isaac Chung’s film sits at an 81% (7.3/10) rating on Rotten Tomatoes and here is what they are saying about Twisters:
“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
“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
“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
“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
“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
“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
Twisters will open in theaters on July 19th.