In 'Twisters,' Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell refresh a classic in a fun watch
There was a brief moment in my life when I thought I wanted to be a meteorologist. The combination of being a pilot’s daughter and seeing the 1996 blockbuster “Twister” confirmed that weather science is fun and fascinating.
And honestly, weather is still one of the top topics of discussion among my friend group and strangers. How often are we reaching for our phones to check the temperature? How often are we staring at a precipitation map hoping for some summer rain?
Lee Isaac Chung’s sequel to the OG "Twister" has a lot of science to catch up to. Nearly 30 years of new data, new technology, and new movie-making techniques can make or break a movie like “Twisters.”
There’s a danger of pushing the effects too far, stepping beyond science and into just ridiculous movie-monster territory. However, Chung rides the edge between realism and sci-fi well as “Twisters” is a fun return to one of the best disaster movies of all time (in my opinion).
Are Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in 'Twisters?'
In “Twisters,” we don’t get any Helen Hunt or Bill Paxton cameos. Instead, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell lead as two meteorologists from different backgrounds.
Edgar-Jones plays Kate Carter, a weather nerd from Oklahoma. Much like Hunt’s character in the first movie, Kate experiences a tragic encounter with a tornado. But unlike Hunt’s Dr. Jo Harding, Kate doesn’t go storm chasing. Rather, she retreats to the National Weather Service in New York City and takes refuge behind a computer screen.
Years after that fateful encounter an old friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos), appears. He has new tech that can help scientists better understand tornados. The underlying goal is to save lives, but there’s a more sinister plot unfolding.
After much begging, Javi convinces Kate to return to Oklahoma for one week to chase some storms.
Enter Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), the “tornado wrangler.” He and his Mad Max crew have a YouTube channel and livestream their storm chasing to their million followers. Seemingly brash, egotistical and super country, Tyler outwardly appears the polar opposite of Kate’s “city girl” look.
But there’s nothing like a shared passion to ignite a romance, and eventually, Kate and Tyler find themselves working together on chasing tornados and saving lives.
Now, the romance is purely an undertone. The tension between Tyler and Kate is tangible, but both are science geeks, albeit very hot ones. There are no long makeout sessions or sexy fun times. This is a science movie!
Sort of.
Both Edgar-Jones and Powell are brilliant in their roles. So much so, that it makes me wonder if they both have a passion for science outside of acting.
Do you need to watch 'Twister' first?
“Twisters” stands on its own as a fun disaster movie. You don’t need to have seen the original in order to enjoy this one. There are only a few small Easter eggs for fans of the original.
Does it hold up scientifically? I’ll leave that up to the meteorologists. I will say that the tornados in “Twisters” have less of a “monster” feel than in the original. And interestingly, there is no talk of climate change in the movie at all. It would have been easy to use that as a trope to lean on, but Chung foregoes the easy and leans into good storytelling. And I’d expect no less from the man who directed “Minari.”
Two last things: the music in this movie is fantastic. And this comes from someone who isn’t a country music fan. Each song and scored section is perfectly tuned to the moment.
Lastly, a shoutout to Harry Hadden-Paton, who plays Ben, a British journalist doing a story on storm chasers. He’s such a small part of the movie, but every line, every facial expression, is just so hilarious and funny. His character is clearly not of BBC quality and that just makes it all the more hilarious.
Is "Twisters" the movie of the summer? Could be, but at the very least it's a fun ride and worth seeing — maybe even twice (looking at you Glen Powell).
'Minari' review: Lee Isaac Chung's film is a 5-star masterpiece
'Twisters' 4 stars
Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★
Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★
Director: Lee Isaac Chung.
Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos.
Rating: PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language and injury images.
How to watch: In theaters Friday, July 19.
Contact Kaely Monahan at k[email protected]. Follow her on our podcasts Valley 101 and The Gaggle, and X, formerly known as Twitter, @KaelyMonahan.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Twisters' with Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones is a blast